Naotora Ii

Naotora Ii is one of the few women of the Warring States period known to have informally ruled as lord of her clan. Naotora temporarily reigned as the twentieth clan head after her father perished at Okehazama and his designated heir's death to scandal. She is technically Naomasa's step-mother.

Historical Information
Her father was Naomori, the eighteenth head of the Ii clan, and her mother was known as Yuushun-in; she came from an unknown background. Naotora was their only child. "Ii Naotora" is the name their daughter received once she momentarily inherited the Ii clan. She was first given the name Jiro-Houshi (次郎法師) when her grandfather passed away, as temporary insurance for the name of successor. Not much is personally known about her, but the fuss over the clan's succession became a famous affair.

It was decided that Jiro-Houshi was going to marry her father's cousin, Naochika, at an early age and that he would inherit the clan if Naomori perished. Due to slander from the Ii vassal, Ono Ichitaka, the fuss for successor reached Imagawa Yoshimoto and Ii Naomitsu's ears. Both parties opposed Naomori's plans and refused the offer. Believing the negative opinion established by Ichitaka, Yoshimoto ordered for Naochika's suicide. The young man decided to flee to Shinano. He did eventually return to the Imagawa clan, but he had already married into another house whilst away and his obligations to his wife's clan ruined Naomori's plans regarding succession of the Ii family. When Naomori passed away, Naochika momentarily ruled the Ii clan. He was killed once again due to slander made by the Ono retainers. Jiro-Houshi was placed in the care of her mother's uncle, Niino Chikanori, to help keep her side of the family afloat.

The only rival left for claiming right of the Ii clan was Jiro-Houshi's great-grandfather, Naohei. The results of Okehazama had left the rural lords of Totomi Province in a chaotic state with Yoshimoto's death. According to the Ii Naohei-ko Ichidai-ki, Naohei was ordered by the Imagawa clan to attack Iio Tsuratatsu at Hikuma Castle in 1563. Tsuratatsu had a wife known as Otatsu-no-Kata (or Tsubakihime). She apparently invited Naohei to a meeting with her husband and schemed to eradicate him to claim prominence in Totomi, thinking that Jiro-Houshi was not a threat to the Iio clan. Otatsu-no-Kata then poisoned Naohei's tea and he perished soon after. His death incurred the Imagawa clan's wrath and Tsuratatsu was ordered to commit suicide soon after.

Jiro-Houshi was named clan successor and lord in 1565; her name was changed to Naotora. From here there are two argued accounts of her activities. The first scenario depicts that trusted Ii retainers helped forged the Ii clan's reputation with Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu approved of their actions and sought the service of the Ii clan immediately. He was fascinated by the services of Naochika's son, Toramatsu, and respectfully addressed him as head of the Ii clan.

The second-less-likely scenario has Naotora herself impress him with her bravery and leadership. Ieyasu sought to approve her independence and dispelled whatever negative slander the Ono retainers had prepared by establishing her as the lord of the Ii clan. The Tokugawa forces later besieged Hikuma Castle, the place Naohei failed to take and the place where the widowed Otatsu-no-Kata lay waiting. Naotora is fabled to have participated in the siege with Ieyasu's men to avenge her great-grandfather. Otatsu-no-Kata ordered a resistance, but the men were overwhelmed by the larger Tokugawa forces and committed suicide.

In any case, Naotora was said to have had moved east and resided at Iinoya Castle. Her residence was placed into danger during Takeda Shingen's conquests within Mikawa in 1572. When Yamagata Masakage attacked, he killed the nearby Ii Sugunari in battle. Naotora and the castle residents then fled to Hanamatsu Castle. They were near the battles of Mikatagahara and Noda Castle, but Naotora is not noted to have participated in them.

Naomasa was eventually entrusted to her and he was raised as her step-son. He became the clan successor after her death.