Horio Tadauji hailed from the lineage of Horio Yoshiharu, the inaugural lord of Matsue Castle. Following his father Yoshiharu's incapacitation in a tea ceremony altercation preceding the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Tadauji assumed his father's role in Tokugawa Ieyasu's Eastern forces. Post the battle, Ieyasu commended Tadauji for his commendable contributions and granted him 240,000 koku in Izumo Province (Shimane Prefecture).
Before committing to Ieyasu at Sekigahara, Yamanouchi Kazutoyo (Yamauchi Katsutomo) sought counsel from his confidant Horio Tadauji on the best course of action. Tadauji responded fervently and with great reverence, declaring, "I pledge my lands, my castle, my family, my food, my life, all I can give, without hesitation for the Tokugawa cause!" Touched by this, Yamanouchi decided to heed his friend's advice and joined the Eastern forces.
During the pre-battle assembly, Ieyasu received numerous declarations of loyalty, yet it was Yamanouchi's pledge that garnered the most attention. Faced with providing his own response, the less eloquent Yamanouchi simply echoed his friend Horio's impassioned declaration. "I pledge my lands, my castle, my family, my food, my life, all I can give, without hesitation for the Tokugawa cause!" Horio must have been astonished to hear his own words repeated by his less articulate comrade. Ieyasu, pleased with the sincerity and wholeheartedness, commended Yamanouchi for his resolute commitment, earning admiration from other leaders who cheered in approval.
While Horio Tadauji distinguished himself on the battlefield, his friend Yamanouchi played a lesser role, mostly observing from the sidelines. Tadauji succumbed to illness four years after the pivotal battle.
See also
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Matsudaira Nagachika
Matsudaira Nagachika (1473–1544?) was a daimyō of Japan’s Sengoku period and the third son of Matsudaira Chikatada. He was also the great-grandfather of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
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Oishi Yoshio
Oishi Yoshio (April 24, 1659 – March 20, 1703) served as the chamberlain of the Ako Domain in Harima Province, now part of modern-day Hyogo Prefecture, from 1679 to 1701. He is best known as the leader of the Forty-seven Rōnin in their 1703 vendetta and is honored as the central figure in the legendary tale of Chūshingura.
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Asano Nagaakira
Asano Nagaakira (March 18, 1586 – October 16, 1632) was a Japanese samurai and daimyō of the early Edo period. He initially ruled Wakayama Domain before being transferred to the Hiroshima Domain, where his family would remain until the Meiji Restoration.
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Takigawa Kazumasu
Takigawa Kazumasu (1525 – October 21, 1586), also known as Takikawa Sakon or Sakonshogen, was a prominent samurai and daimyō of the Sengoku period. He served as a loyal retainer and military commander under Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa, the elder brother of Maeda Toshiie, and Kazumasu served alongside Toshiie in Nobunaga’s campaigns.
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Sanada Yukitaka
Sanada Yukitaka (c. 1512 – June 8, 1574) was a renowned samurai warrior of the Sengoku period, best known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen." He was the father of Sanada Nobutsuna and Sanada Masayuki, as well as the grandfather of the legendary Sanada Yukimura, who later served the Toyotomi clan.
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Torii Mototada
Torii Mototada (1539 – September 8, 1600) was a Japanese samurai and daimyo who lived through the Sengoku and late Azuchi–Momoyama periods. A loyal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu, he is best remembered for his heroic last stand at the Siege of Fushimi, an event that played a crucial role in shaping Japanese history.
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Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori (August 28, 1593 – June 4, 1615) was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first unified Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was Oda Nobunaga's niece.
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Okubo Tadanori
Okubo Tadanori (January 13, 1842 – August 10, 1897) was the 9th daimyo of Odawara Domain in Sagami Province (modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture) during the late Edo period. Before the Meiji Restoration, he held the courtesy title of Kaga no Kami.
