Ōzeki Masutoshi

Viscount Ōzeki Masutoshi (大関 増勤, January 28, 1849 – August 9, 1905) was the 16th (and final) daimyō of Kurobane Domain in Shimotsuke Province, Japan (modern-day Tochigi Prefecture) under the Bakumatsu period Tokugawa shogunate. His courtesy title was Mamasaka-no-kami, and his Court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade, later raised to Upper Third Rank.

Viscount Ōzeki Masutoshi
大関増勤
Ōzeki Masunori
16th Daimyō of Kurobane Domain
In office 1868–1869
Monarch	Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu
Preceded by	Ōzeki Masahiro
Succeeded by	< position abolished >
Imperial Governor of Kurobane
In office 1869–1871
Monarch	Emperor Meiji
Personal details
Born	January 28, 1849
Died	August 9, 1905 (aged 56) Tokyo, Japan
Spouse(s)	daughter of Nabeshima Naotomo
Domestic partner	daughter of Ikoma Chikayuki
Father	Tani Morishige

Biography

Ōzeki Masutoshi was the son of Tani Morishige, the daimyō of Yamaga Domain in Tanba Province, although some accounts state that he was the third son of Matsudaira Yorihisa of Hitachi-Fuchū Domain. In any event, he was posthumously adopted in 1868 to succeed Ōzeki Masahiro, the 15th daimyō of Kurobane who had died without heir. In the Boshin War, he immediate pledged fealty to the new Meiji government and was awarded with reconfirmation in his holdings of 15,000 koku. In 1869 he was appointed imperial governor of Kurobane. With the abolition of the han system in July 1871, he retired and relocated to Tokyo. In February 1872, he went to the United States for studies, returning to Japan the following year.

With the establishment of the kazoku peerage system he was awarded with the title of shishaku (viscount) in 1884. In 1885, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class. He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasures, 3rd class on his death in 1905.

See also

• Kurobane Domain

References

• Koyasu Nobushige (1880). Buke kazoku meiyoden 武家家族名誉伝 Volume 1. Tokyo: Koyasu Nobushige. (Accessed from National Diet Library, 17 July 2008)