Bessho Nagaharu (1558 – February 2, 1580) was a prominent Japanese daimyo during the Sengoku period. son of Bessho Yasuharu.
In 1578, Oda Nobunaga rallied his retainers for an assault on the Mori clan. Initially, Nagaharu contemplated forming an alliance with the Oda clan. However, upon learning that the less esteemed general Hashiba Hideyoshi, whom he held little regard for, was leading the troops, Nagaharu rebelled. Instead, he joined forces with Hatano Hideharu of Tanba province.
Nagaharu made a determined stand at Miki Castle, facing a siege orchestrated by Hideyoshi's forces under the orders of Nobunaga. The Siege of Miki proved to be a formidable challenge for Hideyoshi. Coupled with a rebellion led by Araki Murashige and the assistance of the Mori clan, Nagaharu effectively repelled the Oda force.
In 1579, Hideyoshi returned with a different strategy. Rather than launching a direct assault, he initiated multiple sieges against smaller castles like Kamiyoshi Castle and Sigata Castle to sever support from the Mori clan. This tactic led to a rapid depletion of food supplies. By 1580, with no prospects of further reinforcement from the Mori clan, Nagaharu chose to commit seppuku in exchange for the lives of the troops defending Miki Castle.
See also
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Uesugi Kagetora
Uesugi Kagetora (1552 – April 19, 1579) was the seventh son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was originally known as Hojo Saburo. He was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and intended to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his Otate Castle by Uesugi Kagekatsu, his brother-in-law, and was ultimately defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following year at Samegao Castle.
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Hojo Ujinao
Hojo Ujinao (1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period and the last leader of the Later Hojo clan. An important figure in Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire domain following the Siege of Odawara (1590). Despite this, he survived, and his family continued as minor daimyo during the Edo period.
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Takeda Katsuyori
Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – April 3, 1582) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, renowned as the head of the Takeda clan and successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was also the son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Katsuyori was born to Shingen and the daughter of Suwa Yorishige, known posthumously as Suwa-goryonin and by her real name, Koihime. His children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Takeda Katsuchika.
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Yasuke
Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
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Yamanami Keisuke
Yamanami Keisuke, the second in command of the Shinsengumi, a special police force during the late Edo period, shocked many when he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, at the age of 32.
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Yamamoto Kansuke
Yamamoto Kansuke, renowned as a samurai strategist and one of Takeda Shingen's esteemed 24 Generals, hailed from the Mikawa region, known for breeding formidable warriors. Despite physical challenges—blindness in one eye, lameness in one leg, and a malformed hand—Kansuke embarked on a warrior's pilgrimage in his twenties. Traveling across the land, he honed his skills in strategy, tactics, castle construction, and warfare, engaging in various swordsmanship schools and forms.
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Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history, renowned as a strategist, philosopher, and scholar. Later in life, he became a ronin, leaving a significant mark on the understanding of the Tokugawa period samurai.
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William Adams - Miura Anjin
William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
