One year earlier, the chief minister, Toshiie MAEDA who had belonged to the TOYOTOMI faction and been ranked with Ieyasu, died from an illness, and the anti-Ieyasu faction including Mitsunari ISHIDA, one of the five commissioners (administrative organ of feudal Japan established by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI), fell from power.
すでにこの前年には、家康と並び称された親豊臣派の大老・前田利家が病死しており、五奉行の石田三成ら反家康派も失脚していた。