Hosokawa Tadaoki

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Hosokawa Tadaoki

Role / Field:

Japanese samurai lord and daimyo active during the late Sengoku and early Edo periods.

Born:

1563-11-28

Died:

1646-01-18

Century / Era:

1563s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Hosokawa Tadaoki (細川忠興; November 28, 1563 – January 18, 1646) was a Japanese samurai lord and daimyo of the late Sengoku period and early Edo period. He was the son of Hosokawa Fujitaka and Numata Jakō, and the husband of the famous Christian convert Hosokawa Gracia. For most of his life, he went by the name Nagaoka Tadaoki, which had been adopted by his father and was associated with a town in their domain. Shortly after the victory at Sekigahara, Nagaoka Tadaoki reverted to his original name, Hosokawa Tadaoki. Tadaoki was the eldest son of Hosokawa Fujitaka.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He fought in his first battle at the age of 15, in the service of Oda Nobunaga. His childhood name was Kumachiyo (熊千代). In 1580, Tadaoki was granted the Province of Tango. In 1578, he married Hosokawa Gracia, the daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide. In 1582, Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled against Nobunaga at Honnō-ji, resulting in Nobunaga's death.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Akechi then turned to Hosokawa Fujitaka and Tadaoki for assistance, but they refused to help him. Mitsuhide was ultimately defeated by Hideyoshi. Tadaoki fought on Hideyoshi's side in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute (1584) and the Odawara Campaign (1590), participating in the siege of Nirayama in Izu Province before joining the main army outside Odawara. During the 1590s, he developed a friendship with Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had lent him money to help pay off debts owed to Toyotomi Hidetsugu. In 1600, Tadaoki sided with Ieyasu against Ishida Mitsunari.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1563 (1563-11-28): Birth of Hosokawa Tadaoki — Japanese samurai lord and daimyo active during the late Sengoku and early Edo periods.
2. 1578: 1578 Milestone — In 1578, he married Hosokawa Gracia, the daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide.
3. 1580: 1580 Milestone — In 1580, Tadaoki was granted the Province of Tango.
4. 1582: 1582 Milestone — In 1582, Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled against Nobunaga at Honnō-ji, resulting in Nobunaga's death.
5. 1584: 1584 Milestone — Tadaoki fought on Hideyoshi's side in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute (1584) and the Odawara Campaign (1590), participating in the siege of Nirayama in Izu Province before joining the main army outside Odawara.
6. 1600: 1600 Milestone — In 1600, Tadaoki sided with Ieyasu against Ishida Mitsunari.
7. 1646 (1646-01-18): Passing & Historical Legacy — Hosokawa Tadaoki passed away on 1646-01-18, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Hosokawa Tadaoki

True or False: “Hosokawa Tadaoki was always known by his original name throughout his entire life.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): He initially used the name Nagaoka Tadaoki, which was adopted by his father, before reverting to Hosokawa Tadaoki after the victory at Sekigahara.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Guru Arjan — Contemporary (Born in 1563) (1563): Fifth Sikh Guru, compiler of the Adi Granth, and founder of key Sikh settlements.
• Hosokawa Gracia — Contemporary (Born in 1563) (1563): A prominent figure of the Sengoku period, known for her Catholic faith and role in Japanese history.
• Jodocus Hondius — Contemporary (Born in 1563) (1563): Flemish and Dutch engraver and cartographer, pivotal in the Golden Age of Dutch mapping.
• Antoine Galland — Contemporary (Born in 1646) (1646): Pioneering French orientalist, renowned for translating One Thousand and One Nights.
• Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz — Contemporary (Born in 1646) (1646): German polymath credited with calculus, binary arithmetic, and foundational philosophical works.
• John Flamsteed — Contemporary (Born in 1646) (1646): Pioneering English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal.
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• Adolf Butenandt — Shared historical date (01-18 · Died) (1995): Pioneering German biochemist known for sex hormones and pheromone discovery.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Hosokawa Tadaoki