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Though the Tokugawa could claim some modicum of freedom, they were very much subject to the requests of [[Oda Nobunaga]]. When Oda marched on Kyoto in [[1568]], Tokugawa troops were present, the first of many joint Oda-Tokugawa ventures. At the same time, Ieyasu was eager to expand eastward. He entered into a brief pact with [[Takeda Shingen]] of [[Kai province|Kai]] and [[Shinano province|Shinano]] aimed at absorbing the remaining Imagawa territory and by [[1570]] Ieyasu had added Totomi to his domain. The Takeda occupied Suruga and it may be that Ieyasu regretted his dealings with Shingen, for even before Shingen had taken Sumpu, Ieyasu was sheltering Ujizane and promising to restore his lands to him.1 Needless to say, Takeda-Tokugawa relations began to sink, made all the worse by an attempt on Ieyasu's part to secure an alliance with Shingen's great enemy [[Uesugi Kenshin]]. As to inflame the situation, Ieyasu then moved his headquarters to [[Hamamatsu castle]] in Totomi (closer to Shingen), an action even Nobunaga called needless provocative. Soon the Takeda and Tokugawa would be at war. In June of 1570, Ieyasu led 5,000 men to help Nobunaga win the [[Battle of Anegawa]] against the [[Asai clan|Asai]] and [[Asakura clan|Asakura]], a victory owed largely to the efforts of the Tokugawa men. This would be the last opportunity Ieyasu would have to send troops west for two years, as the Tokugawa were increasingly pressured by the advances of the Takeda. In [[1572]] Ieyasu lost [[Futamata castle]], then suffered a defeat at the [[Battle of Mikatagahara]], where he was enticed to march out of Hamamatsu and face Shingen in open battle - and barely escaped with his life. Luckily for the Tokugawa, Takeda Shingen died later in the Spring of [[1573]], although his heir, [[Takeda Katsuyori|Katsuyori]], managed to capture the important Tokugawa fort of Taketenjin in [[1574]]. In [[1575]] Katsuyori surrounded [[Nagashino castle]] in Mikawa, and when word reached Ieyasu, he called on Nobunaga for help. When the latter dragged his feet on the matter, Ieyasu went as far as to threaten to join the Takeda and spearhead an attack on Owari and Mino. This was the sort of talk that Nobunaga respected, and he immediately led an army into Mikawa. The combined Oda-Tokugawa force of some 38,000 crushed the Takeda army on 28 June but did not vanquish it. Katsuyori continued to bother the Tokugawa afterwards, and the Takeda and Tokugawa raided one another's lands frequently.  

Though the Tokugawa could claim some modicum of freedom, they were very much subject to the requests of [[Oda Nobunaga]]. When Oda marched on Kyoto in [[1568]], Tokugawa troops were present, the first of many joint Oda-Tokugawa ventures. At the same time, Ieyasu was eager to expand eastward. He entered into a brief pact with [[Takeda Shingen]] of [[Kai province|Kai]] and [[Shinano province|Shinano]] aimed at absorbing the remaining Imagawa territory and by [[1570]] Ieyasu had added Totomi to his domain. The Takeda occupied Suruga and it may be that Ieyasu regretted his dealings with Shingen, for even before Shingen had taken Sumpu, Ieyasu was sheltering Ujizane and promising to restore his lands to him.1 Needless to say, Takeda-Tokugawa relations began to sink, made all the worse by an attempt on Ieyasu's part to secure an alliance with Shingen's great enemy [[Uesugi Kenshin]]. As to inflame the situation, Ieyasu then moved his headquarters to [[Hamamatsu castle]] in Totomi (closer to Shingen), an action even Nobunaga called needless provocative. Soon the Takeda and Tokugawa would be at war. In June of 1570, Ieyasu led 5,000 men to help Nobunaga win the [[Battle of Anegawa]] against the [[Asai clan|Asai]] and [[Asakura clan|Asakura]], a victory owed largely to the efforts of the Tokugawa men. This would be the last opportunity Ieyasu would have to send troops west for two years, as the Tokugawa were increasingly pressured by the advances of the Takeda. In [[1572]] Ieyasu lost [[Futamata castle]], then suffered a defeat at the [[Battle of Mikatagahara]], where he was enticed to march out of Hamamatsu and face Shingen in open battle - and barely escaped with his life. Luckily for the Tokugawa, Takeda Shingen died later in the Spring of [[1573]], although his heir, [[Takeda Katsuyori|Katsuyori]], managed to capture the important Tokugawa fort of Taketenjin in [[1574]]. In [[1575]] Katsuyori surrounded [[Nagashino castle]] in Mikawa, and when word reached Ieyasu, he called on Nobunaga for help. When the latter dragged his feet on the matter, Ieyasu went as far as to threaten to join the Takeda and spearhead an attack on Owari and Mino. This was the sort of talk that Nobunaga respected, and he immediately led an army into Mikawa. The combined Oda-Tokugawa force of some 38,000 crushed the Takeda army on 28 June but did not vanquish it. Katsuyori continued to bother the Tokugawa afterwards, and the Takeda and Tokugawa raided one another's lands frequently.  

In [[1579]] Ieyasu's eldest son, [[Tokugawa Hideyasu|Hideyasu]], and his wife were accused of conspiring with Takeda Katsuyori. Due in part to pressure from Nobunaga, Ieyasu ordered his son to commit suicide and had his wife executed. Like his late rival, Takeda Shingen, Tokugawa was known to run hot and cold, and could be utterly merciless when the overall fortunes of his clan were at stake. He would in time name his 3rd son, Hidetada, as heir, since his second was to be adopted by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]].  

In [[1579]] Ieyasu's eldest son, [[Tokugawa Nobuyasu|Nobuyasu]], and his wife were accused of conspiring with Takeda Katsuyori. Due in part to pressure from Nobunaga, Ieyasu ordered his son to commit suicide and had his wife executed. Like his late rival, Takeda Shingen, Tokugawa was known to run hot and cold, and could be utterly merciless when the overall fortunes of his clan were at stake. He would in time name his 3rd son, Hidetada, as heir, since his second was to be adopted by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]].  

In Spring [[1582]] the Tokugawa joined Nobunaga in finally invading and destroying the Takeda and for his efforts Ieyasu received [[Suruga province]], an acquisition which must have brought him no small private satisfaction. He now bordered the Hojo, and cautiously sounded them out, his efforts helped in part by a personal friendship from his hostage days in Sumpu, [[Hojo Ujinori]], bother of the daimyo, Ujimasa.  

In Spring [[1582]] the Tokugawa joined Nobunaga in finally invading and destroying the Takeda and for his efforts Ieyasu received [[Suruga province]], an acquisition which must have brought him no small private satisfaction. He now bordered the Hojo, and cautiously sounded them out, his efforts helped in part by a personal friendship from his hostage days in Sumpu, [[Hojo Ujinori]], bother of the daimyo, Ujimasa.