Sakai Tadatsugu
Encyclopedia
was one of the most favored and most and successful military commanders serving Tokugawa Ieyasu
in the late-Sengoku period
. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians
of the Tokugawa
(Tokugawa-Shitennō).along with Honda Tadakatsu
, Ii Naomasa
, and Sakakibara Yasumasa
.
originated in 14th century Mikawa Province
, claiming descent from Minamoto Arichika. Arichika had two sons: one of them, Yasuchika, took the name Matsudaira; and the younger, Chikauji, took the name Sakai.
Sakai Hirochika, who was the son of Chikauji, likewise had two sons, and their descendants gave rise to the two main branches of the Sakai clan. Tadatsugu was heir to the senior branch of the clan.
of Mikawa Province. When Tadatsugu came of age, he first served Tokugawa Ieyasu
's father, Matsudaira Hirotada
. After 1560, when Ieyasu broke off his ties with the Imagawa clan
, Tadatsugu was given command of the Yoshida Castle
in eastern Mikawa (present-day Toyohashi
).
In 1573, during the Battle of Mikatagahara
, Tadatsugu secured the Tokugawa's right flank, seeing his troops being badly beaten by the opposing Takeda forces; and when Ieyasu and his allies retreated to Hamamatsu Castle
, Tadatsugu participated in the ruse which mitigated the effects of Takeda victory in the field; and the Takeda forces withdrew.
During the Battle of Nagashino
, he led a successful night attack against the Takeda.
By 1567, the majority of daimyō forces in the Tokugawa armies were organized in two divisions, each with a separate commander. Tadatsugu was placed over the forces of 18 Tokugawa daimyō-vassels and his counterpart, Ishikawa Kazumasa
, was given command over the forces of 13 daimyō-vassels. Tadatsugu's qualities of proven loyalty, reliability, and leadership are demonstrably illustrated in this degree of delegated powers and authority.
In 1578, Tadatsugu's son, Sakai Ietsugu (1564–1619), took over his father's role as castellan of Yoshida Castle. The Ie- in the beginning of Ietsugu's name was a special honor bestowed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who rewarded vassals who had performed with especial distinction by allowing them to use one of the kanji
from his name.
During the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
, he successfully turned back a move by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
against Kiyosu Castle
, which was led by Toyotomi commander Mori Nagayoshi
. In 1590, during the Odawara Campaign, Tadatsugu was ordered to accompany Tokugawa Hidetada
, Ieyasu's son and heir, to Kyoto
, where he served as hostage for Ieyasu's loyalty to the Toyotomi during that campaign. After the battle, Hideyoshi ordered to Tokugawa clan to relocate from their ancestral holdings to the Kantō region
. Tadatsugu went into retirement, but his son Ietsugu received a 30,000 koku
fudai
fief at Usui, in Shimōsa Province, and Tadasugu accompanied them there.
Tadatsugu died in Kyoto
in the winter of 1596. After Tadatsugu's death, Sakai clan continued to prosper. In 1604, his descendants removed to Takasaki Domain (50,000 koku) in Kōzuke Province
; in 1616, they relocated to Takata Domain (100,000 koku) in Echigo province
; in 1619, they were transferred to Matsushiro Domain
in Shinano province
; and then, from 1622 through 1868, they were installed at Tsurugaoka Domain (120,000 koku) in Dewa province
. The head of the Sakai clan was ennobled as a "Count" in the Meiji period
.
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
in the late-Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians
Shitenno (Tokugawa clan)
The is a Japanese sobriquet describing four highly effective samurai generals who fought on behalf of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Sengoku period. They were famous during their lifetimes as the four most fiercely loyal vassals of the Tokugawa clan in the early Edo period....
of the Tokugawa
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
(Tokugawa-Shitennō).along with Honda Tadakatsu
Honda Tadakatsu
, also called Honda Heihachirō , was a Japanese general of the late Sengoku through early Edo period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. - Biography :A native of Mikawa Province in...
, Ii Naomasa
Ii Naomasa
was a general under the Sengoku period Daimyo, and later Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa along with Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu.-Early life:...
, and Sakakibara Yasumasa
Sakakibara Yasumasa
was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period through early Edo period, who served the Tokugawa clan. As one of the Tokugawa family's foremost military commanders, he was considered one of its "Four Guardian Kings"...
.
Sakai clan genealogy
The Sakai clanSakai clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Nitta branch of the Minamoto clan, who were in turn descendants of Emperor Seiwa. Serata Arichika, a samurai of the 14th century, was the common ancestor of both the Sakai clan and the Matsudaira clan, which the Sakai later served...
originated in 14th century Mikawa Province
Mikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
, claiming descent from Minamoto Arichika. Arichika had two sons: one of them, Yasuchika, took the name Matsudaira; and the younger, Chikauji, took the name Sakai.
Sakai Hirochika, who was the son of Chikauji, likewise had two sons, and their descendants gave rise to the two main branches of the Sakai clan. Tadatsugu was heir to the senior branch of the clan.
Biography
Tadatsugu was born in 1527 to Sakai Tadachika, a hereditary vassal of the Matsudaira clanMatsudaira clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. It first originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province . Over the course of its history, the clan produced many branches, most of which also centered around Mikawa Province...
of Mikawa Province. When Tadatsugu came of age, he first served Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
's father, Matsudaira Hirotada
Matsudaira Hirotada
was the lord of Okazaki Castle in Mikawa province, Japan during the Sengoku Period of the 16th century. He is best known for being the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate....
. After 1560, when Ieyasu broke off his ties with the Imagawa clan
Imagawa clan
The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from Emperor Seiwa . It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.-Origins:Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the 13th century at Imagawa and took its name.Imagawa Norikuni received from his cousin the...
, Tadatsugu was given command of the Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Toyohashi, southeastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Yoshida Castle was home to the Inaba clan, daimyō of Tateyama Domain. The castle was also known as , and later as Toyohashi Castle.-Description:...
in eastern Mikawa (present-day Toyohashi
Toyohashi, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on August 1, 1906. As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 383,691 and a density of 1,468.62 persons per km². The total area is . By size, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefecture's second-largest city until March 31,...
).
In 1573, during the Battle of Mikatagahara
Battle of Mikatagahara
The ' was one of the most famous battles of Takeda Shingen's campaigns, and one of the best demonstrations of his cavalry-based tactics.-Background:...
, Tadatsugu secured the Tokugawa's right flank, seeing his troops being badly beaten by the opposing Takeda forces; and when Ieyasu and his allies retreated to Hamamatsu Castle
Hamamatsu Castle
is a reconstructed hirayama-style Japanese castle. It was the seat of various fudai daimyō who ruled over Hamamatsu Domain, Tōtōmi Province, in what is now central Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan...
, Tadatsugu participated in the ruse which mitigated the effects of Takeda victory in the field; and the Takeda forces withdrew.
During the Battle of Nagashino
Battle of Nagashino
The ' took place in 1575 near Nagashino Castle on the plain of Shitaragahara in the Mikawa province of Japan. Forces under Takeda Katsuyori had besieged the castle since the 17th of June; Okudaira Sadamasa , a Tokugawa vassal, commanded the defending force...
, he led a successful night attack against the Takeda.
By 1567, the majority of daimyō forces in the Tokugawa armies were organized in two divisions, each with a separate commander. Tadatsugu was placed over the forces of 18 Tokugawa daimyō-vassels and his counterpart, Ishikawa Kazumasa
Ishikawa Kazumasa
Ishikawa Kazumasa, a very notable retainer under Tokugawa Ieyasu, even serving him since his childhood, since they were both hostages under the Imagawa at that time....
, was given command over the forces of 13 daimyō-vassels. Tadatsugu's qualities of proven loyalty, reliability, and leadership are demonstrably illustrated in this degree of delegated powers and authority.
In 1578, Tadatsugu's son, Sakai Ietsugu (1564–1619), took over his father's role as castellan of Yoshida Castle. The Ie- in the beginning of Ietsugu's name was a special honor bestowed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who rewarded vassals who had performed with especial distinction by allowing them to use one of the kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
from his name.
During the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
The consisted of two battles in 1584 between the forces of Hashiba Hideyoshi and the forces of Oda Nobukatsu and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hideyoshi and Ieyasu had both served Oda Nobunaga and had not previously come into conflict; this would in fact be their only period of enmity...
, he successfully turned back a move by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
against Kiyosu Castle
Kiyosu Castle
is a castle that acted as a base of operations for Oda Nobunaga during the latter half of the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. It is located in the city of Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan....
, which was led by Toyotomi commander Mori Nagayoshi
Mori Nagayoshi
was an officer under the Oda clan following Japan's 16th-century Sengoku period, and the older brother of the famous Mori Ranmaru.Nagayoshi was known to have such a bad temper and to be particularly ruthless in battle that he came to be known as the "Devil." Nagayoshi's efforts for Toyotomi...
. In 1590, during the Odawara Campaign, Tadatsugu was ordered to accompany Tokugawa Hidetada
Tokugawa Hidetada
was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...
, Ieyasu's son and heir, to Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, where he served as hostage for Ieyasu's loyalty to the Toyotomi during that campaign. After the battle, Hideyoshi ordered to Tokugawa clan to relocate from their ancestral holdings to the Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
. Tadatsugu went into retirement, but his son Ietsugu received a 30,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
fudai
Fudai
was a class of daimyo who were hereditary vassals of the Tokugawa in Edo period Japan. It was primarily the fudai who filled the ranks of the Tokugawa administration.-Origins:...
fief at Usui, in Shimōsa Province, and Tadasugu accompanied them there.
Tadatsugu died in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
in the winter of 1596. After Tadatsugu's death, Sakai clan continued to prosper. In 1604, his descendants removed to Takasaki Domain (50,000 koku) in Kōzuke Province
Kozuke Province
was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
; in 1616, they relocated to Takata Domain (100,000 koku) in Echigo province
Echigo Province
was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Etchū Provinces. Today the area is part of Niigata Prefecture, which also includes the island which was the old Sado Province. This province was the northernmost part of the...
; in 1619, they were transferred to Matsushiro Domain
Matsushiro Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Shinano Province. It was ruled for the majority of its history by the Sanada clan.-List of lords:*Mori clan #Tadamasa...
in Shinano province
Shinano Province
or is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces...
; and then, from 1622 through 1868, they were installed at Tsurugaoka Domain (120,000 koku) in Dewa province
Dewa Province
is an old province of Japan, comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. It was sometimes called .-Historical record:...
. The head of the Sakai clan was ennobled as a "Count" in the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
.