Chapter 116: The Kaga Saga
Frustrated by the political situation in Azuchi, Kaga Nagasaki often turned to the governance of the province of Kaga for solace and relief. He had grown into the role of a daimyo, having attained the entire province from the Shibata clan upon the conclusion of the Manji War in 1662 at the age of 18. From the beginning, he had able retainers to oversee the administration who were especially important when he was overseas fighting Jin-Joseon armies during the Asiatic Northern War. When he was present, however, Nagaaki took an active role and continued to bolster the growth of Kanazawa, indisputably Japan’s largest city after the central trio of Azuchi, Kyoto, and Sakai, and the industries that supported it, from Kutani ware (九谷焼) porcelain to the northern fur trade. He also spent time and resources on modernizing his domain’s elite musketeers much like his father had 20 years earlier, delving into the latest military developments and tactics from Europe. Nagaaki became one of the first to experiment with the incorporation of bayonets in Japan to determine whether they could supplant entirely the use of yari amongst infantry ranks. Onlookers and visitors commented on his military “projects”, remarking that his musketeers were second to none in Japan.
Nagaaki’s hobby did not go unnoticed by the Nanshin faction, particularly Kanefuyu and his nephew Yoshihiro. There was a secret fear that the Kaga lord was investing in the modernization of his personal musketeers to prepare for war against them. At the same time, though, the idea to use that fear as a false charge of treason also crossed their minds as a convenient way to get rid of a political rival and cement the supremacy of the Nanshin-ha. News of the tsar Alexei’s passing in 1676 had only arrived nearly a year later to Azuchi, and many were eager to use the opportunity to enter negotiations with Moscow and end the intermittent border skirmishes and raids between the two sides. However, others, especially those in the Hokushin-ha like Nagaaki who had fought on the mainland during the Asiatic Northern War, were steadfast in their opposition to any further compromises in Japanese anti-Russian policy and support for the Amur Khanate. Without Nagaaki, however, this opposition and the Hokushin faction would be toothless and unable to overcome the Nanshin faction’s influence and power.
Therefore, towards the end of 1677, Kanefuyu began feeding rumors of a possible rebellion against Azuchi by Nagaaki and his supporters into the ear of the daijo-daijin, potentially even against Nobuhiro himself. Although initially unconvinced and dismissive, Nobuhiro began to be persuaded when Kanefuyu began exploiting the former’s inferiority complex against Nagaaki, who possessed a solid military record and an appetite for politics unlike the chancellor of the realm. Riled up and convinced by what was in reality a conspiracy theory meant to dupe him into eliminating Nagaaki for the Nanshin-ha, Nobuhiro ordered the arrest of the Kaga lord on the charge of treason and conspiracy against the daijo-fu. Kanefuyu, carefully manipulating the process behind the scenes, orchestrated a sham trial that utilized more talking points and charges of conspiracy than actual evidence, even referencing the fact that his father Tomoaki had previously rebelled against Azuchi. Nagaaki never had a shot at making a fair case against the charges, and he quietly accepted his fate when it was decided that he would commit seppuku to atone for his “treason”. Honorable to the very end despite his bitterness over the betrayal, the Kaga lord urged his retainers not to revolt but instead do everything in their power to preserve his legacy in the province. In March of 1678, the seppuku of Kaga Nagaaki took place. He was only 34, a promising life cut short by the paranoia and rivalry of others.
Modern day depiction of the seppuku of Kaga Nagaaki
As Nagaaki had no sons, his domain was at risk of being dispossessed. In an effort to quell discontent, this was prevented and Nobuhiro’s 9 year old second son was chosen to succeed the Kaga line, being renamed to be Kaga Hiroaki (加賀熙昭). Nevertheless, the power of the established retainers would be reduced in their own province with central power to be in the hands of a guardian, Urakusai Hisahide (有楽斎尚秀), and it wouldn’t take long for enough angry and dissatisfied Kaga samurai to lash out against the outcome of the conspiracy. On the night of April 21st, 1678, around 500 men led by councilor Takumi Mataichiro (匠又一郎) rose up in arms in the city of Kanazawa and occupied Kanazawa Castle (金沢城) ahead of Hiroaki’s arrival. An opposing force made up of the sailors of the Kanazawa naval squadron and anti-resistance retainers soon gathered and effectively blockaded the castle on all sides, threatening to bombard them out if need be. On April 28th, fellow councilor Tsuda Takeakira (津田孟昭) managed to coax the rebels into opening up talks, where the former urged his peer to step down and allow the transition of power to occur. He even promised to appeal to Azuchi for some measure of mercy and broached Mataichiro the question, “Would our late lord want this?”, bringing tears to Mataichiro’s eyes. In the end, Mataichiro stepped down and surrendered. Before he himself left the castle, however, he asked for some time in a room. Minutes later without a response from him, Mataichiro was found to have slit his throat, unable to live with the shame and dishonor he had brought onto himself.
The attempted takeover in Kanazawa cast a long shadow on Azuchi. Despite the pleas of Tsuda Takeakira, the participants were either executed or dispossessed of their properties and banished from the province and the clan they served. Several daimyo looked on in disapproval at what had taken place between Nagaaki’s seppuku and the handling of the aftermath but said or did nothing, not willing to risk anything themselves. As a result, the Hokushin faction was cowed into submission, forced to adjust to what essentially became the new regime. Now wielding a freer hand in Azuchi, Kanbe Tomozane and his faction began negotiations with Russia to establish a recognized border between the tsardom and the Amur Khanate and sort out Russo-Japanese interests in the far north. What would result would be the Treaty of Nerchinsk of 1679. The northern border of the Amur Khanate was defined at the Uda River and the Outer Khingan Mountains [1] [2] and Muscovy recognized Japanese holdings in Karafuto and Kuroryutsu as well as continued Japanese influence over the Amur Jurchens. Russia and Japan would also share fishing rights in the Sea of Okhotsk. Fur trapping rights would, however, be restricted within the recognized sovereign borders of the involved realms. However, the northern portion of Karafuto and the Kamchatka Peninsula remained unclaimed and would not be resolved in the treaty. Upon the finalization of the treaty, there were some murmurs of discontent among Oshu daimyo who didn’t want any concessions that would affect the fur trade but the Shinka-in and the Sangi-shu would nevertheless approve it with little pushback.
Copy of the Treaty of Nerchinsk of 1679
That same year, Tokugawa Noriyasu, the last of the three leaders of the Hokushin-ha, died after leading the Tokugawa house for 29 years. With his passing came about the final decline of the faction as no person rose to take leadership. Furthermore, many sympathizers had been sufficiently satisfied with the Treaty of Nerchinsk. This achieved the complete dominance of the Nanshin-ha and its leaders, namely the Kanbe cadet branch of the Oda clan, Tagawa Seikou, and Mōri Tsugumoto, though Tagawa Seikou would also pass away in that same year. For the next 10 years, they would preside over the affairs of Azuchi, with the daijo-daijin under their influence and uninterested in breaking the mold to loosen their grip on power.
[1]: Alternate name of the Stanovoy Range.
[2]: Essentially the same borders as TTL’s 1689 Treaty of Nerchinsk.
