Ikeda Tsuneoki (1536 – May 18, 1584), also known as Ikeda Nobuteru, was a prominent daimyo of the Ikeda clan and a distinguished military commander during Japan's Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He served under the influential warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Tsuneoki’s connection to Nobunaga began early, as his mother, Yotokuin, was Nobunaga’s wet nurse and later became a concubine to Oda Nobuhide, Nobunaga's father.
Early Life and Background
Tsuneoki’s childhood name is unknown, but he was commonly called Katsuzaburo. His father, Ikeda Tsunetoshi, served Oda Nobuhide. Born in one of several debated provinces (Owari, Mino, Settsu, or Omi), Tsuneoki rose to prominence as one of the four karo (senior retainers) at Kiyosu Castle. He held the title of Kii-no-kami ("Governor of Kii Province") and adopted the courtesy name Shozaburo. Later in life, after becoming a priest, he referred to himself as Shonyū.
Military Achievements
1556–1570: Early Campaigns
- In 1556, Tsuneoki played a key role in suppressing the treasonous Oda Nobuyuki, Nobunaga’s younger brother.
- In 1560, he led forces in the historic Battle of Okehazama against Imagawa Yoshimoto.
- By 1570, he commanded troops at the Battle of Anegawa, contributing to Nobunaga’s victory over the Azai-Asakura alliance.
1571–1577: Consolidation of Power
- Tsuneoki participated in the Siege of Mount Hiei, a campaign to neutralize the militant Buddhist monks of Ishiyama Honganji, and the attacks on Nagashima Ikko-ikki.
- He fought at the Siege of Makishima Castle in 1573, securing the surrender of Ashikaga Yoshiaki, the last Ashikaga shogun.
- Tsuneoki’s victories continued at the Battles of Nagashino (1575) and Tedorigawa (1577), where he fought the Takeda and Uesugi clans, respectively.
1580–1582: Rising Influence
- In 1580, Tsuneoki captured Hanakuma Castle, defeating Araki Murashige, and was rewarded with domains in Settsu Province.
- Following the Incident at Honnō-ji in 1582, Tsuneoki led 4,000 troops under Hashiba Hideyoshi’s command at the Battle of Yamazaki, defeating Akechi Mitsuhide. He also participated in the Kiyosu Castle conference, which determined Nobunaga’s successor.
1583–1584: Final Campaigns
- In 1583, Tsuneoki supported Hideyoshi at the Battle of Shizugatake against Shibata Katsuie, earning 130,000 koku in Mino Province and becoming lord of Ogaki Castle.
- In 1584, during the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, he captured Inuyama Castle but was ultimately defeated in a decisive engagement at Nagakute. Tsuneoki, along with his eldest son Ikeda Motosuke and son-in-law Mori Nagayoshi, was killed by Tokugawa Ieyasu’s forces.
Legacy
Despite his tragic death, Tsuneoki’s legacy endured through his children. His daughter Ikeda Sen survived the battle, and his second son, Ikeda Terumasa, succeeded him as head of the Ikeda clan. Terumasa later became a prominent daimyo under the Tokugawa shogunate. Tsuneoki is remembered as a loyal and skilled commander who played a crucial role in shaping the political and military landscape of his era.
See also
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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.
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Okubo Tadayo
Okubo Tadayo (1532 – October 28, 1594) was a samurai general who served Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and later became the daimyo of Odawara Domain in the early Edo period.
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Araki Murashige
Araki Murashige (1535 – June 20, 1586) was a samurai and retainer of Ikeda Katsumasa, the head of the powerful Settsu-Ikeda clan in Settsu Province. Initially serving under Katsumasa, he aligned himself with Oda Nobunaga after Nobunaga’s successful campaign to establish control over Kyoto.
