 | |
| Shingen Takeda | |
| Born: | December 1, 1521 |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth: | Kai Province |
| Died: | May 13, 1573 |
| Cause of Death: | Wound, Assassinated |
| Place of Death: | Mikawa Province |
| Style name: | 武田 信玄 |
| Served: | Takeda |
| Participation(s): | Battle of Sezawa Battle of Kuwabara Battles of Kawanakajima Battle of Mikatagahara |
Takeda Shingen was the daimyo of Kai province. Shingen contributed greatly for the Takeda clan's expansion during the Sengoku period.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Takeda Shingen was born in 1521 and was the son of Takeda Nobutora. In 1536, at the age of 15, Shingen received his baptism of fire when his father Takeda Nobutora attacked Hiraga Genshin in the Battle of Umi no Kuchi. After a failed attack by Nobutora due to a heavy snow fall, the next morning, Takeda Shingen marched to Umi no Kuchi in secret and managed to take the caste. [1]
Personal life[]
Taked Shingen's personal life was conducted on a scale that was as flamboyant as his militaru career. Takeda Shingen had two principil wives and three mistresses and also possibly around 30 others whom he was intimate with.
Surviving portraits of Takeda Shingen show that he was of solid build and a determined looking man. Takeda Shingen was also renowned for the way in which he governed his territories. In spite his military prowess, Shingen ruled from a yashiki (mansion) called Tsutsujigasaki.[2]
Rise to Power[]
The incident of the battle of Umi no Kuchi showed how much more skilled Takeda Shingen was than his father Takeda Nobutora. Nobutora openly despised Shingen in spite of his victories and so on 7th July 1541 Takeda Shingen deposed his father and took control of Kai province. It was clear that the Takeda retainers mostly approved of their young lord taking over and were quick to rally round when the neighboring Shinano diamyo hurried to take advantage of the incident in the Takeda camp. Within five days of the incident the neighboring armies where already deep in Kai territory, but Shingen managed to gather 5,000 farmers and tradesmen to make his army look twice it's actual size.[3]
After this event, Takeda Shingen would go on to expand his territories around Kai province which led to the battles of Sezawa, Uehara and Kuwabara, Fukuyo, Ankokuji the following year.[4]
Military Career[]
Takeda Shingen was skilled in war, a good administrator, a skilled politician and a patron of the arts. Shingen was also a determined and ruthless, slaughtering rival diamyo and burning down villages. Takeda Shingen's campaigns at Kawanakajima are renowned and as also was his skillful use of cavalry at the Battle of Mikatagahara.[5]
Takeda Shingen's greatest rival was Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo, whom Shingen fought on five different occasions at Kawanakajima, the greatest being the fourth in 1561[6] which was mostly fought at close range, on foot and also on horseback.[7]
Death[]
Takeda Shingen is believed to have been killed by a sniper bullet at Noda castle in 1573.[8]
Items[]
Mounts[]
Black Cloud:One of Takeda Shingen's favorite mounts. A male wild and bad - tempered horse, it is said that Shingen's doubles were unable to ride it.[9]
Demon Bay:One of Takeda Nobutora's favorite mounts. It is recorded that when Shingen was 13 he asked his father for this horse and Nobutora presented it to him, along with a banner and armor.[10]
Gallery[]
Visit the full gallery
Fiction, dramatization and portrait[]
Sources[]
- ↑ Samurai Commanders 1, Stephen Turnbull pg.54
- ↑ Samurai Commanders 1, Stephen Turnbull pg.55-56
- ↑ Samurai Commanders 1, Stephen Turnbull pg.54-55
- ↑ Samurai Sourcebook, Stephen Turnbull pg.210
- ↑ Samurai Commanders 1, Stephen Turnbull pg.56
- ↑ Samurai Sourcebook, Stephen Turnbull pg.81
- ↑ 100 facts Samurai, Miles Kelly pg.7
- ↑ Samurai Sourcebook, Stephen Turnbull pg.81
- ↑ NA IT Item information
- ↑ NA IT Item information