Sanada clan
The Sanada clan had ruled Chiisagata District in Shinano Province during the Sengoku period under the Takeda clan and subsequently most of northern Shinano and Kōzuke Province as retainers of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Ueda Castle was the site of two battles between the Sanada and the Tokugawa clan, notably the Siege of Ueda in 1600 when Sanada Masayuki with a force of 2000 men held off Tokugawa Hidetada's invading force of 38,000 men for so long that they arrived late for then Battle of Sekigahara. Following the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, Sanada Nobuyuki was confirmed as "daimyō" with Ueda Domain, with holdings assessed at 95,000 "koku". However, in 1622 the clan was transferred to Matsushiro Domain.