Horio Yoshiharu
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Horio Yoshiharu (堀尾 吉晴; 1542 – July 26, 1611) was a daimyo in Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo period. He was appointed to one of three chu-rō by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the first leader of the Matsue clan. His father was Horio Yasuharu. He was also known as Horio Mosuke (堀尾 茂助).
Yoshiharu served Hashiba Hideyoshi (Toyotomi Hideyoshi) when Oda Nobunaga attacked Inabayama Castle. When Hideyoshi attacked Bitchu Takamatsu Castle, Yoshiharu conducted an inquest into the death of Shimizu Muneharu.
Yoshiharu was involved in various battles such as the Battle of Yamazaki and shined as a retainer of Hideyoshi. In 1590, Hideyoshi awarded 120,000 koku at Hamamatsu, Totomi Province because of the credit for the siege of Odawara. Yoshiharu, Nakamura Kazuuji and Ikoma Chikamasa were appointed to three chu-rō by Hideyoshi in his last years, and participated in the Toyotomi administration.
Yoshiharu approached to Tokugawa Ieyasu after Hideyoshi died. In 1599, he transferred responsibility for the family to his son, Horio Tadauji, was given 50,000 koku as a domain to live after retirement at Fuchu, Echizen Province.
In 1600, Yoshiharu took part in Ieyasu's force. He killed Kaganoi Shigemochi, who killed Mizuno Tadashige on August 27 at Chiryu, Mikawa Province, but was injured by Shigemochi. Because of that, he could not take part in the Battle of Sekigahara on October 21.
However, Ieyasu gave 240,000 koku at Toda, Izumo Province after the battle, because Yoshiharu had killed Shigemochi and Tadauji had substituted performing exploits at the battle for him.
In 1604, Yoshiharu's son, Tadauji who had succeeded to a house died young, and his grandchild, Horio Tadaharu succeeded to a house. Tadaharu was so young (9 years old) that Yoshiharu ruled as a godfather until his own death.
Yoshiharu had popularity and so calm that he was called Hotoke no Mosuke (仏の茂助), which means that Yoshiharu was a saint of a man.
The family temple of the Horio clan is Syunkoin-Temple at Hanazono, Ukyo-ku Kyoto Prefecture,
