Ishikawa Kazumasa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ishikawa Kazumasa (石川数正?) (1534-1609) Ishikawa Kazumasa, a very notable retainer under Tokugawa Ieyasu, even serving him since his childhood, since they were both hostages under the Imagawa at that time.
After the year of 1560, when Ieyasu abandoned himself from the Imagawa, Kazumasa then became a very valued retainer and administrator under him. During the year of 1562, when Ieyasu managed to convince Imagawa Ujizane to release his family, Kazumasa acted as the guardian of the Imagawa, which at the time was a very dangerous task.
After Toyotomi Hideyoshi's victory over Shibata Katsuie, in the year of 1583, Ieyasu expressed his congratulations, by sending Kazumasa over to Hideyoshi telling him so. Kazumasa and Sakikabara Yasumasa accordingly issued statements attacking Hideyoshi, a year later, due to the Tokugawa's decision. Kazumasa served at the Komaki headquarters, during the Komaki-Nagakute Campaign.
In 1585, Kazumasa, very dismayed by what he saw as Tokugawa's foolhardy path of resistance against Toyotomi Hideyoshi, switched sides to Hideyoshi. This inconvenienced Ieyasu, who had to reconstruct his military organization and defensive policies, since Kazumasa had significant knowledge about their workings.
Kazumasa then later on decided to retire and live with his son Ishikawa Yasumichi, until he met his fate in the year of 1609.