, also known as (), his other legal alias was (), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama periods of the 16th century. He served as senior retainer to the Oda clan, and was eventually a daimyō in his own right. Going on to fight in the Oda clan's major campaigns, including Mino Campaign 1567, Omi Campaign 1568, the Honganji Campaign from 1570 to 1580, and Iga Campaign 1581, he was named one of the administrators of Kyoto after Nobunaga entered that city in 1568.

Early life

thumb|Site of Niwa Nagahide residence, Nagoya

Nagahide was born in what is now Nishi-ku, Nagoya, but then part of Aichi District, Owari Province. From his youth, Nagahide served Oda Nobunaga and became one of his senior retainers, he fought in the Battle of Kiyosu Castle against Oda Nobutomo, deputy governor of southern Owari. He stayed by Nobunaga's side when his brother defied him during the Battle of Inō in 1555 and also fought in the Battle of Ukino against Oda Nobukata, deputy governor of northern Owari in 1558. One of the characters of his family name was said to have been granted for the Hashiba name for Hideyoshi. His participation made him favored by Nobunaga, among many of other deeds. The extent of Nobunaga's trust can be seen by the fact that Nagahide married Nobunaga's niece, while his son was Niwa Nagashige. These services let Nagahide rule over the fief of Obama Domain in Wakasa Province, and Sawayama Castle in Ōmi Province. and gained Echizen Province and Kaga Province to rule, worth over 1,230,000 koku. He thus became one of the most powerful retainers and daimyō.

thumb|Niwa Nagahide Banner and Battle Standard

Death

Nagahide died of illness in 1585. There is a conflicting record that Nagahide had not died of an illness, but on seeing Hideyoshi gather more power and eclipsing the Oda clan Nagahide had so long served, he felt that he had not lived up for the good of Nobunaga and the Oda clan as a whole and committed suicide.

His son Niwa Nagashige later became lord of Shirakawa Castle in northern Japan, and by the time of Nagahide's grandson Niwa Mitsushige, the family's 100,000 koku landholding was moved to Nihonmatsu, where they remained for the duration of the Edo Period.

Azamaru sword

According to the Nobunaga Kōki, Nagahide was presented the treasured sword "Azamaru", initially held by Taira Kagekiyo. Another previous owner, Kageyama Kazukage, was blinded during the Siege of Ôgaki castle in 1547, and the next owner, Niwa Nagahide, began having eye trouble, and so the sword was believed to be cursed. Nagahide donated the sword to the Atsuta shrine, in order to be freed from the curse. After the donation, his eye troubles went away.

References

  • Bio of Nagahide (in Japanese)
  • Another bio of Nagahide (in Japanese)