Shirakawa Domain
was the 8th (and final) Abe "daimyō" of Shirakawa Domain, and the 1st Abe "daimyō" of Tanagura Domain. He was the eldest son of Abe Masatō. His courtesy title was "Mimasaka-no-kami", and his court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. In 1864, when his father was adopted to succeed Abe Masahisa, he inherited his father's 3000 "koku" "hatamoto" holding. However, in 1866, when his father was forced into retirement for his actions in the opening of the port of Hyōgo to foreign trade, Masakiyo was named "daimyō" of Shirakawa. The very same day, he was transferred to Tanagura and Shirakawa Domain became "tenryō" territory under direct control of the Shogunate. Although he protested the move, and later petitioned to return to Shirakawa, he was allowed to return for less than a month before Komine Castle was again taken from him, and placed under the control of Nihonmatsu Domain. The castle was garrisoned by troops of the "Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei" during the Boshin War. In 1868, the castle fell to the Meiji government during the Battle of Shirakawa, and Tanagura fell shortly afterwards to forces led by Itagaki Taisuke. Masakiyo was sent under house arrest together with his son to Tokyo, where he died in 1878.