Changes

According to tradition, the defeated Murakami and Ogasawara presented themselves before Terutora and protested Shingen's aggressions. Terutora, uneasy at Shingen's northern expansion and obligated to the two refugees, took the field. That Murakami figures into the Uesugi's roll even many years later gives some substance to this belief, and, certainly, Terutora had reason to worry about Echigo's borders. In June and October [[1553]] The Takeda and Uesugi armies clashed near the Kawanakajima plain in northern Shinano, and while the two sides withdrew after a few rounds of inconclusive skirmishing, a legend was born. In total, the Takeda and Uesugi would face each other at the Kawanakajima five times ([[1554]], [[1555]], [[1557]], [[1561]], [[1564]]) and while not exactly the nearly annual staring matches as they are sometimes portrayed, only the 4th (1561) resulted in an all-out contest.<ref>Shingen also had to keep an eye on both the Imagawa and Hôjô clans to his south and southeast, which no doubt contributed to the caution he generally displayed when facing Kenshin at Kawanakajima. During the 1550's the Takeda, Imagawa, and Hôjô became involved in a series of alliances and counter-alliances that occasionally resulted in minor forays into one another's territory. These almost always came to an end when the clan that happened to hold third-party status at the time declared for the attacked, thus maintaining he balance.</ref> In that engagement, both sides suffered heavy losses and while not individually decisive, those losses no doubt slowed both warlords down for some years. In particular, Shingen must have felt the loss of Nobushige and [[Yamamoto Kansuke]], both killed in action at the battle.  

According to tradition, the defeated Murakami and Ogasawara presented themselves before Terutora and protested Shingen's aggressions. Terutora, uneasy at Shingen's northern expansion and obligated to the two refugees, took the field. That Murakami figures into the Uesugi's roll even many years later gives some substance to this belief, and, certainly, Terutora had reason to worry about Echigo's borders. In June and October [[1553]] The Takeda and Uesugi armies clashed near the Kawanakajima plain in northern Shinano, and while the two sides withdrew after a few rounds of inconclusive skirmishing, a legend was born. In total, the Takeda and Uesugi would face each other at the Kawanakajima five times ([[1554]], [[1555]], [[1557]], [[1561]], [[1564]]) and while not exactly the nearly annual staring matches as they are sometimes portrayed, only the 4th (1561) resulted in an all-out contest.<ref>Shingen also had to keep an eye on both the Imagawa and Hôjô clans to his south and southeast, which no doubt contributed to the caution he generally displayed when facing Kenshin at Kawanakajima. During the 1550's the Takeda, Imagawa, and Hôjô became involved in a series of alliances and counter-alliances that occasionally resulted in minor forays into one another's territory. These almost always came to an end when the clan that happened to hold third-party status at the time declared for the attacked, thus maintaining he balance.</ref> In that engagement, both sides suffered heavy losses and while not individually decisive, those losses no doubt slowed both warlords down for some years. In particular, Shingen must have felt the loss of Nobushige and [[Yamamoto Kansuke]], both killed in action at the battle.  

 

Internally, the Takeda suffered two grim moments within the span of five years. In [[1560]] Shingen had uncovered a plot against him led by his cousin [[Katanuma Nobumoto]], whom he ordered put to death. In [[1565]], another plot came to light - this one headed by his own son Yoshinobu and [[Obu Toramasa]]. Tormasa was made to commit suicide, while Yoshinobu was confined to the Tokoji. Two years later Yoshinbou died, either from illness or, as many believe, because Shingen had forced him to commit suicide. The event left Shingen heirless for the time being and the Takeda retainers uneasy.

Internally, the Takeda suffered two grim moments within the span of five years. In [[1560]] Shingen had uncovered a plot against him led by his cousin [[Katanuma Nobumoto]], whom he ordered put to death. In [[1565]], another plot came to light - this one headed by his own son Yoshinobu and [[Obu Toramasa]]. Tormasa was made to commit suicide, while Yoshinobu was confined to the Tokoji. Two years later Yoshinbou died, either from illness or, as many believe, because Shingen had forced him to commit suicide. The event left Shingen heirless for the time being and the Takeda retainers uneasy.

==The Takeda expand==

==The Takeda expand==

[[Image:TakedaDomain.jpg|225px|thumb|right|The Takeda domain in 1569 (click to enlarge)]]By 1568, the Takeda army was on the move again, this time to the south against the faltering Imagawa. The daimyo of that clan was Ujizane, the incompetent son of the late Imagawa Yoshimoto (killed in 1560 by [[Oda Nobunaga]]), whose political ineptness had already cost the Imagawa their Matsudaira (Tokugawa) vassals and Mikawa province. Years before, Shingen's son Yoshinobu had married Ujizane's sister but after the suicide of the former in [[1567]], relations between the families had grown sour. It would appear that Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu struck up a deal whereby the two would split up the Imagawa's remaining lands (Totomi and Suruga), an agreement that in the event quickly fell through. In addition, the Hojo of Sagami took a dim view to this shift in the balance of power, and sent troops to defy Shingen, which they did with varying degrees of success for a year or so. In [[1569]] Shingen responded by invading Sagami and besieging Odawara (the Hojo's capital). While this effort was quite short-lived (lasting around a week), the Takeda army did manage to crush an attempt at an ambush by the Hojo at Mimasetoge on their way back to Kai.  

[[Image:Takeda_shingen2.jpg||thumb|left|Another view of Takeda Shingen, from H. Cook’s ‘Samurai.’]]

[[Image:Takeda_domain.jpg||thumb|left|The Takeda domain in 1572.]]

By 1568, the Takeda army was on the move again, this time to the south against the faltering Imagawa. The daimyo of that clan was Ujizane, the incompetent son of the late Imagawa Yoshimoto (killed in 1560 by [[Oda Nobunaga]]), whose political ineptness had already cost the Imagawa their Matsudaira (Tokugawa) vassals and Mikawa province. Years before, Shingen's son Yoshinobu had married Ujizane's sister but after the suicide of the former in [[1567]], relations between the families had grown sour. It would appear that Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu struck up a deal whereby the two would split up the Imagawa's remaining lands (Totomi and Suruga), an agreement that in the event quickly fell through. In addition, the Hojo of Sagami took a dim view to this shift in the balance of power, and sent troops to defy Shingen, which they did with varying degrees of success for a year or so. In [[1569]] Shingen responded by invading Sagami and besieging Odawara (the Hojo's capital). While this effort was quite short-lived (lasting around a week), the Takeda army did manage to crush an attempt at an ambush by the Hojo at Mimasetoge on their way back to Kai.  

[[Image:Takeda_domain.jpg||thumb|right|The Takeda domain in 1572.]]

Thus, in [[1570]], the Takeda's lands now included Kai, Shinano, Suruga, and pieces of Kozuke, Totomi, and Hida. Shingen, at 49, was something more than a regional power - he was the most important warlord east of Mino, and the one who was in a position to derail Oda Nobunaga's march to national hegemony. Shingen alone possessed the strategic position, the generalship, and the solid retainer band necessary. In 1570, the formidable Hojo Ujiyasu died and his heir, Ujimasa, quickly made peace with Shingen, an act that might have all but assured the ultimate destruction of Tokugawa Ieyasu had not Shingen died in 1573.<ref>Conflict with Tokugawa Ieyasu began soon after Takeda consolidated his hold on Suruga, and was exacerbated when Ieyasu moved his headquarters to Hamamatsu in Tôtômi in 1570. Shingen considered this a provocative move, and even Nobunaga urged his impetuous ally to shift his standard back to Mikawa. Tokugawa, far from pulling back, opened up talks with Uesugi Kenshin, inflaming the situation even more and providing the Takeda with ample excuses to attack.</ref> In the meantime, the Takeda and Oda, after an abortive diplomatic courtship designed to check the Uesugi, initiated a war of words, possibly with the shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, at the center of the storm. Shingen stepped up the pressure against Tokugawa, and in [[1572]] launched an attack into Totomi that resulted in the capture of Futamata. The following January, Shingen returned to the province and enticed Tokugawa Ieyasu to come out and fight. The [[Battle of Mikatagahara]], conducted on 6 January to the north of Hamamatsu, ended in a near-complete defeat for Ieyasu (and the allied Oda troops present).<ref>The Battle of Mikatagahara left 1,180 of Tokugawa's men dead while the Takeda lost somewhat less then 400. The majority of Takeda's losses came about as the result of a bold raid ordered that same night by Tokugawa and led by Okubo Tadayo and Amano Yasukage. This action is sometimes known as the Battle of Saigadake. The Oda men present were under the command of Takigawa Kazumasu, Hirade Norihide, and Sakuma Nobumori - of these only Hirade, who was killed, stood before the Takeda onslaught. This battle has sometimes been recorded as occuring in December of 1572; this does not account, however, for the difference in the Japanese lunar calender.</ref>

Thus, in [[1570]], the Takeda's lands now included Kai, Shinano, Suruga, and pieces of Kozuke, Totomi, and Hida. Shingen, at 49, was something more than a regional power - he was the most important warlord east of Mino, and the one who was in a position to derail Oda Nobunaga's march to national hegemony. Shingen alone possessed the strategic position, the generalship, and the solid retainer band necessary. In 1570, the formidable Hojo Ujiyasu died and his heir, Ujimasa, quickly made peace with Shingen, an act that might have all but assured the ultimate destruction of Tokugawa Ieyasu had not Shingen died in 1573.<ref>Conflict with Tokugawa Ieyasu began soon after Takeda consolidated his hold on Suruga, and was exacerbated when Ieyasu moved his headquarters to Hamamatsu in Tôtômi in 1570. Shingen considered this a provocative move, and even Nobunaga urged his impetuous ally to shift his standard back to Mikawa. Tokugawa, far from pulling back, opened up talks with Uesugi Kenshin, inflaming the situation even more and providing the Takeda with ample excuses to attack.</ref> In the meantime, the Takeda and Oda, after an abortive diplomatic courtship designed to check the Uesugi, initiated a war of words, possibly with the shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, at the center of the storm. Shingen stepped up the pressure against Tokugawa, and in [[1572]] launched an attack into Totomi that resulted in the capture of Futamata. The following January, Shingen returned to the province and enticed Tokugawa Ieyasu to come out and fight. The [[Battle of Mikatagahara]], conducted on 6 January to the north of Hamamatsu, ended in a near-complete defeat for Ieyasu (and the allied Oda troops present).<ref>The Battle of Mikatagahara left 1,180 of Tokugawa's men dead while the Takeda lost somewhat less then 400. The majority of Takeda's losses came about as the result of a bold raid ordered that same night by Tokugawa and led by Okubo Tadayo and Amano Yasukage. This action is sometimes known as the Battle of Saigadake. The Oda men present were under the command of Takigawa Kazumasu, Hirade Norihide, and Sakuma Nobumori - of these only Hirade, who was killed, stood before the Takeda onslaught. This battle has sometimes been recorded as occuring in December of 1572; this does not account, however, for the difference in the Japanese lunar calender.</ref>