Changes

==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:TakedaDomain.jpg|225px|thumb|right|The Takeda domain in 1569 (click '''[http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6192/takeda2ot2.jpg HERE]''' for full size version.)]]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|left|The Takeda domain in 1572.]]

[[Image:Takeda_domain.jpg||thumb|left|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>

Though often presented as the opening moves in a march on Kyôto, Shingen's intentions were no doubt more conservative. He probably aimed to test the responses of both Ieyasu and Nobunaga and deal the two a defeat if possible. Either way, within days of winning the battle, he received news that Asakura Yoshikage had elected not to take the field against Nobunaga at this time. Shingen is reported to have been displeased, and might have counted on Yoshikage - and [[Asai Nagamasa]] - to keep Nobunaga preoccupied. This may have played a role in his decision to strike camp and return to Kai - thus granting the bloodied Tokugawa a reprieve.  

Though often presented as the opening moves in a march on Kyôto, Shingen's intentions were no doubt more conservative. He probably aimed to test the responses of both Ieyasu and Nobunaga and deal the two a defeat if possible. Either way, within days of winning the battle, he received news that Asakura Yoshikage had elected not to take the field against Nobunaga at this time. Shingen is reported to have been displeased, and might have counted on Yoshikage - and [[Asai Nagamasa]] - to keep Nobunaga preoccupied. This may have played a role in his decision to strike camp and return to Kai - thus granting the bloodied Tokugawa a reprieve.

==The Death of Shingen==

==The Death of Shingen==