Naito Ienaga (内藤家長)
Ienaga NAITO (1546 - September 8, 1600) was a busho (Japanese military commander) from the Sengoku Period (Period of Warring States) to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. The retainer of the Tokugawa clan. The son of Kiyonaga NAITO. The cousin of Masanari NAITO. His wife was the daughter of Tadanaga MATSUDAIRA. The father of Masanaga NAITO. His older brothers-in-law included Nobunari NAITO.
Biography and Personal Profile
As Naito clan in Mikawa was the vassal family offudai (a daimyo in hereditary vassal to the Tokugawa family) served the Matsudaira clan (Tokugawa clan) since Ienaga's grandfather, Ienaga, who was the son of Kiyonaga in later life, served Ieyasu TOKUGAWA and succeeded to the head of the Naito family from the older brother-in-law Nobunari.
Like his father, Kiyonaga, he was excellent in heroism as well as in his skill with the bow and enjoyed the name of 'unrivaled archer.'
Also like his father, he was the follower of the Ikko Ikki (Ikko sect's revolt), however, at the Mikawa Ikko Ikki (Ikko sect's revolt in Mikawa Province), Ienaga parted from his father to participate in the army of Ieyasu, his uncle-in-law, instead in the Ikko sect followers remained faithful to Ieyasu by suppressing the troops of the Ikko sect's revolt and earned his great trust.
After that, he participated in many of Tokugawa clan's major battles and achieved great military exploits. As the reward for it, when Ieyasu moved to the Kanto region, Ienaga was granted a 20,000 koku fief in the Sanuki Domain, Kazusa Province.
In 1600, he kept Fushimi-jo Castle together with Mototada TORII and Ietada MATSUDAIRA and induced the rising of the Western squad led by Mitsunari ISHIDA. According to their plan scheme, the Western squad including Mitsunari rose, but Ienaga was killed in the Battle of Fushimi-jo Castle, the preliminary skirmish of the Battle of Sekigahara, together with Mototada and Ietada. Died at the age of 55. After his death, his oldest son, Masanaga took over as the head of the family and to honor his father's achievements killed in the battle, his revenues were increased by 10,000 koku.