Hida Tsuneko

Please note: This article is about the Crab Clan Champion. For other uses of the term, please see Tsuneko (disambiguation).
Matsu Tsuneko married the Crab Clan Champion Hida Higo becoming Hida Tsuneko. After her husband's death she became the Crab Champion, until their children would be old enough to inherit. She earned the nickname of 'Mother Wolf'. Imperial Histories, p. 107
== Champion Clan ==
Tsuneko became Champion in 652. Imperial Histories, p. 101 Her Matsu upbringing made her poorly suited for politics. 
== Great Famine ==
In 660 the Dragon and Crab attempted to lobby the Emperor to temporarily lower the taxes. The bad weather this year had caused the crop to failure. Hantei XX was outraged and edicted punitive taxes on both clans. In 662 the Great Famine started to take a toll on the Crab. Tsuneko's desperate plea during Winter Court at Kyuden Doji was mocked by the Crane Clan Champion, Doji Morito. No other clan spared the rice the Crab needed to properly keep the defence of the border with the Shadowlands. Imperial Histories, p. 100-103 Only the Mantis set favorable prices on seafood to benefit his Crab Crab cosusins. Imperial Histories, p. 108
=== Crane Enmity ===
Since the first effects of the famine appeared at Rokugan the Yasuki Merchants had fought a trade war over the rice with the Daidoji. It had turned the Crane's political might against the Crab at court. In 663 the Yasuki began to use illegal means to shut out opponent Crane merchants from the markets, and the Daidoji retaliated in the same way. Imperial Histories, p. 102
=== Rice War ===
The economical dispute escalated to open war when Tsuneko invaded the Crane lands in the Rice War. The Crab overrun much of the southern Crane lands seizing Jukami Mura in the Battle of Honor's Flight. The Daidoji Daimyo, Daidoji Katsunan, was cut down by Tsuneko herself. In 664 when the Crab army reached the outskirts of Mura Sabishii Toshi the Imperial Legions arrived to support the defenders. Tsuneko admitted defeat to avoid battling the well fed Imperial armies. Imperial Histories, pp. 102-103
== Nezumi allies ==
The Yasuki Daimyo Yasuki Masami dispatched scouts to seek out the rumored surviving nezumi crew of the infamous pirate Yasuki Fumoki Way of the Ratling, p. 43 after he died in 671. Tsuneko also sought Fumoki's incredible treasures, but they could not be found. The Nezumi were offered positions in the Crab navy due to their great agility, adaptability and cunning, which made them excellent sailors. Legend of the Five Rings, Third Edition, p. 14
Matsu Tsuneko
Category:Crab Clan Leaders