He was born at Arako Castle in Owari Province, now Nakagawa Ward in Nagoya, the eldest son of Maeda Toshiie. His mother was Toshiie's wife Matsu, later known as Hōshun-in, and his childhood name was Inuchiyo, the same as his father's. As a young man he served Oda Nobunaga at Azuchi Castle, growing up as a young warrior close to Nobunaga.
When his father Toshiie moved to Noto, he was given Fuchū in Echizen, his father's former domain, and lived at Fuchū Castle. That same year he married Nobunaga's daughter Eihime. Becoming Nobunaga's son-in-law shows how valued Toshinaga was within the Oda house. He and Eihime stayed together for the rest of his life.
At Seta in Ōmi, on the way to Kyoto, he heard that Nobunaga had fallen in the Honnō-ji Incident. It is said Toshinaga sent his still very young wife Eihime to safety at Arako in Owari, the Maeda home, while he himself gathered troops to prepare for what might come. The sudden death of their lord shook the fate of the Maeda house as well.
With his father he joined the Battle of Shizugatake on Shibata Katsuie's side, but his father Toshiie withdrew his troops mid-battle and soon submitted to Hashiba Hideyoshi. It is said that for the attack on Kitanosho Castle, Hideyoshi wanted to leave Toshinaga behind, but his mother Matsu refused, and Toshinaga joined with only a few attendants. After the war he was given Mattō in Kaga.
When Hideyoshi subdued Sassa Narimasa of Etchū, Toshinaga was given three districts of Etchū and entered Moriyama Castle. Though still under his father's supervision, he built up his own body of retainers as an independent lord. He went on to take part in the Kyushu campaign and the Odawara campaign, earning merit in many places and winning Hideyoshi's trust.
Having moved his residence to Toyama Castle the year before, Toshinaga received the headship of the house from his father Toshiie this year. Toshiie, as one of the Five Elders of the Toyotomi government, carried weight equal to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hideyoshi also died this year, and Toshinaga found himself in the midst of turbulent politics.
His father Toshiie died, and Toshinaga became one of the Five Elders. Soon rumors spread that Ieyasu would attack Kaga, and the Maeda house split over whether to fight or submit. In the end, persuaded partly by his mother Matsu, Toshinaga promised to send her to Edo as a hostage and avoided war.
At the Battle of Sekigahara he fought for the Eastern side in the Hokuriku region, and on his way back he was attacked from behind by the army of Niwa Nagashige of Komatsu Castle but managed to repel it (the Battle of Asainawate). After the war the largest domain in Japan, spanning Kaga, Etchū and Noto, was born, and Toshinaga became its first lord.
Having no children, Toshinaga handed the headship to his half-brother Toshitsune and retired to Toyama in Etchū. Toshitsune was only thirteen, and Toshinaga continued to guide actual government as his guardian. Troubled by conflicts among his retainers, he took great care to maintain relations with the Tokugawa.
After Toyama Castle burned down, he built the new Takaoka Castle at Sekino in Etchū, moved there and devoted himself to developing the castle and its town. The castle's layout is said to have been designed by Takayama Ukon. To foster commerce and industry Toshinaga invited craftsmen, laying the groundwork for Takaoka later flourishing as a town of crafts such as bronzeware.
As his illness worsened, Toshinaga declined an invitation from the Toyotomi and held firmly to his relationship with the Tokugawa. This year he died at Takaoka Castle. Toshitsune later developed Zuiryū-ji in Takaoka to mourn his brother, and its buildings are now a National Treasure. The foundation that let the Maeda house endure through the Edo period can be said to have been protected by Toshinaga's careful judgment.
Shibata KatsuieOda NobunagaMaeda ToshiieTokugawa IeyasuTakayama Ukon
Naoe KanetsuguIi NaomasaFukushima MasanoriKatō KiyomasaHosokawa GraciaKatō YoshiakiHosokawa TadaokiWilliam Adams (Miura Anjin)
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.