Hojo Ujiasu (1515–1571), one of the greatest representatives of the Hojo clan, spent almost his entire life at war. His possessions were in a difficult position: they were surrounded on all sides by aggressive neighbors ready to attack at any moment. In implementing his plans to expand the Hojo clan's influence in the Kanto region, Ujiasu was forced to confront well-known and powerful opponents—the Uesugi and Takeda clans. In the east, his main rival was the Satomi clan.
Confrontation with the Satomi clan
Satomi Yoshihiro (1530–1578) was the son of Satomi Yoshitaka, who was defeated by Hojo Ujitsuna, Ujiasu's father, in the first battle of Konodai in 1538. Fate decreed that, almost three decades later, the sons of these two great military leaders would meet in battle at the same place.
The battle
Initially, the campaign went well for Satomi Yoshihiro. He managed to capture Konodai Fort and drive out the Hojo clan's troops. Victory seemed close, and Satomi's troops were already ready to celebrate their success.
However, Ujiasu showed determination and composure: he regrouped his forces and gave the order to launch a new attack on the enemy army.
The attack came as an unpleasant and completely unexpected surprise to Yoshihiro's troops. Their battle order was disrupted, and many of Satomi's warriors were killed in the bloody clash. Yoshihiro himself had to flee and retreat to his own territory.
Ujiasu's son, Hojo Ujimasa, distinguished himself in this battle. His detachment managed to bypass the enemy's positions and strike the rear of Satomi's troops, which played an important role in the final outcome of the battle.
Consequences of victory
Having achieved success on the battlefield, Ujiasu attempted to develop his offensive. He invaded the provinces of Shimosa and Kazusa, hoping to finally crush the Satomi clan. However, he failed to completely destroy the enemy. Moreover, Hojo's movement to the east led to a clash with a new enemy, the Satake clan from the province of Hitachi. This circumstance halted further expansion.
Although the victory over Yoshihiro seriously weakened the Satomi clan's position, it was not destroyed. The Satomi continued to resist Hojo's influence for about ten more years.
Troop numbers
Sources differ in their estimates of the number of troops that took part in the second battle of Konodai. According to various data, Ujiasu's army numbered between 15,000 and 20,000 men. Yoshihiro's army was significantly smaller, numbering between 8,000 and 10,000 soldiers.
See also
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The Siege of Kozuki Castle
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The Siege of Nagashino Castle
Despite his reputation as a failure, created by 20th-century popular culture, especially cinema, Takeda Katsuyori (1546–1582) was in fact a brave warrior and talented commander. However, he always remained in the shadow of his great father, the legendary Takeda Shingen. After Shingen's death, Katsuyori sought to at least equal him, if not surpass him. Therefore, his actions were not always determined by pragmatic calculation. This character trait greatly influenced the subsequent events that led to the demise of the Takeda clan.
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Siege of Nagashima Fortifications
The Buddhist peasant movement Ikko-Ikki, which emerged in the 15th century, had grown considerably stronger and larger by the middle of the following century. It had effectively turned into a large feudal army used for territorial conquests. The Ikko-ikki fought fiercely not only against other branches of Buddhism, but also against the provincial daimyo and the central government.
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The Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima
The Kawanakajima Plain is located at the confluence of the Saigawa and Tikumagawa rivers in the Japanese Alps. Between 1553 and 1564, five battles took place on this plain between the forces of Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen.
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Battle of Tonamoto (Nagahama)
At the beginning of the Sengoku Jidai period, the Teshokabe clan was one of the smaller clans in Tosa Province. Its neighbors were constantly at war with each other, engaging in endless skirmishes. Among them, Yosokabe Kunitika stood out as a military strategist of extraordinary talent. It was thanks to these abilities that he managed to defeat the neighboring clans step by step by the middle of the 16th century, expanding the influence of his clan. At that time, the clan's headquarters was Oko Castle.
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The Siege of Iwakura Castle
The Oda clan came to power in the province of Owari in the 15th century as a result of the so-called gokoku-jo, or “overthrow of the higher by the lower.” By rebelling against their suzerain, the Shiba clan, the Oda were able to achieve independence. However, this victory led to internal strife: the clan split into two rival branches.
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The Siege of Katsurayama Castle
The siege of Katsurayama Castle was part of the so-called Third Campaign of Kawanakajima, one of five operations conducted by daimyo Takeda Shingen against the forces of the Uesugi clan in the north of Shinano Province.
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The Battle of Nagaragawa
Saito Toshimasa, later known as Saito Dosan, is considered one of the typical Sengoku daimyo—minor samurai who, in the 16th century, managed to achieve the status of independent princes by the harshest and sometimes unsavory means. His ruthlessness towards his rivals earned him the nickname “Mino no Mamushi” — “the viper of Mino.”
