 | |
| Naitō Masatoyo | |
| Born: | 1522 |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth: | N/A |
| Died: | 1575 |
| Cause of Death: | Killed in Battle |
| Place of Death: | Outside Nagashino |
| Style name: | 内藤 昌豊 |
| Served: | Takeda |
| Participation(s): | Battle of Kawanakajima (1561) Siege of Minowa Battle of Mimasetōge Battle of Mikatagahara Battle of Nagashino |
Naitō Masatoyo (内藤 昌豊) was one of the 24 generals of Takeda Shingen.
Biography[]
In 1561, amidst during the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima, Naitō Masatoyo, fighting alongside Morozumi Masakiyo, distinguished themselves in combat against Uesugi's commander, Takemata Hirotsuna. In the heat of battle, they unhorsed Hirotsuna and struck with such force that his helmet was cast from his head.[1]
In 1573, during the Battle of Mikatagahara, Naitō Masatoyo launched an assault against the force of Honda Tadakatsu. Though it is uncertain whether Masatoyo's actions were decisive, the Tokugawa troops held their ground, even as the Oda forces withdrew from the field.[2]
In 1575, during the Battle of Nagashino, Naitō Masatoyo commanded the vanguard of the Takeda clan’s central division. He was among the first prominent Takeda commanders to come under the concentrated gunfire of the Oda–Tokugawa alliance. Of the approximately 1,000 soldiers under his command, only about 100 survived before being overwhelmed by the archer contingents led by Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Ōsuga Yasutaka. Struck repeatedly by arrows, Naitō Masatoyo was eventually unhorsed. As he attempted to retrieve his spear, he was decapitated by a samurai named Asahina Yasukatsu.[3]