Sassa Narimasa
, also known as Kura-no-suke (内蔵助), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi–Momoyama period. He entered Nobunaga's service at the age of 14 and remained in his lord's service throughout Nobunaga's rise to power. Early life. Sassa Narimasa was born to Sassa Morimasa. He was born in what is now Nishi-ku, Nagoya (situated in contemporary Aichi District, Owari Province). He became a retainer of Oda Nobunaga in 1550. Narimasa was noted for his ability to lead matchlock forces, a position he regularly held. Military life. Narimasa served Nobunaga throughout the  latter's career. In 1567, he fought in the Siege of Inabayama Castle against Saito Tatsuoki from Saitō clan. He was present at the Battle of Anegawa in 1570 against Azai clan and Asakura clan, where he was in the rear guard. In 1575, Narimasa fought at the Battle of Nagashino against Takeda Katsuyori from Takeda clan. Later, he was given Komaru Castle in Echizen, where he had recently helped put down rioting Ikkō-ikki, and became a member of the so-called Sanninshu (Echizen Triumvir) along with Maeda Toshiie and Fuwa Mitsuharu. In 1577, he participated in the Battle  of Tedorigawa against Uesugi Kenshin from the Uesugi clan. In 1581, he defended Toyama Castle against Kawada Nagayori in the Battle of Arakawa. In 1582, he and Shibata Katsuie successfully laid siege to Uozu against Uesugi Kagekatsu from the Uesugi clan. He was granted Etchū Province as a reward for helping Shibata Katsuie fight the Uesugi clan. Later in 1582, after Oda Nobunaga's death at Honnō-ji, Narimasa joined Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1584, during the battle of Komaki Nagakute, he and the Tokugawa alliance unsuccessfully challenged Toyotomi force under Maeda Toshiie at the Siege of Suemori. In 1585, he  was defeated against Toyotomi Hideyoshi at Siege of Toyama, and later Narimasa submitted to Hideyoshi and his life was spared. In 1587, after Kyushu Campaign, he was given a fief in Higo Province in Kyushu. Death. In 1588, however, due to difficulties in suppressing a local revolt, he committed suicide (seppuku) by Hideyoshi's instruction. The insurrection stemmed from survey of his province, which resulted in a change in the distance in which farmers transported their tax rice from 3 "ri" to 8 "ri". Later, after Higo Province was confiscated from Sassa Narimasa, land in Higo (roughly half of the  province) and Kumamoto Castle granted to Kato Kiyomasa. Narimasa's daughter Teruko married "kuge" Takatsukasa Nobufusa and they had a son, Nobuhisa and a daughter, Takako.