He was born in Hizen, the second son of Nabeshima Kiyofusa. His mother was a daughter of Ryuzoji Iezumi, so he was related by blood to the Ryuzoji. The Nabeshima served the Ryuzoji, and Naoshige grew up from childhood closely tied to that clan.
On the orders of Ryuzoji Iekane he was adopted by Chiba Tanetsura of Ogi district, an adoption meant to tie the Ryuzoji to a powerful neighbor. Four years later, when the Ryuzoji became enemies of the Shoni, his father Kiyofusa dissolved the adoption and brought him home.
Because Keigin-ni, the mother of Ryuzoji Takanobu, became his father Kiyofusa's second wife, Naoshige was both Takanobu's cousin and his stepbrother, and won his deep trust. He supported Takanobu's wars, and this year helped destroy the Shoni, long the Ryuzoji's foes.
When a great Otomo army from Bungo surrounded Saga Castle and those inside leaned toward holding out, Naoshige urged a night attack and led the troops himself, routing Otomo Chikasada's camp at Imayama. He is said to have adopted the Otomo apricot-leaf crest for his family to mark the victory, and his standing rose greatly.
Naoshige distinguished himself in the campaigns that subdued the Arima and Omura of southern Hizen, securing Ryuzoji rule over the province. When Takanobu later retired and his son Masaie became head, Naoshige was made his guardian. He had become, with Takanobu, a pillar of the Ryuzoji.
After plotting with Takanobu to kill Kamachi Shigenami, lord of Yanagawa Castle in Chikugo, Naoshige entered Yanagawa Castle and took charge of governing Chikugo. One account holds that Takanobu, tired of Naoshige's frequent remonstrances, sent him to Chikugo to keep him away from Saga.
When Takanobu was defeated and killed by the Shimazu and Arima at Okitanawate, Naoshige wished to end his own life but was stopped by his retainers and withdrew to Hizen. He then helped Masaie rebuild the Ryuzoji and is said to have negotiated stubbornly with the Shimazu.
Naoshige had contacted Toyotomi Hideyoshi early and served in the vanguard against the Shimazu in the conquest of Kyushu. Hideyoshi confirmed the Ryuzoji lands in Hizen but ordered that Naoshige run the domain in place of the sickly Masaie, and gave Naoshige a fief of his own.
In Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea, Naoshige led the Ryuzoji retainers in the second division under Kato Kiyomasa and crossed to the peninsula. He stayed in Korea throughout, returning only in 1597 when his son Katsushige took his place. The retainers' loyalty shifted more and more to Naoshige.
At Sekigahara his son Katsushige first joined the Western army, but Naoshige kept in touch with the Tokugawa and had Katsushige's troops leave the front before the main battle. Afterward, to prove his loyalty to Ieyasu, he attacked Western-side Kurume Castle in Kyushu and made Tachibana Muneshige surrender Yanagawa Castle.
Takafusa, head of the Ryuzoji, and his father Masaie died one after another, and the main Ryuzoji line ended. With the support of the Ryuzoji kin, the shogunate approved Naoshige's son Katsushige as successor. Out of deference to the Ryuzoji, Naoshige never became lord himself and was later called the domain's founder.
After Saga Castle was completed he lived in retirement at Tafuse and died of illness this year. Because he died after suffering from a growth in his ear, people whispered that Takafusa's ghost was to blame, and this is said to be one source of the later tale of the Nabeshima ghost cat.
Ryuzoji TakanobuToyotomi HideyoshiKatō KiyomasaTachibana Muneshige
Maeda ToshiieHōjō UjimasaAshikaga YoshihideImagawa UjizaneHonda MasanobuChōsokabe MotochikaHasegawa TōhakuToyotomi Hidenaga
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.