This is my first wiki page of the series, Japan's Interesting People. In these pages, they will tell you some of Japan's most notable icons from nearly every era of the Land of the Rising Sun.
On this page, we will go through the life of Ieyasu Tokugawa. He is known as one of Japan's greatest Samurai Warlords. The man who would bring the end of the Sengoku Jidai (Japan's War Period which lasted from 1498-1615) and his family would determine the destiny of Japan for nearly 3 centuries.
Let us begin.
Birth and Early Life[]
Ieyasu Tokugawa was born Takechiyo Matsudaira on January 31, 1543. His father Hirotada was a Samurai Lord (known in Japanese as a Daimyo) of the Mikawa province and served a more powerful clan called the Imagawa (led by a man named Yoshimoto) and because of this, Ieyasu's family was constantly targeted by the Oda clan which was a rival to the Imagawas. At the age of 5, Ieyasu was kidnapped by the Oda clan and even send threats to his father that they will kill Ieyasu if he doesn't cut ties with the Imagawa. His father refused, but despite this, the leader of the Oda at the time Nobuhide (the father of future Samurai Lord Nobunaga) chose not to kill Ieyasu, but he chose to hold him hostage for 3 years.
A year after Ieyasu was kidnapped, a few of his father's vassals were bribed by the Oda to turn on his father and kill him (unbeknownst to Ieyasu). But at around the same time Hobuhide died of a sickness, this would weaken the Oda clan temporarily, this allowed a member of the Imagawas named Sessai laid siege to the Oda's castle where Nobuhiro (another one of Nobuhide's son), as Sessai was about to take the castle he asked to make an offer to Nobunaga he'll call off the siege if he hands over Ieyasu. Nobunaga agreed and Ieyasu was released and taken back to the Imagawa. Soon after, he was taken to be trained as a Samurai Lord.
Over the next 7 years, Ieyasu was trained by Samurai Masters in Sunpu. He was also taught in Samurai tactics as well as Sengoku politics. Until 1556 when he was 13 as when he entered manhood, he also learned the fate of his father as he went to his father's grave to pay his respects from time to time.
First Battles[]
Ieyasu had his first battle at the Siege of Terabe Castle in 1558. Ieyasu was given his command at the age of 15, and this was a first huge battle for the Oda clan (and it's new leader Nobunaga).
The Siege would last for a month, but in the end, the Odas defeated the Imagawas. Ieyasu attacked the castle during the battle but was defeated by Nobunaga's forces.
But the Imagawas would get their revenge 2 years later when the Imagawas laid a siege to Marune Fortress as Ieyasu captured it and defeated Nobunaga. This would also lead to the fated Battle of Okehazama, a month-long battle that resulted in the death of the leader of the Imagawas: Yoshimoto.
Ieyasu and other surviving warlords of this battle are now hit with the dilemma: Either serve the Oda or run away and never return. Would Ieyasu ally himself with the clan who bribed his father's vassals? Seeing that this could be an opportunity to increase his holding of power, Ieyasu decides to join the Odas.
Growing his influence[]
In 1567, he officially changed his name to Ieyasu Tokugawa (he changed his name many times before) and he was given ownership of his father's domain of Mikawa. Under his new master of Nobunaga, he temporarily captured Kyoto (Japan's ancient capital) to claim the domains once owned by the Imagawas. He became the official master of Mikawa when he captured Yoshida castle in 1570. Ieyasu also made somewhat of an alliance with the Takeda clan (and it's lord Shingen) for claim more Imagawa domains. Then the next lord of the Imagawas: Ujizane has fled to the castle of Kakegawa Castle, Ieyasu then laid siege to the castle and forced Ujizane to negotiate with him, Ujizane agreed with Ieyasu to surrender the province of Totomi in exchange Ieyasu's services to help Ujizane take back the province of Suruga, this would cause Ieyasu to break the alliance he made with the Takedas, he would form an alliance with the Takeda's rivals: the Uesugi. He established the castle town of Hamamatsu as the center of his domains and have his eldest son Nobuyasu take charge of a domain named Okazaki.
Conflicts with the Takeda[]
The Takeda clan didn't take Ieyasu's decision to help Ujizane nor did they liked that he also allied with the Uesugis very well. This would develop a rivalry with Tokugawa's clan and by 1571, Shingen Takeda allied his clan with the Hojo (led by their lord: Ujiyasu) and invaded Totomi. With the permission and aid of Nobunaga, Ieyasu spent months hunting down the Takeda, until they met for the Battle of Mikatagahara in January of 1573.
Being outnumbered by the Takeda, Ieyasu's forces were easily defeated in this battle.
Knowing that they can be all killed in this battle, Ieyasu retreated back to Hamamatsu Castle and ordered his men to light torches, sound drums and even let the gates to the castle open to let the other retreating soldiers know where the castle is and retreat, and to deceive the Takeda army to not besiege the castle (assuming it was a trap). This would allow Ieyasu to send out ninjas to raid the Takeda camp, this would make Shingen cancel the siege of Hamamatsu. Later in 1573, Shingen died of a sickness resulted from a bullet wound he sustained from the Siege of Noda Castle.
Around 2 years later in 1575, Shingen was succeeded by his heir Katsuyori who wasn't exactly a competent leader. Nevertheless Katsuyori staged an attack on Nagashino castle which was in Mikawa province (Ieyasu's domain). Ieyasu than appealed to Nobunaga again to help him defeat the Takedas, which Nobunaga agreed to help with personally, so a coalition of the Odas and the Tokugawas were made and on June 28, the coalition would face the Takedas in the famous "Battle of Nagashino".
This battle would see the first time of the wide usage of firearms (the Japanese version of the Portuguese Arquebus: the Tanegashima). In the end, the coalition would defeat the Takedas, forcing the clan to retreat to their domain of Kai.
During the later part of the 1570s, the Tokugawas and the Odas would spend some time apart. This is because the Odas would go on to capture many domains throughout Japan, thus making Nobunaga Japan's most powerful warlord until his apparent murder on Honoji Temple in 1582.
Ieyasu meanwhile would go through some crises involving his own family as his wife (Lady Tsukiyami) and his eldest son Nobuyasu was accused by Nobunaga for conspiring with the Takedas for an alleged assassination attempt on him. For this, Ieyasu was told by Nobunaga to have his wife be executed, and Nobuyasu had to perform Seppuku (ritual suicide). Also in 1582, the Oda-Tokugawa coalition invaded the Kai province and defeated the Takeda clan, for this Katsuyori also committed seppuku.
Time with Hideyoshi[]
About 2 years after the death of Nobunaga, Ieyasu allied himself with Nobunaga's son Nobukatsu against the other would be the next powerful Warlord: Hideyoshi Toyotomi. This was a big risk for the Tokugawas since this could wipe out the entire clan. After Ieyasu took Owari, Hideyoshi responded by sending an army into the region and the battle of Owari had begun.
This battle signifies the only time where Hideyoshi and Ieyasu would fight against each other. The battle itself was indecisive after months of marching. Both negotiated a truce and they allied.
Together, Ieyasu would help Hideyoshi become Japan's next powerful warlord. Though his forces didn't help Hideyoshi for his campaign for Japan's other islands like Shikoku and Kyushu.
With Shikoku and Kyushu under the Toyotomi banner, the only clan left than opposes the Toyotomi was the Hojo clan to the east. In May of 1590, Toyotomi began to besiege the Hojo castle of Odawara. A 3-Month siege that the Toyotomi succeeded in taking the castle and even defeating the Hojo.
With this, Hideyoshi has succeeded in conquering the whole of Japan, and 2 years later he began his campaign for the Korean Peninsula. Ieyasu never helped Hideyoshi in this particular campaign. But as Hideyoshi was busy with Korea, Ieyasu's family and clan established another castle in the small fishing village known as Edo (modern-day Tokyo). What was also happening unbeknownst to Hideyoshi is that Ieyasu's sphere of influence across Japan was increasing.
All the while Hideyoshi's campaign to take Korea would fail, and so would his health.
In 1598 Hideyoshi (as he was hanging on to his life) called his 5 loyal retainers to form together and work together to groom his 5-Year old son Hideyori. Ieyasu was among the 5 retainers that came to Hideoyoshi's deathbed and so would soon to be Ieyasu's competitor: Mitsunari Ishida. Hideyoshi would die on September 18 in the year 1598, and the Council of the 5 elders would form.
But what the other 4 elders don't know is that Ieyasu also has his agenda for Hideyoshi's claims to Japan. Over the next 2 years, Ieyasu would carefully and meticulously carry out his plan to claim all of Hideyoshi's domains.
Battle of Sekigahara[]
For the next 2 years, Ieyasu would form alliances through either political negotiations or through marriage (as this was another way to form political alliances), he was successful with especially the clans who didn't want to be allies with the Toyotomi. During this time the lord of the Maeda clan Toshiie had also died, Ieyasu responded by leading an army to Kyoto and they temporarily took the emperor's castle of Fushimi as well as the Toyotomi's castle in Osaka.
Upon learning of this the other 3 remaining elders weren't happy, especially Mitsunari who ordered an assassination attempt on Ieyasu. This was discovered by several of Ieyasu's loyal warlords who even tried to assassinate Mitsunari. However, Mitsunari also escaped assassination and was even given protection from Ieyasu himself, eventhough Mitsunari was Ieyasu's political opponent.
Now, it's unclear why would Ieyasu protect his greatest opposition to claiming power in Japan. But it could be because Ieyasu is known to be a brilliant strategist and is known to wait until the opportunity presents itself to make his move, one of the reasons why he was known in Japan as "The old Badger".
By 1600 Japan was once again split apart, only this time it's between the east (Ieyasu and his loyalists) and the west (clans who support the Toyotomi). In the summer, Ieyasu then defeats the Uesugi clan. Before the battle, however, Ieyasu had received information that Mitsunari has now decided to aggressively oppose him. After holding a meeting with his loyal warlords, they agreed to march west towards Kyoto, later that summer Mitsunari was able to capture the emperor's Fushimi castle.
Ieyasu now formulates a plan to get rid of Mitsunari once and for all. He decides to split his forces up. He leads his forces along the southern road (later known as the Tokaido) and his third son Hidetada would lead the rest of his forces to the north. In October of 1600, both opposing armies were at a valley path known as Sekigahara which was the crossroads that control all of Japan's main roads for the time. On the night of October 20, Ieyasu was waiting for Hidetada to arrive, not knowing that Hidetada (who wasn't a good military strategist like his father) got himself into a battle at Shinano with Masayuki Sanada. What Ieyasu would soon realize that his son won't be in time for the impending battle.
On the morning of October 21, a thick mountain fog blanketed the valley and the rain also was a factor too. Ieyasu knew that his forces are outnumbered by Mitsunari's forces almost 3 to 1, but still, he waits for Hidetada to join his forces. But as the morning drags on the fog lifts and both sides discovered that they're both in the valley. The wait was over, the battle has begun.
The first stages of the battle did see the eastern army being successful. But as the western army used their wide array of firearms, the eastern army was driven back and even at one time had the entire eastern army surrounded. Desperate, Ieyasu orders his cannon fodders and Tanegashima gunners to use their weapons on the forces of Hideyoshi's cousin: Hideaki Kobayakawa who had his forces on nearby Mt. Matsuo. By then, Hideaki made his decision, aid the eastern army. They head down the mountain to the flank of the western army held by Yoshitsugu Otani. But Otani's forces were able to beat back Hideaki's forces, but it also left Otani's position vulnerable. Surprisingly, other warlords fighting for the western army also decided to turn on Mitsunari and fight for the east.
Within hours, Ieyasu's eastern forces have won the battle of Sekigahara. This makes him Japan's most powerful warlord. 3 Years later, Ieyasu was granted the coveted title of Shogun.
Shogun[]
Ieyasu would be the Shogun for only 2 years, giving the reins to Hidetada. Even giving up his title, he still had authority over the whole of Japan's society. He still oversaw the issues involving foreign relations with the Netherlands, Britain, and Spain. He would also take on a personal foreign consultant in foreign affairs in British sailor named William Adams who became the first foreign samurai.
Still, Ieyasu didn't want Japan to be influenced by foreigners, and in 1610 is when Japan began to distance itself from most foreign affairs, though the Dutch East Indian company was still allowed to trade with Japan. In 1614 he signed the Christian Expulsion edict which effectively outlawed the practicing of Christianity among foreigners and Japanese alike, and all foreign Jesuit missionaries were to leave the country.
Yet, Ieyasu has to deal with the *real* threat to his newly created shogunate: Hideyoshi's son Hideyori. In 1614 he led his army to Osaka Castle to stop Hideyori's attempt at a coup d'etat.
Siege of Osaka Castle[]
Unbeknownst to Ieyasu, there were still many samurai clans that were still loyal to the Toyotomi and have joined Hideyori (by this time an adult) to oppose the Tokugawa Shogunate. After failed attempts of telling Hideyori to flee from the castle, he and his son Hidetada led an army to march on Osaka in the winter of 1614 and layed its winter siege. It was also in the winter where Ieyasu tried to negotiate with Hidetori and his family, still, they refused to surrender. In the spring, Ieyasu then wrote his final pledge to the Toyotomi and cutting one of his fingers to draw blood so he can sign his pledge. He then sent a female agent into the castle to deliver the pledge. But what the Toyotomi don't realize that this was a divergence for Ieyasu's forces to gather dirt and sand to fill on Osaka Castle's moats, he then returns to Sunpu Castle. After again Hideyori refuses to surrender, Ieyasu ordered his 155,000 men to storm the castle in the summer of 1615, and it was a massacre. Hideyori with no other option committed seppuku. Ieyasu's granddaughter Senhime (who was Hideyori's wife) pleaded to her grandfather to spare Hideyori, but he refuses, and Senhime was taken back to her grandfather. With this, the Tokugawa's hold on Japan was certain, and this brings an official end to the Sengoku Jidai.
Death and Legacy[]
Around a year later after the Siege of Osaka Castle, Ieyasu fell seriously sick. On his deathbed, Ieyasu made a plea to his family. To do their best to hold the land that he fought so hard for together as much as he can. He would die in the year 1616. He wrote in his will for his body to be cremated and his ashes to be taken to the Nikko temple.
Ieyasu Tokugawa remains a common icon of Japan. The man who finally put an end to the Sengoku Jidai and brought peace to Japan. Ieyasu, along with Nobunaga Oda and Hideyoshi Toyotomi would be called "The Great Unifiers".
Well, that is it for this page of "Japan's Interesting People". Don't forget to check out my other pages on here as well as my Games and Movies. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.