 | |
| Yamagata Masakage | |
| Born: | 1524 |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth: | Unknown |
| Died: | June 29, 1575 |
| Cause of Death: | Shot down |
| Place of Death: | Battle of Nagashino |
| Style name: | 山県 昌景 |
| Served: | Takeda |
| Participation(s): | Battle of Kawanakajima (1561) Battle of Uenohara Battle of Mimasetōge Battle of Mikatagahara Battle of Nagashino |
Yamagata Masakage (山県 昌景) was a retainer of Takeda Shingen and also one of the Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda.
Biography[]
In 1569, during the Battle of Mimasetōge, Yamagata Masakage carried out a decisive flanking attack on the pursuing Hōjō forces left wing, allowing Takeda forces to penetrate enemy lines and safely withdraw from the battlefield.[1]
In 1572, Yamagata Masakage participated in the Battle of Mikatagahara, serving as a commander in the Takeda vanguard alongside Baba Nobuharu. As the two advanced toward Hamamatsu Castle, they encountered the castle gates open, torches lit, and drums sounding within. Sensing a possible ruse, they chose caution and established a camp nearby. That night, their position was assaulted in a surprise attack by Tokugawa forces.[2]
Battle of Nagashino[]
In 1575, during the Battle of Nagashino, the seasoned general Yamagata Masakage, then around 60 years of age, led a bold assault at the head of the Takeda vanguard, with Takeda Nobukado as the commander.[3] Unlike other Takeda units hampered by the defensive wooden palisades erected by the Oda forces, Masakage’s men operated on more open ground, giving them greater mobility. Despite this advantage, they were still subjected to withering fire from arquebuses, and sustained heavy casualties as they advanced.
Yamagata Masakage’s forces constituted the first assault wave of the battle, with Takeda Nobukado leading the second wave.[4]
Masakage’s troops crashed into the ranks of Ōkubo Tadayo, triggering the first major hand-to-hand engagement of the day. As the Takeda horsemen broke through the Ōkubo lines, the melee quickly dissolved into a chaotic and brutal clash, with the concentrated use of firearms giving way to scattered, individual shots amid the fray. In this swirling mass of men and horses, Yamagata Masakage, a formidable warrior in single combat, was supported by three loyal samurai who fought at his side.
Remaining mounted during the fight, Masakage eventually broke free from the melee and led a renewed charge against the forces of Honda Tadakatsu. However, this assault was met with more gunfire. Masakage was struck by a volley of bullets and fell from his horse. As he lay dying, an unidentified enemy samurai rushed forward, severed his head, and carried it away in triumph.[5]
Legacy[]
- Ii Naomasa from the Tokugawa clan followed in Yamagata Masakage's example and formed the 'red devils' unit.
Sources[]
- ↑ War in Japan 1467-1615, Stephen Turnbull, pg. 34
- ↑ Samurai Source book, Stephen Turnbull pg. 223
- ↑ Samurai Source book, Stephen Turnbull pg. 226
- ↑ The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga, Brill's Japanese Studies Library, Volume 36, Gyūichi Ōta; Editors/Translators: Jurgis S.A. Elisonas and Jeroen P. Lamers, p. 225
- ↑ Samurai Source book, Stephen Turnbull pg. 179