Omi-Takashima Domain (近江高島藩)
The Omi-Takashima Domain refers to a domain which existed in Takashima County, Omi Province (present-day Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture).
The history of the domain
Yasumasa SAKUMA was a younger brother of Morimasa SAKUMA, busho (Japanese military commander), who also went by the name of 'Onigenba' (terrifyingly brave Genba like ogle) under Nobunaga ODA. Yasumasa became a vassal of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI after Nobunaga, Katsuie SHIBATA and his older brother, Morimasa died, and possessed properties bearing 7,000 koku (1 koku was about 180 liter; an old unit showing volume) in Omi Province.
Since he participated in the Eastern Camp and rendered distinguished war service in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Yasumasa was granted additional properties bearing 8,000 koku after the Battle, and ranked with lords as daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) possessing properties bearing 15,000 koku in total. This was the establishment of the Omi-Takashima Domain. Since Yasumasa who was further granted an additional properties bearing 5,000 koku in 1607 also participated in the Tokugawa side and rendered distinguished military service in the Osaka no Jin (The Siege of Osaka), he was additionally granted additional properties bearing 15,000 koku, and was transferred to the Iiyama Domain, Shinano Province with properties bearing 35,000 koku. In addition, properties possessed by the Omi-Takashima Domain became outlands of the Iiyama Domain, but since Yasutsugu SAKUMA, Yasumasa's grandson, died young in 1638, the Sakuma clan fell under the change of rank for the extinction of a family line. This is why properties possessed by the Omi-Takashima Domain became tenryo (a shogunal demesne).