Kamei Masanori (亀井政矩)

Masanori KAMEI (December 25, 1590 - September 22, 1619) was a daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) of the early Edo period. He was the second lord of Shikano Domain in Inaba Province and the second lord of Tsuwano Domain in Iwami Province.
(The first lord of Tsuwano Domain was Naomori SAKAZAKI.)
Second generation of the Kamei family in Tsuwano Domain.

He was the second son of Korenori KAMEI, the first lord of the Shikano Domain. His mother was a daughter of Shigemori TAKO. His lawful wife was a daughter of Yasushige MATSUDAIRA. His children were Tsunenori (経矩) KAMEI (the oldest son), Koremasa KAMEI (the second son), and a daughter (Shigetsune TSUZUKI's wife). He was granted Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) and his juryomei (allowance to be called with a special rank name adding his country name) was Buzen no kuni no kami (Governor of Buzen Province). He was a grandson-in-law (with no blood relation) of Yukimori YAMANAKA who was well known as 'Shikanosuke YAMANAKA' and a loyal subject of the Amago clan, Sengoku daimyo (Japanese territorial lord in the Sengoku period) in Sanin region.

Career

In 1602, he started to serve as a vassal of Ieyasu TOKUGAWA. In 1604, he was granted official rank of Buzen no kami (Governor of Buzen Province) and became a kinju (attendant) of Hidetada TOKUGAWA. In 1609, he got married with a daughter of Yasushige MATSUDAIRA. When his father died of disease in 1612, he succeeded his father to become the second lord of Shikano Domain.

In the Osaka no Eki (the Siege of Osaka) in 1614, he belonged to an army led by Masanobu HONDA. When Naomori SAKAZAKI, the lord of Tsuwano Domain in Iwami Province, committed a crime and was punished by being deprived of his fief in 1617, Masanori was ordered to change the territory to Tsuwano to take over him. In June, 1619, when Masanori FUKUSHIMA was punished by being deprived of his fief because of renovation of Hiroshima-jo Castle with no permission, Masanori KAMEI took the role of receiving the Castle along with Tadaharu HORIO and Tadamasa MORI. However Masanori was been ill around this time.

In September of the same year, he fell from a horse on the way to Kyoto to see Kodaiin who was in terms with him. The falling from a horse killed him on September 22. He died young at the age of 30. His grave is located in Kodai-ji Temple in connection with Kodaiin.

Although Masanori was told to change the territory to the Himeji Domain in Harima Province with additional properties, this did not come true because he died young. His second son Koremasa succeeded his position.

[Original Japanese]