However, because his father Mitsusada died in the same year followed by the death of Yorimoto half a year later, he succeeded the position of the fifth lord of the Kishu Domain at the age of 22.
しかし同年のうちに父・光貞、やがて頼職までが半年のうちに病死したため、22歳で紀州藩第5代藩主に就任する。