The Hori clan served in a number of administrative posts within the government of the Tokugawa shogunate.
The 12th daimyō, Hori Naotake, reformed the domain’s finances and encouraged the develop of ginseng cultivation as a cash crop.
During the Bakumatsu period, the 13th daimyō, Hori Naotora, reformed the domain’s military, introducing western-style firearms.
he committed seppuku in Edo Castle in protest over the policies of shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu.
Under the new Meiji government, Hori Naoakira, the last daimyō of Suzaka was given the kazoku peerage title of shishaku (viscount).
Naoshige was the fourth son of Hori Naomasa of Sanjō Domain in Echigo Province.
After the Siege of Osaka, he was added an additional 4000 koku, which qualified him for the status of daimyō, and he built a jin'ya in Suzaka to rule his holdings.
Naomasu was the eldest son of Hori Naoshige and was received in formal audience by Shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada in 1615.
He was received in formal audience by Shōgun Tokugawa Ienobu in 1612 on his marriage, and became daimyō on the retirement of Naosuke in 1719.
Naokata was the eldest son of Hori Naohiro of Muramatsu Domain and became daimyō on the retirement of his father in 1768.
Naosato was the third son of Hori Naohiro and became daimyō on the death of his elder brother Naokata in 1779.
Naosato was the seventh son of Tachibana Nagahiro of Miike Domain and his mother was a daughter of Hori Naohide.
He was adopted as posthumous heir to the childless Naosato on the latter's death in 1784 and was presented in formal audience to Shōgun Tokugawa Ieharu the same year.
[5] Naotora was born in Edo as the 5th son of Hori Naotada, the 11th daimyō of Suzaka Domain.
In December 1867 he rose to the position of wakadoshiyori and was simultaneously appointed Gaikoku Sō-Bugyō (Foreign Affairs Magistrate).
[6] However, in January 1868 he committed suicide by drowning within Edo Castle as a gesture of protest against the surrender of the office of Shogun by Tokugawa Yoshinobu.
[5] Naotora was born in Edo as the 6th son of Hori Naotada, the 11th daimyō of Suzaka Domain.
Immediately on assuming office, he completely reversed the politics of his brother and declared the domain for the Meiji government and dispatched troops to fight against the pro-Tokugawa forces in the Boshin War.
Many of the undecided minor daimyō of Shinano were thus convinced to join the new government, which then awarded Suzaka Domain with a bonus of 5000 koku.
In June 1869 he was proclaimed imperial governor of Suzaka and in July 1871, with the abolition of the han system, he surrendered his offices and relocated to Tokyo.