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The Matsumae clan unified [[Hokkaido|Hokkaido's]] [[Oshima Peninsula|Ôshima peninsula]] during the mid-16th Century, and would continue to be the northernmost clan through the end of the [[Edo Period]]. They later submitted to [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] and were confirmed in their holdings by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].
The Matsumae clan unified [[Hokkaido|Hokkaido's]] [[Oshima Peninsula|Ôshima peninsula]] during the mid-16th Century, and would continue to be the northernmost clan through the end of the [[Edo Period]]. They later submitted to [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] and were confirmed in their holdings by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].
The Matsumae clan managed trade and relations with the [[Ainu]], as the [[So clan|Sô]] did with Korea, and as the [[Shimazu clan|Shimazu]] did with [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]]. Based at [[Matsumae castle]], they ruled [[Matsumae han]], the only ''[[han]]'' (domain) on the island of [[Ezo]] (now called Hokkaidô), and were thus sometimes referred to as ''Ezo Dai-Ô'' (蝦夷大王, Great Kings of Ezo).<ref>Morris-Suzuki. p5.</ref>
The Matsumae clan managed trade and relations with the [[Ainu]], as the [[So clan|Sô]] did with Korea, and as the [[Shimazu clan|Shimazu]] did with [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]]. Based at [[Matsumae castle]], they ruled [[Matsumae han]], the only ''[[han]]'' (domain) on the island of [[Ezo]] (now called Hokkaidô), and were thus sometimes referred to as ''Ezo Dai-Ô'' (蝦夷大王, Great Kings of Ezo).<ref>Morris-Suzuki. p5.</ref> For a brief period from [[1807]] to [[1821]], the shogunate claimed direct authority over Ezo, relocating the Matsumae clan to [[Yanagawa han (Mutsu)|Yanagawa domain]] in [[Mutsu province]] (today, [[Fukushima prefecture]]).<ref>Gallery labels, Hokkaido Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/52227215750/sizes/h/]</ref>
[[David Howell]] describes the Matsumae as the only ''daimyô'' clan to not hold land in fief from the shogunate, their position of prominence being derived solely from their importance in managing relations and trade with the Ainu<ref>Howell. p85.</ref>.
[[David Howell]] describes the Matsumae as the only ''daimyô'' clan to not hold land in fief from the shogunate, their position of prominence being derived solely from their importance in managing relations and trade with the Ainu<ref>Howell. p85.</ref>.