The Sanada clan (真田氏 Sanada-shi) is a Japanese clan that long resided in the domain of Matsushiro, corresponding to modern Nagano Prefecture.

Sanada Clan History

The Sanada family was originally from the village of Sanada in the Chiisagata district (小県郡) in northern Shinano, and claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji. The Sanada family was the first family of the Sanada family.

Historically, the clan emblem was founded by Unno Yukiyoshi in the early 16th century.

The Sanada were vassals of the powerful Takeda clan, contributing three generals in the famous twenty-four generals of Takeda Shingen, namely Sanada Yukitaka (father), Sanada Nobutsuna (firstborn), and Sanada Masayuki (secondborn), along with their youngest son Sanada Masateru.

Sanada Yukitaka founded the clan giving it his name in the early 16th century.

During the Sengoku period, Sanada Masayuki (1545-1611) led the clan, and his second son, the famous samurai Sanada Yukimura (1567-1615), served Toyotomi Hideyoshi from 1587 as a hostage; in 1594, he married Chikurin-in, Hideyoshi's adopted daughter, thus making himself the latter's adopted son.

At the Battle of Sekigahara, Yukimura allied himself with Ishida Mitsunari's Western Army and fought Tokugawa Hidetada at Ueda Castle, managing to keep him and his 38,000 men from reaching the main battlefield. He again opposed the Tokugawa during the siege of Osaka where he died.

Sanada Clan in Edo Period

Sanada Nobuyuki (1566-1658) was the eldest son of Masayuki. In 1600 he sided with the Tokugawa. He was rewarded with the castle of Ueda in Shinano province and the domain of Numata in Kozuke province, for a total value of 65,000 koku.

In 1622 Nobuyuki was transferred to the domain of Matsushiro (100,000 koku) in Shinano. His descendants remained there until the Meiji Restoration of 1868.

The Sanada clan was forced to take part in the 1868 Aizu attack with the imperial army, but refused to take custody of the Aizu prisoners.

Sanada Clan in Modern era

In 1871, the last daimyō was given the title of baron.

The Meiji period ornithologist Yukiyasu Kiyosu was the son of Sanada Yukitami, the last lord of Matsushiro.

Members of the Sanada clan

• Sanada Yukitaka (幸隆 1512-1574) - Served Takeda Shingen from 1544.
• Yasawa Yoritsuna (矢沢頼綱) or Tsunayori (綱頼 1518-1597) - Brother of Yukitaka; worked closely with the clan.
• Sanada Nobutsuna (信綱 1557-1575) - Firstborn son of Yukitaka; died in the battle of Nagashino.
• Sanada Masateru (昌輝-1575) - Second son of Yukitaka; died in the battle of Nagashino.
• Sanada Masayuki (昌幸1544-1608) - Yukitaka's third son; built Ueda Castle and defeated the Tokugawa twice. He was exiled to Kii province in 1600.
• Sanada Nobumasa (信昌) or Nobutada (信尹) or Masaharu (昌春 c. 1547-1632) - Fourth son of Yukitaka; served first the Takeda and then Tokugawa Ieyasu, and became a hatamoto during the Edo period.
• Sanada Takakatsu (高勝 c. 1606) - Fifth son of Yukitaka.
• Sanada Nobuyuki (信之 1566-1658) - First-born son of Masayuki; supported Ieyasu in 1600. He was moved to Matsushiro in the Shinano in 1622.
• Sanada Komatsuhime (小松 1573-1620) - Daughter of Honda Tadakatsu, adopted daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and wife of Nobuyuki.
• Sanada Yukimura (信繁) or Nobushige (幸村 1567-1615) - Second son of Masayuki, he was exiled to Kii province along with his father in 1600 and fought during the siege of Osaka where he died.
• Sanada Chikurin-in (竹林院 1579-1649) - Daughter of Ōtani Yoshitsugu, adopted daughter of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and wife of Nobushige (Yukimura).
• Sanada Nobuyoshi (信吉 1593-1634) - Firstborn son of Nobuyuki; died before his father.
• Sanada Nobumasa (信政 1597-1658) - Second son of Nobuyuki; became daimyō of Matsushiro after his father's death and gave Numata to his grandson Nobutoshi.
• Sanada Daisuke (大助-1615) - Son of Yukimura; fought and died with his father at Osaka.
• Sanada Nobutoshi (信利 1635-1688) - Son of Nobuyoshi; became daimyō of Numata, which was taken from him in 1681.