Background
Takahiro, whose childhood name was Tamekichi, was born at Fukuyama Castle in Ezo. He was the 6th son of Matsumae Akihiro, the 9th lord of Matsumae.
松前 崇広
Takahiro, whose childhood name was Tamekichi, was born at Fukuyama Castle in Ezo. He was the 6th son of Matsumae Akihiro, the 9th lord of Matsumae.
Though he was a tozama daimyo, he served in the Tokugawa Shogunate as a rōjū. His court title was Izu no kami. At age 4, he was sent to the family estate in Edo.
In an act most unusual for a daimyo"s son, his education included the study of the English language.
He succeeded to lordship of Matsumae in 1849. Takahiro was appointed as rōjū in November 1864.
This was a post that was unheard of for a tozama daimyo. The following year, he and his fellow rōjū Abe Masato were responsible for the opening of the Hyōgo port to foreign trade.
However, as they did so against the wishes of the imperial court, the court issued orders calling for their dismissal from office.
Both men lost their offices, court rank, and titles, and were forced to yield lordship of their domains. Takahiro returned to Matsumae in the spring of 1866. Soon after, he contracted a fever and died at age 36.
Takahiro has appeared infrequently in fictional depictions of the bakumatsu era.
Most recently he appeared as a minor character in the manga Kaze Hikaru.