Yamaoka Kagetomo (山岡景友)
Kagetomo YAMAOKA was the Busho (Japanese military commander) in the Sengoku Period (Period of Warring State) and the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. He was a former retainer of the Rokkaku clan, a kinsei daimyo (Japanese modern feudal lord), and the first lord of Futsuro domain in Hitachi Province. He was the biological younger brother of Kagetaka and Kagenao YAMAOKA.
He was born in 1540 as the fourth son of Kageyuki YAMAOKA, a retainer of the Rokkaku clan. The Yamaoka clan was the powerful retainer of the Shugo (provincial military governor) Rokkaku clan and was in charge of the military affairs of the Rokkaku army together with the Aochi clan and other clans. He first became a monk in Kojoin at Mii-dera Temple which was located in the territory of the Yamaoka clan, and he called himself "Senkei," but he returned to secular life due to the order by Shogun Yoshiaki and started calling himself "Kagetomo."
He was backed by the 15th Shogun Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA who was first a monk like Kagetomo was, and he was appointed the Shugo of half of Yamashiro Province by Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun).
He followed Yoshiaki and fought against Nobunaga holing up in Ishiyama-jo Castle in Omi Province when the battle between Nobunaga and Yoshiaki began and Nobunaga was under siege.
(On this occasion, his brothers betrayed Yoshiaki and took the side of Nobunaga.)
After he was attacked by Katsuie SHIBATA, a busho (commanding officer) of Nobunaga, on April 8, 1573, he surrendered and left the castle because he was persuaded by Kagetaka, his older brother who took the side of Nobunaga.
After Nobunaga died due to Honnoji Incident in June 1582, Kagetomo obstructed the advance of the Mitsuhide AKECHI force toward Omi Province with his older brother. Since his older brother Kagetaka and others were forfeited their land by Hideyoshi HASHIBA as they took the side of Katsuie SHIBATA, Kagetomo succeeded the family headship of the Yamaoka clan. He inherited a partial right of Koga region which was owned by his older brother. After the death of Nobunaga, Kagetomo became a retainer of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI who came to power, so his territory was saved, and besides, he was appointed a member of Otogishu (advisers) after he got trusted by Hideyoshi. Kagetomo was close to Takatsugu KYOGOKU, who was the lord of the Otsu-jo Castle because of their territories.
He returned to be a monk and called himself Doami. In addition, he stayed at Nagoya-jo Castle in Hizen Province with Hideyoshi in the Imjin War in 1592.
He approached Ieyasu TOKUGAWA after the death of Hideyoshi, and in the Battle of Sekigahara in October 1600, he belonged to the eastern army and had great achievements such as the defense of Nagashima-jo Castle in Ise Province and the capture of Kuwana-jo Castle in Ise Province and Minakuchi-jo Castle in Omi Province. He was awarded 9,000 Goku crop yields in Omi Province from Ieyasu after the battle because of his achievements of the battle and was also awarded the Koga-gumi group at the same time. Also, he played an active role of persuading Takatsugu KYOGOKU who holed up in Mt. Koya.
He became daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) of Hitachi Futsuto 10,000 Goku crop yields (Futsuto domain in Hitachi Province) after his Kokudaka (crop yield) was increased in 1603.
He was close with the Hokoshu (the shogunal military guard) of the Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), and he was also associated with Chikanaga NINAGAWA of the NINAGAWA clan which served the proxy officer of Mandokoro (Administrative Board) for generations.
He died on January 21, 1604. He was 64 years old when he died. The family headship was succeeded by Kagemochi YAMAOKA, his nephew (his older brother Kagetaka's seventh son).