Sakai Tadatsugu

Sakai Tadatsugu (酒井 忠次) was one of the most favored and most successful military commanders serving Tokugawa Ieyasu in the late Sengoku period.

Serving as the highest-ranking general in the Tokugawa clan along with Ishikawa Kazumasa, Tadatsugu is also regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa (Tokugawa-Shitennō), along with Honda Tadakatsu, Ii Naomasa, and Sakakibara Yasumasa. He is also included in another cultural depiction as one of the Tokugawa 16 divine generals (Tokugawa jūrokushinshō). His official title was Sakai Saemon-no-jo Tadatsugu.

Sakai Tadatsugu was also allegedly involved in the conspiracy that caused the death of Lady Tsukiyama and her son, Matsudaira Nobuyasu.

Biography


Tadatsugu was born in 1527 to Sakai Tadachika, a hereditary vassal of the Matsudaira clan of Mikawa Province. At some point, Tadatsugu was commanded by Imagawa Yoshimoto to attack Tada Yasumitsu, an uncle-in-law of Matsudaira Hirotada. Tadatsugu managed to seize the castles in Yasumitsu's possession at Imahashi and Tawara areas.

At some point during Tadatsugu's life, Oda Nobuhide, father of Oda Nobunaga, invaded and besieged Ida castle in Mikawa. Tadatsugu and Naitō Nobunari were reportedly sallied out, fighting Nobuhide's army to defend the castle.

It is said that after Hirotada's death, in 1551 Tadatsugu served young Ieyasu and led a hostage life in Sunpu.

In 1556, according to the records from Tosho Gunkan, Tadatsugu defends Fukutani castle which was besieged by 2,000 cavalry troops of Oda clan led by Shibata Katsuie. Tadatsugu managed to repel the invaders as he led a sallying force outside the castle to engage Katsuie troops. During this battle, Watanabe Yoshitsuna, maternal grandfather of Watanabe Moritsuna, fought under the command of Tadatsugu and manage to kill Katsuie's general named Hayakawa Tōta with a bow.

In 1558, Tadatsugu accompanied Ieyasu in the Siege of Terabe.

In 1560 at the Siege of Marune, Tadatsugu served as vanguard of Tokugawa forces along with Ishikawa Ienari. After a tough battle, he finally defeated Sakuma Morishige, a general from the Oda side who was defending the fort. It was said that Morishige was killed with arquebus shots from the Tokugawa forces.

In 1563, during the Mikawa Ikkō-ikki uprising, Tadatsugu faithfully followed Ieyasu while his brother, Sakai Tadanao, chose to support the Ikkō-ikki. This religious uprising has four epicenters where the Ikkō-shū radicals fortify their temples. Tadatsugu were tasked to pacify one of those garrisoned temples which was located in Ida village. Sometime before 1564, the same year, Tadatsugu married princess Usui (Usui-Hime), grand-daughter of Matsudaira Hirotada and sister to Ieyasu.

Later in 1564, Tadatsugu lead an attack towards Yoshida Castle, forcing the lord of the castle, Shizumi Obara, to escape and the castle surrender without a fight. Then in the same year, before the Battle of Azukizaka, Tadatsugu wrote letter to the Ikko-Ikki faction in Mikawa, chastising their rebellious conduct.

Service in Oda-Tokugawa alliance
Sometime around 1565, Tadatsugu urged his superior, Ieyasu, to abandon allegiance towards Imagawa clan. After the Tokugawa clan captured Yoshida Castle in eastern Mikawa (present-day Toyohashi), Ieyasu appointed Tadatsugu to control the castle. Then Ieyasu assigned Tadatsugu, Ishikawa Kazumasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Honda Tadakatsu as chiefs of Tokugawa counsel staffs.

By 1567, Ieyasu reorganized the structures of his army in two divisions, each with a separate commander. Tadatsugu was placed over the forces of 18 Tokugawa Fudai & Kamon daimyōs, while Ishikawa Kazumasa, was given command over the forces of 13 daimyō-vassals. This means Tadatsugu was given command of the "Higashi-Mikawa" or "Western Mikawa" samurai clans, such as Matsudaira Ietada (Fukōzu), Matsudaira Tadamasa, Matsudaira Ietada (Katahara), and others.

Later in 1569, Tadatsugu also participated in the Siege of Kakegawa castle.

In 1570, Tadatsugu were involved in the Battle of Anegawa, where the Tokugawa forces forming the left wing of the Oda and Tokugawa alliance forces. Here, Tadatsugu and Ishikawa Kazumasa led the vanguard, while Sakakibara Yasumasa and Honda Tadakatsu led the rearguard of the Tokugawa formation.

In 1572, during the Battle of Mikatagahara, Tadatsugu fought the opposing Takeda clan forces on the far-right position of Tokugawa forces stork-shaped formation. At first, Tadatsugu managed to repulse the first wave of Takeda clan's charge led by Oyamada Nobushige. However, as the second wave led by Baba Nobuharu stepped in, rank of units under Tadatsugu were overwhelmed. Tadatsugu struggled as his troops were badly beaten. As 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.

In June 1574, when the Takeda clan laid siege to Takatenjin, Oda Nobunaga personally lead reinforcements where he encamped in Yoshida castle and was greeted by Tadatsugu. However, as he heard that Takatenjin surrendered, Nobunaga aborted his trip to Takatenjin and returned to Yoshida castle to decide next step.

In 1575, When Takeda Katsuyori laying Siege of Yoshida Castle, Tadatsugu defend the garrison with 6,000 soldiers. The battles were exclusively limited to spear skirmishes outside the wall, which frustrated Katsuyori, causing him to abandon the siege.



Later in the same year, during the campaign in Nagashino, during the war council discussion before the battle, Tadatsugu expressing his idea about night raid, which was quickly rejected by Nobunaga. However, Nobunaga called Tadatsugu in private after the council and gave him permission to execute the plan in secret, because Nobunaga was afraid if he publicly agreed with Tadatsugu plan during the council discussion, it could potentially be leaked by enemy intelligence. Tadatsugu then was tasked to lead a night raid against the Takeda forces located in Tobinosuyama along with Kanamori Nagachika. They led a flying column of 2,000 Tokugawa archers and Arquebus gunners, which was further supplemented with Oda clan's regiment of cavalry and 500 Arquebus gunners. Tadatsugu led this forces to take the road from Koshu to Horai-ji Temple in Sanshu then crossing a river, until they reached the camp of Takeda forces nearby the besieged Nagashino castle. The forces of Tadatsugu successfully ambushed the Takeda forces, which caused the death of two Takeda generals, Takeda Nobuzane and Saegusa Moritomo. After the enemy troops in nearby Nagashino castle were routed, Tadatsugu also burned Kadoya village nearby the location.

As the Nagashino campaign ended, Tadatsugu rewarded further for his deeds defending a castle in Tobinosuyama mountain after the battle of Nagashino, as Oda Nobunaga himself personally gives Tadatsugu with a jinbaori(Samurai commander's jacket), and also a Maki no Tachi(sword's mounting).

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, a special reward for special vassals, allowing them to use one of the kanji from his Nanori name.

In 1579, Tadatsugu were involved with a tragedy that befalls upon Ieyasu family, which ended with Lady Tsukiyama, Ieyasu wife, executed, and their son, Matsudaira Nobuyasu, forced to commit seppuku. Tadatsugu played role in confirming Oda Nobunaga suspicion of the alleged betrayal against the Oda clan being planned by Lady Tsukiyama, thus Nobunaga concluded that if a high-rank Fudai daimyō such as Tadatsugu confirmed the accusation by testifying against Lady Tsukiyama, then her treason must be true. It was said in one theory that Tadatsugu were actually conspiring with Odai no Kata here to get rid off Lady Tsukiyama. While Arthur Lindsay Sadler theorized this is deliberate act of spite from Tadatsugu due to his dislikes towards Nobuyasu.

After Nobunaga's death
In 1582, after Honnō-ji Incident, Tadatsugu accompanied Ieyasu in arduous journey to escape the enemies of Nobunaga in Sakai and returning to Mikawa. However, their journey were very dangerous due to the existence of "Ochimusha-gari" groups across the route. During this journey, Tadatsugu and other senior Ieyasu retainers such as Ii Naomasa and Honda Tadakatsu fought their way out against the raids and harassments from Ochimusha-gari(Samurai hunters) outlaws during their march escorting Ieyasu, while sometimes also paying bribes of gold and silver to the Ochimusha-gari gangs which they could bribe. As they reached Kada, an area between Kameyama town and Iga, The attacks from Ochimusha-gari finally ended as they reached the territory of Kōka ikki Samurais who are friendly to the Tokugawa clan. The Koka ikki samurais then escorting them from until they reached Iga Province, where they further protected by samurai clans from Iga ikki which accompany the Ieyasu group until they safely reach Mikawa. The Ietada nikki journal has recorded that the escorts of Ieyasu has suffered around 200 casualties and only 34 person left when they finally arrived at Ietada residence in Mikawa.

In June-October 29 of the same year, the Tenshō-Jingo War triangle occurred among the Tokugawa clan, Hōjō clan, and Uesugi clan in a contest to gain control the area of Shinano Province, Ueno region, and Kai Province, which has been vacant since the destruction of Takeda clan and the death of Oda Nobunaga. After Ieyasu returned to Mikawa, he began to leading an army of 8,000 soldiers entering Kai Province (currently Gunma Prefecture), Shinano Province, and Ueno, to annex it. However, the Hōjō clan in the Kantō region also led an army of 55,000 men and crossed the Usui Pass to invade Shinano Province. Ieyasu dispatch Tadatsugu and Ogasawara Nobumine with detachment to pacify Shinano Province, while Ieyasu took the main army to pacify Kai. However, Tadatsugu and Nobumine met with unexpected resistance from Suwa Yoritada, a former Takeda vassal who now allied with the Hōjō clan. they were beaten by Moritada, to the point that Tadatsugu's army almost encircled. Tadatsugu then led a desperate breakthrough and breaking the encirclement and retreat into Wakamiko in Kai province, where he rejoin the Ieyasu's main forces. In Wakamiko, the confrontation lasted for 80 days without clear result. During this period, Ieyasu acquired more than 800 former vassals of Takeda clan from Kofu Province. Later, in December, Tadatsugu led the army once again to subdue Suwa Yoritada at Suwa in Shinano, where Tadatsugu manage to subdue Yoritada and secure his surrender to the Tokugawa clan.

In 1584, during the Komaki-Nagakute campaign, Tadatsugu successfully turned back a move by Toyotomi Hideyoshi forces against Kiyosu Castle, which was led by Toyotomi commander Mori Nagayoshi. Tadatsugu scouted Nagayoshi forces during their march, then as Nagayoshi rest and camp his soldiers Hachimanbayashi area, Haguro. Tadatsugu joined Okudaira Nobumasa and Matsudaira Ietada (Fukōzu) in Komaki to launch the attack at dawn. As they pushed Nagayoshi forces, Tadatsugu tried to encircle Nagayoshi forces from the flank, which caused Nagayoshi lose 300 soldiers. However, they ultimately failed to entrap Nagayoshi as he manage to breaking through the encirclement and retreat. 300 Toyotomi soldiers died in this battle. Following this, Tadatsugu returned to Komaki where he, Honda Tadakatsu, and Ishikawa Kazumasa stationed their troops.

After the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute in April, the front line in northern Owari reached stalemate. At this time, Kanie Castle was located about three miles between Ieyasu's Kiyosu Castle and Nobuo's Nagashima Castle, and was connected to the Mie moat and three castles: Ono Castle, Shimojima Castle , and Maeda Castle. At that time, Kanie castle were facing the sea and was one of the leading ports in Owari, along with Atsuta and Tsushima. Then in June 18, Ieyasu and Nobuo led 20,000 soldiers and besieged three castles: siege of Kanie Castle, Maeda Castle, and Shimojima Castle. The Kanie castle were defended by Maeda Nagatane and Takigawa Kazumasu. Tadatsugu, Okanabe Mori, and Yamaguchi Shigemasa spearheading the attack towards Shimojima castle, while Sakakibara Yasumasa, Osuga Yasutaka were deployed to capture any fleeing defenders. During this siege, Ieyasu's Hatamoto retainers such as Mizuno Katsunari blockaded the port of the castle, and hijacked two ships belongs to Kuki Yoshitaka, to prevent any outside help for Kanie castle. After the fall of Shimojima castle, On June 22, Oda Nobuo and Tokugawa Ieyasu launch an all-out attack on Kanie Castle. The soldiers led by Tadatsugu, who has been deployed at the major entrance, were exhausted after days of fierce fighting, and in the evening, the soldiers of Yasumasa Sakakibara and Ietada Matsudaira entered Kaimonjiguchi in their place. On June 23, Ieyasu entered the castle with Sakakibara Yasumasa, thus the castle were subdued.

In 1586, according to "Sakakibara clan historical records", Ieyasu sent Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasu, and Ii Naomasa as representatives to Kyoto, where three of them being regarded as "Tokugawa Sanketsu"(Three great nobles of Tokugawa). Then in following month, the three of them joined by Tadatsugu Sakai to accompany Ieyasu in his personal trip to Kyoto, where the four of them "became famous".

Post retirement & Death
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, the Sakai clan continued to prosper.

Personal info
Sakai Tadatsugu was the most entrusted Ieyasu's vassal in most of military and political affairs of the Tokugawa clan. He also described by Oda Nobunaga as Ieyasu's right-hand man.

Arms & Weapons


Sakai Tadatsugu owns at least three sets of Japanese armor:


 * 1) The first set is black and yellow laced infantry designed armor with Kamakura period style named Iroiro Dō-maru. It is said this set were mostly for ceremonial purpose.
 * 2) The second set used by Tadatsugu were a Two pieces of vermilion-lacquered black thread armor which reportedly for practical combat use. This set of armor has a Kabuto helmet with golden antler horns, similar to horn motives owned by Sanada Yukimura or Tadakatsu Honda. This helmet piece is thought to date as far as from the Azuchi–Momoyama period. In 2017, on commemorating the 140th anniversary of Shonai shrine in Tsuruoka, Chidō Museum officials ordered the a replica of this helmet for exhibition to be made by professinal blacksmith from Nagoya city.
 * 3) Another set of armor believed to be used by Tadatsugu were a Dō of Sendai region influence which preserved in Kanagawa Prefecture collection In modern era. It has unusual feature of ridged shin-guard. it is believed that Tadatsugu used this armor during the battle of Nagashino. Furthermore, this armor type was first popularized by Date Masamune, Daimyo of Sendai.

Another tools belonged to Tadatsugu which preserved in museum is a Gunbai Uchiwa(軍配団扇) or 'Signal fan', which passed down for generations by the Sakai clan.

In 1560, during that time, it is said Tadatsugu killed a boar with his katana, earning it the name of the Inoshishi-giri or Inokiri (猪切 the Boar Slayer). The blade itself was a work of Masazane from the Tegai school of Nara, and a colleague of the famous Muramasa (or maybe another name for Muramasa himself). Masazane also authored Tonbōgiri (蜻蛉切 the Dragonfly Slayer), the most famous of the Three Great Spears of Japan (天下三名槍), favourite weapon of Honda Tadakatsu, another one of the Tokugawa Shitennō.

Another sword owned by Tadatsugu were a Tachi which were said given by Ieyasu for Tadatsugu. It had been passed down through generations by the Sakai clan.

Aside from that, there are another Tachi sword possessed by Tadatsugu which forged by Nagamitsu, pupil of renowned swordsmith named Sanemitsu. It is said were given by Oda Nobunaga to Tadatsugu.

A legend said that Tadatsugu personal Yari were named Kame toshi no yari(Jar breaking spear), because at some point of his life, he once found an enemy hiding behind a huge clay jar, which Tadatsugu pierce with his Yari spear along with the enemy behind it.

Sakai clan genealogy
The Sakai clan 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.

In 1604, his descendants moved 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 to 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.