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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Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
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Asakura Yoshikage
Yoshikage was the eldest son of Asakura Takakage. He began ruling in 1548 at the age of fifteen, and during his reign he twice defeated the Ikko-ikki forces, in 1555 and 1564. Yoshikage supported the Saito family in their struggle against Oda Nobunaga in 1561–1567. When Ashikaga Yoshiaki fled Kyoto in 1565 after the assassination of his older brother, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Yoshikage gave him refuge. However, he was unable to provide sufficient support for Yoshiaki's claim to the title of shogun, and Yoshiaki had to seek help from Oda Nobunaga.
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Asakura Norikage
Norikage came from the ancient samurai clan of Asakura, whose members considered themselves descendants of Prince Kusakabe, son of Emperor Tenmu (631–686). He was the eighth son of daimyo Asakura Takakage and was named Kotaro in childhood. Over time, Asakura Norikage became the pillar of the Asakura clan and was undoubtedly its most talented commander during that difficult period when the clan was experiencing internal difficulties, uprisings by the Ikko-ikki sect, and instability in the lands surrounding the capital. Although Norikage himself was never a daimyo, he served as an advisor to three generations of Asakura clan leaders. He spent his entire life on military campaigns. After his father's death in 1481, Norikage entered the service of his brother, Asakura Ujikage.
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Asai (Azai) Nagamasa
Asai Nagamasa inherited power from his father, Asai Hisamasa, when he was only fifteen years old. Both brave and impulsive, he proved himself a capable commander, managing to regain lands from the Rokkaku clan that had previously been lost by his father. After a territorial dispute with Oda Nobunaga over the province of Mino, Nagamasa formed an alliance with Nobunaga and married his sister Oichi, who was famous for her beauty. In 1570, when Oda Nobunaga declared war on the Asakura family, Nagamasa sided with the Asakura because he had long-standing ties with them. This unexpected move threatened Nobunaga's invasion of the Asakura lands by threatening him from the rear. Oda managed to save his army, not without the help of Tokugawa Ieyasu, but relations between Nobunaga and Asai were permanently damaged.
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Amano Yasukage
Yasukage was born into the family of the samurai Amano Kagetaka and was given the name Matagoro at birth. He later changed his name to Kageyoshi, and then to Yasukage. From an early age, Yasukage served Tokugawa Ieyasu and accompanied him when he was held hostage by Imagawa Yoshimoto. His loyalty and devotion to Ieyasu from a young age laid the foundation for Yasukage's future military and administrative career.
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Amago Tsunekisa
The Amago clan (also spelled Amako) was founded in 1392, when Sasaki Takahisa, who was orphaned at the age of three, took the new surname Amago, meaning “son of a nun,” in honor of the nun who raised him. Since the Sasaki family descended from Emperor Uda (866–931), the Amago clan traced its lineage back to this emperor. From around 1396, the Amago clan's headquarters was the mountain castle of Gassan-Toda in Izumo Province. Until the start of the Onin War, the Amago clan remained a minor clan in the service of the Kyogoku clan, which was also a descendant of the Sasaki clan. The Amago clan historically held the position of vice-governor of Izumo Province.
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Abe Masakatsu
Masakatsu came from the ancient Abe clan, whose progenitor, according to the Nihon Shoki chronicle, is considered to be Prince Ohiko-no-mikoto (2nd century BC), son of Emperor Kogen. From the Nara period (710–784), members of the Abe clan held high positions in the government, including at the ministerial level, and from the Heian period (794–1185) onwards, the clan gained widespread fame, which continued until the Edo period.
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Toyotomi Hidenaga
Toyotomi Hidenaga was an outstanding military commander and strategist of his time, who was unjustly overshadowed by his half-brother, the great Toyotomi Hideyoshi. At different stages of his life, he was known by the names Kinoshita Koichiro, Hashiba Nagahide, and Hashiba. Despite his relative obscurity among the general public, Hidenaga was considered one of the best minds of his time, on par with the renowned Kuroda Kanbei.
