Matasuuri

The Matasuuri clan was the family of the ruling shogun of Wa in the 13 and 14 centuries DR.

Base of Operations
The Matasuuri clan originally began in Nakamaru Province, in northern Wa. After the unification of Wa, the clan was relocated to the city of Uwaji, which was made the new capital.

Relationships
The Funada family was under obligation to clan Matasuuri to accept requests. Together, the two families were allied as a power group against the Goshukara family of the emperor and its allies. The two groups were fierce rivals, and all the lesser families of Wa were between these two power groups in an intricate web of familial connections. Those families closely allied with the Matasuuri and later the shogunate were known as the Loyal Families.

History
In, the Tokiryo War was fought, leading to the rise in power of the clan in the north. By the end of the war, those allied with the Matasuuri, the so-called Loyal Families, had conquered all of the north's small provinces for themselves, but the families' ruling lords (daimyo) did not cooperate further. The Matasuuri worked to bring them into further unification.

By, the Matasuuri had made great progress in unifying the daimyo of the north, but in this year they were at last offered an alliance with the most powerful clan at that time, the Makino. General Matasuuri Shogoro was chosen to lead the armies of the combined Makino–Matasuuri forces.

Secretly, however, Matasuuri Shogoro planned the assassination of the head of the clan Makino, Makino Mansaku, and in, ninja succeeded in offing Mansaku, giving Shogoro full control of the northern armies. He began the Summer March south to conquer the capital city of Wa, Iiso.

Upon reaching the town of Tomo, Shogoro's northern army was met by an alliance of other daimyo from central Wa. His forces were pushed back and had to retreat within the town. The other daimyo laid siege to Tomo, leading to a stalemate that would last for about a year.

In the second summer, while still under siege, Matasuuri was able to send messages to the daimyo of the south and convince them to strike at the central daimyo's holdings. This distracted and weakened the enemies, which allowed Shogoro to gather reinforcements and break the siege. Having strengthened his position throughout the summer by persuading further daimyo to gather under his leadership as the nation's shogun, at the turn of the year, he surprised his enemies by making a push for the capital in the middle of winter. Completely unprepared for such an attack, the central daimyo were defeated in the Battle of Shido Plain. All of Wa officially came under Matasuuri rule by early.

Appearances

 * Blood of the Yakuza