Nariyasu was born in
Kanazawa in 1811, the 2nd son of the
Kaga daimyō,
Maeda Narinaga. His childhood name was Katsuchiyo (勝千代), later Katsumaru (勝丸) and Inuchiyo (犬千代). His father retired in 1822, passing family headship to Nariyasu (who first took the adult name of Toshiyasu (利康)); however, Narinaga retained control of domain affairs until his death in 1824. Rather notably, Nariyasu later became the first Kaga
daimyō since
Toshitsune to hold the high level court title of
chūnagon. After his father's death, Nariyasu took personal control of Kaga's government, and implemented a policy of domainal reform. He was initially supportive of a conservative policy; however, after
Commodore Perry's arrival at
Uraga he was an active supporter of liberal policies and military modernization in Kaga Domain. As part of this policy, he founded the . who took part in the defense of the imperial palace during the
Kinmon Incident of 1864. However, Yoshiyasu did not put up a committed fight, and in defeat, chose to flee
Kyoto. Nariyasu, enraged, placed Yoshiyasu under
solitary confinement, and ordered the
seppuku of the two Kaga
domain elders,
Matsudaira Daini and
Ōnoki Nakasaburō. Working with the castle warden
Honda Masahito, he also confined the activities of the pro-
sonnō jōi samurai in the Kanazawa. Nariyasu officially retired in 1866, and was succeeded by his son Yoshiyasu; however, he retained personal control of the domain, very cautiously edging toward closer relations with
Satsuma and
Chōshū. Under Nariyasu's leadership, Kaga sided with the imperial side during the
Boshin War, and took part in the imperial army's military action in the Echigo Campaign. Nariyasu died in 1884, at age 72; he is buried in
Ishikawa Prefecture. ==Family==