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
-
Takeda Nobuyoshi
Takeda Nobuyoshi (1128–1186 or later) was a prominent Japanese samurai lord of the late Heian and early Kamakura periods and the founder of the Takeda clan.
-
Tokugawa Iemochi
Tokugawa Iemochi (1846–1866) was the fourteenth shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate and ruled from 1858 until his death. His reign came during the turbulent final years of the shogunate, when Japan faced growing Western pressure and serious internal political conflict.
-
Tokugawa Ienari
Tokugawa Ienari (1773–1841) was the eleventh shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate and ruled from 1787 to 1837, making him the longest-serving Tokugawa shōgun. He was a great-grandson of the eighth shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshimune.
-
Matsudaira Nobuyasu
Matsudaira Nobuyasu was only twenty years old when his father ordered him to commit seppuku. The reason was not a defeat in battle, but a crisis inside the Tokugawa family that had become too dangerous to ignore.
-
Yamagata Masakage
Masakage was one of Takeda Shingen’s most loyal and capable commanders. He was included in the famous list of the “Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen” and also belonged to the inner circle of four especially trusted warlords known as the Shitennō.
-
Yagyu Munenori
Yagyū Munenori began his service under Tokugawa Ieyasu while his father, Yagyū Muneyoshi, was still at his side. In 1600, Munenori took part in the decisive Battle of Sekigahara. As early as 1601, he was appointed a kenjutsu instructor to Tokugawa Hidetada, Ieyasu’s son, who later became the second shogun of the Tokugawa clan.
-
Yagyu Muneyoshi
A samurai from Yamato Province, he was born into a family that had been defeated in its struggle against the Tsutsui clan. Muneyoshi first took part in battle at the age of sixteen. Due to circumstances beyond his control, he was forced to enter the service of the Tsutsui house and later served Miyoshi Tōkei. He subsequently came under the command of Matsunaga Hisahide and in time became a vassal first of Oda and later of Toyotomi.
-
Endo Naozune
Naozune served under Azai Nagamasa and was one of the clan’s leading vassals, renowned for his bravery and determination. He accompanied Nagamasa during his first meeting with Oda Nobunaga and at that time asked for permission to kill Nobunaga, fearing him as an extremely dangerous man; however, Nagamasa did not grant this request.
