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Battle of Sekigahara
Part of the Sengoku period
Edo period screen depicting the battle.
Date October 21, 1600 Location Sekigahara, present-day Gifu Prefecture Result Decisive Tokugawa victory; beginning of Tokugawa shogunate Territorial changes Tokugawa gains nominal control of all Japan
Combatants
Forces loyal to Toyotomi Hideyori, many clans from Western Japan	Forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Clans of Eastern Japan
Commanders
Ishida Mitsunari, Mōri Terumoto, others	Tokugawa Ieyasu, others
Strength
Approximately 100000[citation needed]	Approximately 80000[citation needed]
Casualties
5000-32000 dead Otani Yoshitsugu Shimazu Toyohisa	Unknown; but not excessive

The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: 関ヶ原の戦い; Kyūjitai: 關ヶ原の戰ひ, Sekigahara no Tatakai^?), popularly known as the Realm Divide (天下分け目の戦い, Tenka Wakeme no Tatakai^?), was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 that cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu. Though it would take three more years for Tokugawa to consolidate his position of power over the Toyotomi clan and the daimyo, Sekigahara is widely considered to be the unofficial beginning of the Tokugawa bakufu, the last shogunate to control Japan. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... “Sengoku” redirects here. ... Image File history File links Sekigaharascreen. ... The Edo period ), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868. ... is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1600 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Sekigahara (関ヶ原町; -chou) is a town located in Fuwa District, Gifu, Japan. ... Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県 Gifu-ken), is located in the Chubu region of central Japan. ... The Tokugawa shogunate or Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) (also known as the Edo bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family until 1868. ... Grave of Toyotomi Clan at Mount Koya Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼 Toyotomi Hideyori), 1593-1615, was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until... Ishida Mitsunari (石田 三成 Ishida Mitsunari 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a samurai who led the West side in the Battle of Sekigahara. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until... Otani Yoshitsugu (大谷吉継 ,1559～1600) nicknamed Gyobu. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until... Combatants forces of Imagawa Yoshimoto forces of Oda Nobunaga Commanders Imagawa Yoshimoto, Matsudaira Motoyasu Oda Nobunaga Strength ~25,000 ~3000 The battle of Okehazama (桶狭間の戦い Okehazama-no-tatakai) took place in June 1560. ... Combatants Tokugawa clan forces Imagawa clan forces Commanders Tokugawa Ieyasu Imagawa Ujizane The 1569 siege of Kakegawa was one of many battles fought by the Imagawa clan against various invaders during Japans Sengoku period. ... Combatants forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga Azai and Asakura forces Commanders Tokugawa Ieyasu, Oda Nobunaga, Inaba Ittetsu Azai Nagamasa, Asakura Yoshikage The 1570 battle of Anegawa (姉川の戦い) came as a reaction to the sieges of the castles of Odani and Yokoyama. ... The Siege of Futamata was fought in 1572 between the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the forces of Takeda Shingen. ... The Battle of Mikatagahara was fought in 1572 in Japan. ... Combatants Takeda clan Tokugawa clan Commanders Takeda Katsuyori Sakai Tadatsugu Strength Unknown 6000 The 1575 siege of Yoshida was undertaken by Takeda Katsuyori against the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu. ... Combatants Takeda forces combined Oda-Tokugawa forces Commanders Takeda Katsuyori, Anayama Nobukimi, Takeda Nobukado, Takeda Nobutoyo Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Okudaira Sadamasa Strength 15,000 38,000 Casualties 10,000 dead, incl. ... The Battle of Temmokuzan was fought in 1582 between the combined forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga and those of Takeda Katsuyori. ... Combatants forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu Commanders Mori Nagayoshi, Ikeda Tsuneoki, Hori Hidemasa Sakai Tadatsugu, Mizuno Tadashige, Tokugawa Ieyasu The Battle of Komaki and Nagakute ) were two battles in 1584 between the forces of Hashiba Hideyoshi (who would become Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1586) and the forces of... Odawara Castle in todays Odawara city, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, was sieged three times. ... Combatants Tokugawa shogunate Toyotomi clan Commanders Tokugawa Ieyasu Toyotomi Hideyori Strength 164,000 (winter) 150,000 (summer) 113,000 (winter) 60,000 (summer) Inscription on bell at Hokoji in Kyoto The Siege of Osaka ), more commonly called ), was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi... The Siege of Ueda took place in 1600 in Japan. ... Combatants Western army of Ishida Mitsunari Eastern army garrison loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Commanders Ishida Mitsunari Torii Mototada Casualties Unknown Entire garrison The siege of Fushimi was a crucial battle in the series leading up to the decisive battle of Sekigahara which ended Japans Sengoku period. ... Combatants forces of Tachibana Muneshige and Tsukushi Hirokado castle garrison loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Commanders Tachibana Muneshige, Tsukushi Hirokado Kyōgoku Takatsugu The siege of ÅŒtsu took place in 1600, occurring concurrently with the battle of Sekigahara. ... Combatants Forces loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Forces loyal to Ishida Mitsunari Commanders Date Masamune, Mogami Yoshiaki Unknown The siege of Shiroishi, in 1600, was one of several feudal Japanese battles leading up to the decisive battle of Sekigahara which ended the period of over 100 years of war, and was... Combatants Western Army forces loyal to Ishida Mitsunari Eastern Army castle garrison loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Commanders Naoe Kanetsugu Eguchi Gohei Strength 20,000 300 The siege of Hataya was one of several battles in Japans Tōhoku region which served as preludes to the decisive Sekigahara Campaign which... Combatants Tokugawa support forces Mogami clan garrison Commanders Honmura Chikamori, Yokota Munetoshi Satomi Minbu The siege of Kaminoyama took place in 1600, at the end of Japans Sengoku period. ... Combatants Forces loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Forces loyal to Ishida Mitsunari Commanders Shimura Takaharu, Date Masakage Naoe Kanetsugu, Kasuga Mototada The siege of Hasedō was one of a series of battles fought in the far north of Japans main island of HonshÅ« (the Tōhoku region) contemporaneous with the... Combatants Forces loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Forces loyal to Ishida Mitsunari Commanders Hosokawa Tadaoki Unknown The 1600 siege of Tanabe was one of a number of battles which took place in parallel to the more influential series of battles known as the Sekigahara Campaign which led to the unification of... Combatants Tokugawa forces Toyotomi forces Commanders Kato Kiyomasa Konishi Yukinaga The Siege of Udo the Siege of Udo was a battle during the final years of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (17th century) of Japan. ... Combatants Forces loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Castle garrison Commanders Katō Kiyomasa, Kuroda Yoshitaka Tachibana Muneshige The 1600 siege of Yanagawa took place just after the decisive battle of Sekigahara in which Tokugawa Ieyasu secured his control over Japan. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until... Maeda Toshinaga (前田 利長, 1562 - 1614) was the eldest son of Maeda Toshiie and married one of Tokugawa Ieyasus daughters. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Statue of Kato Kiyomasa in front of Kumamoto Castle Katō Kiyomasa (加藤清正, Katō Kiyomasa, July 25, 1562-August 2, 1611) was a daimyō during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods of Japanese history. ... Fukushima Masanori (1561 - 1624) was a retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Japan. ... Hosokawa Fujitakas eldest son, born in 1563, Tadaoki fought his first battle at the age of 15 in the service of Oda Nobunaga. ... Asano Yukinaga (1576-October 9, 1613) Japanese samurai and feudal lord of the late Sengoku and early Edo period. ... Ikeda Terumasa (1564-1613, 池田輝政) Ikeda Terumasa, the son and heir of Ikeda Nobuteru. ... This article is about a daimyo of Japan of the Sengoku-Edo periods. ... Katō Yoshiaki (1563-1631)(加藤義明) was one of Toyotomi Hideyoshis top generals, and commanded elements of Hideyoshis fleet in his invasions of Korea and campaigns in Kyushu. ... Todo Takatora )(1556-1630) was Japanese Lord, Daimyo following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. ... Statute of Mogami Yoshiaki in Yamagata Mogami Yoshiaki(最上義光 ),1544-November 29, 1614) was a daimyo of the Yamagata domain in Dewa Province, in the late Sengoku period and early Edo period. ... Yamauchi Katsutoyo (山内 一豊 1545 – November 1, 1605) was a military commander and the founding daimyo of the Tosa han. ... Honda Tadakatsu (本多忠勝, 1548 – December 3, 1610), also called Honda Heihachirō (本多平八郎), was a general in the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu. ... Ii Naomasa (井伊 直政) (March 4, 1561 - March 24, 1602) was a general under the Sengoku period Daimyo, and later Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. ... Oda Nagamasu (織田 長益), also known as Urakusai (有楽斎) (1548 - 1622), was a brother of Oda Nobunaga, converted to Christianity in 1588 and the father of Nagamasa and Toshimasa. ... Tsutsui Sadatsugu (1562-1615) Tsutsui Sadatsugu, the cousin of Tsutsui Junkei, a feudal lord of the Yamato province. ... Horio Tadauji (堀尾 忠氏; 1578 – August 8, 1604) was a tozama daimyō in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo period. ... Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元) (January 22, 1553 – April 27, 1625) was the son of Mori Takamoto, fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome, participated in the Kyushu campaign (1587) on Hideyoshis side and built Hiroshima Castle. ... Uesugi Kagekatsu (上杉 景勝, January 8, 1556-March 19, 1623) was a daimyo during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history. ... Maeda Toshimasa (前田利昌; ? - August 4, 1560) Also known as Toshiharu (利春). Son of Maeda Toshitaka. ... Maeda Toshinaga (前田 利長, 1562 - 1614) was the eldest son of Maeda Toshiie and married one of Tokugawa Ieyasus daughters. ... Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家, 1573-1655) was the daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Shimazu Yoshihiro (島津義弘; August 21, 1535-August 30, 1619) was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. ... Kobayakawa Hideaki (小早川秀秋, 1582–December 1, 1602) was fifth son of Kinoshita Iesada and the nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Ishida Mitsunari (石田 三成 Ishida Mitsunari 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a samurai who led the West side in the Battle of Sekigahara. ... Konishi Yukinaga (小西 行長 Konishi Yukinaga, born 1555 and died November 6, 1600) was a Japanese (Christian) daimyo under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Mashita Nagamori (増田 é•·ç››; 1545 – June 23, 1615) is a daimyo in Azuchi-Momoyama period, and one of the five bugyo appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Ogawa Suketada (小川 祐忠; 1549 – 1601) was a daimyo in Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo period. ... Otani Yoshitsugu (大谷吉継 ,1559～1600) nicknamed Gyobu. ... Wakisaka Yasuharu (脇坂 安治; 1554 – September 26, 1626), sometimes referred to as Wakizaka Yasuharu, was a daimyo (feudal lord) of Awaji Island who fought under a number of warlords over the course of Japans Sengoku period. ... Ankokuji Ekei (d. ... Oda Hidenobu (1581-1602) the son of Oda Nobutada following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. ... Chosokabe Morichika (1575-1615) Chosokabe Morichika, the fourth son of a well known Daimyo, by the name of Chosokabe Motochika. ... Kutsuki Mototsuna (朽木 元綱; 1549 – October 12, 1632) was a samurai commander in Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo period. ... Akaza Naoyasu (赤座 直保; ? - 1606) was one of Toyotomi Hideyoshis retainers in Azuchi-Momoyama period. ... Kikkawa Hiroie(吉川広家) is a third son of Kikkawa Motoharu and ruled Iwakuni han. ... Natsuka Masaie (長束 正家; 1562 – November 8, 1600) is a daimyo in Azuchi-Momoyama period and five bugyo appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Toda Katsushige (戸田 勝成; 1557 – October 21, 1600) was a daimyo in Sengoku period and Azuchi-Momoyama period. ... Sanada Masayuki (真田 昌幸), (1544 (1547?) - 1608 (June 4, 1611?)) is the son of Sanada Yukitaka. ... Sanada Saemon-no-Suke Yukimura , 1567–June 3, 1615) was a Japanese samurai, second son of the Sengoku period daimyo Sanada Masayuki (真田昌幸). His proper name was Sanada Nobushige (真田信繁), named after Takeda Shingens younger brother Takeda Nobushige （武田信繁), who was a brave and respected warrior. ... Shinjitai (in Shinjitai: ; in KyÅ«jitai: æ–°å­—é«”; meaning new character form), are the forms of Kanji used in Japan since the promulgation of the Tōyō Kanji List in 1946. ... Look up KyÅ«jitai in Wiktionary, the free dictionary KyÅ«jitai (旧字体, きゅうじたい) is the traditional form of the Japanese kanji used before 1947. ... is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1600 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate Shōgun )   is supreme general of the samurai,a military rank and historical title in Japan. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until... This is a Japanese name; the family name is Toyotomi Toyotomi Hideyoshi ) February 2, 1536 or March 26, 1537 – September 18, 1598) was a sengoku daimyo who unified Japan. ... Daimyo Matsudaira Katamori visits the residence of a retainer. ... The Tokugawa shogunate or Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) (also known as the Edo bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family until 1868. ... Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate Shōgun )   is supreme general of the samurai,a military rank and historical title in Japan. ...

At what is now Sekigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces battled those led by Ishida Mitsunari, who was loyal to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son and designated heir, Hideyori. The tide of the battle turned when Kobayakawa Hideaki on Ishida's side betrayed his allies during the fight. Although at first Kobayakawa merely stood on the sidelines of the battle, not taking part in the battle, Tokugawa eventually ordered his ashigaru to fire at Kobayakawa's troops, after which Kobayakawa began fighting on Tokugawa's side. It was in fact this betrayal that led to Tokugawa's decisive victory and the end of the fighting amongst the Council of Five Elders. Sekigahara (関ヶ原町; -chou) is a town located in Fuwa District, Gifu, Japan. ... Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県 Gifu-ken), is located in the Chubu region of central Japan. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until... Ishida Mitsunari (石田 三成 Ishida Mitsunari 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a samurai who led the West side in the Battle of Sekigahara. ... This is a Japanese name; the family name is Toyotomi Toyotomi Hideyoshi ) February 2, 1536 or March 26, 1537 – September 18, 1598) was a sengoku daimyo who unified Japan. ... Grave of Toyotomi Clan at Mount Koya Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼 Toyotomi Hideyori), 1593-1615, was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. ... Kobayakawa Hideaki (小早川秀秋, 1582–December 1, 1602) was fifth son of Kinoshita Iesada and the nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... The Japanese ashigaru (足軽) were conscripted foot-soldiers of medieval Japan. ... The council of five regents, also known as the five Tairō (五大老 go-tairō), was formed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to rule Japan in the place of his son, Hideyori, until such time as he came of age. ...

Background and pretext

Even though Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan and consolidated his power, his ill-fated invasion of Korea significantly weakened the Toyotomi clan's power as well as the loyalists that continued to serve and support the Toyotomi clan after Hideyoshi's death. The war also worsened the continuous conflict between the army commanders and the bureaucrats under Hideyoshi. The presence of Hideyoshi and his brother, Hidenaga kept the two sides from anything more than quarreling, but when both of them died, the conflicts were exacerbated and developed into open hostilities. The Toyotomi clan was known to be descended from peasant stock. Consequently, neither Hideyoshi nor anyone in his family would be recognized or accepted as Shogun. Later on, Maeda Toshiie's death removed any trace or pretense of friendliness between the two factions. Combatants Korea under the Joseon Dynasty, China under the Ming Dynasty, Jianzhou Jurchens Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi Commanders Korea King Seonjo Crown Prince Gwanghae Yi Sun-sin†, Gwon Yul, Yu Seong-ryong, Yi Eok-gi†, Won Gyun†, Kim Myeong-won, Yi Il, Sin Rip†, Gwak Jae-u, Kim Si-min... Toyotomi Hidenaga (豊臣秀長)(1540-1591) was a half-brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most powerful (and significant) warlords of Japans Sengoku period. ... Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate Shōgun )   is supreme general of the samurai,a military rank and historical title in Japan. ... Maeda Toshiie Maeda Toshiie (前田 利家 Maeda Toshiie; January 15, 1539 - April 27, 1599) was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. ...

Most notably, Kato Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori were publicly critical of the bureaucrats, especially Ishida Mitsunari and Konishi Yukinaga. Tokugawa Ieyasu took advantage of this situation, and recruited them, redirecting the animosity to weaken the Toyotomi clan. Statue of Kato Kiyomasa in front of Kumamoto Castle Katō Kiyomasa (加藤清正, Katō Kiyomasa, July 25, 1562-August 2, 1611) was a daimyō during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods of Japanese history. ... Fukushima Masanori (1561 - 1624) was a retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Japan. ... Ishida Mitsunari (石田 三成 Ishida Mitsunari 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a samurai who led the West side in the Battle of Sekigahara. ... Konishi Yukinaga (小西 行長 Konishi Yukinaga, born 1555 and died November 6, 1600) was a Japanese (Christian) daimyo under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ...

Beginning

Tokugawa Ieyasu was no longer rivaled in terms of seniority, rank, reputation and overall influence within the Toyotomi clan after the death of Regent Toshiie, additionally making him the sole surviving ally of Oda Nobunaga. Rumors started to spread stating that Ieyasu would take over Hideyoshi's legacy just as Nobunaga's was taken. This was especially evident amongst the loyalist bureaucrats, who suspected Tokugawa of agitating unrest amongst Toyotomi's former vassals. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Later, a supposed conspiracy to assassinate Tokugawa Ieyasu surfaced, and many Toyotomi loyalists, including Maeda Toshiie's son, Toshinaga, were accused of taking part and forced to submit to Tokugawa's authority. In a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. ... Maeda Toshinaga (前田 利長, 1562 - 1614) was the eldest son of Maeda Toshiie and married one of Tokugawa Ieyasus daughters. ...

However, Uesugi Kagekatsu, one of Hideyoshi's appointed regents, defied Ieyasu by building up his military. When Tokugawa officially condemned him and demanded that he come to Kyoto to explain himself before the emperor, Uesugi's chief advisor, Naoe Kanetsugu responded with a counter-condemnation that mocked Tokugawa's abuses and violations of Toyotomi's rules, in such a way that Tokugawa was infuriated. Uesugi Kagekatsu (上杉 景勝, January 8, 1556-March 19, 1623) was a daimyo during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history. ... The council of five regents, also known as the five Tairō (五大老 go-tairō), was formed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to rule Japan in the place of his son, Hideyori, until such time as he came of age. ... Kyoto )   is a city in the central part of the island of HonshÅ«, Japan. ... For the CPR ocean liner, see Empress of Japan. ... Naoe Kanetsugu ) (1560-January 23, 1620) was a Japanese samurai of the 15th-16th centuries. ...

Thus, Tokugawa summoned the help of various supporters and led forces northward to attack Uesugi, who was accused by Tokugawa of treason against the Toyotomi clan, but Ishida Mitsunari, grasping the opportunity, rose up in response and created an alliance to challenge the Tokugawa supporters. Ishida, collaborating with Otani Yoshitsugu and Ankokuji Ekei, seized the various daimyo's hostages in Osaka Castle and raised an army to fight Tokugawa. This western alliance was officially headed by Mori Terumoto, although Mori distanced himself from most of the fight. For other uses, see Treason (disambiguation) or Traitor (disambiguation). ... Ishida Mitsunari (石田 三成 Ishida Mitsunari 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a samurai who led the West side in the Battle of Sekigahara. ... Otani Yoshitsugu (大谷吉継 ,1559～1600) nicknamed Gyobu. ... Ankokuji Ekei (d. ... Daimyo Matsudaira Katamori visits the residence of a retainer. ... Osaka Castle Osaka Castle (大坂城・大阪城; ÅŒsaka-jō) is a castle in Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan. ... Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元) (January 22, 1553 – April 27, 1625) was the son of Mori Takamoto, fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome, participated in the Kyushu campaign (1587) on Hideyoshis side and built Hiroshima Castle. ...

Tokugawa then left some forces to keep Uesugi in check and marched west to confront the western forces. A few daimyo, most notably Sanada Masayuki, left Tokugawa's alliance, although most, either bearing grudges against Ishida or being loyal to Tokugawa, stayed with him. Sanada Masayuki (真田 昌幸), (1544 (1547?) - 1608 (June 4, 1611?)) is the son of Sanada Yukitaka. ...

While they did send troops later on, the Toyotomi clan weren't able to take part in this battle and officially condone any side.

The battle

Ishida, in his home Sawayama Castle, met with Otani Yoshitsugu, Mashita Nagamori, and Ankokuji Ekei. Here, they forged the alliance, and invited Mori Terumoto to be its head. Sawayama Castle ) is a castle in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. ...

Ishida then officially declared war on Tokugawa and lay siege to the Fushimi Castle, garrisoned by Tokugawa retainer Torii Mototada on July 19. Afterwards, the western forces captured various Tokugawa bases in the Kansai region. Within a month, the western forces had moved into the Mino province, where Sekigahara was located. Fushimi Castle Fushimi Castle (伏見城 -jō) is a replica of the original built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi on Momoyama in Fushimi Ward of Kyoto, Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. ... This article needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Kansai (Japanese: 関西) region of Japan, also known as the Kinki region (近畿地方, Kinki-chihō), lies in the Southern-Central region of Japans main island, Honshu. ... Mino (美濃国; -no kuni) is an old province of Japan, which today composes nearly the southern part of Gifu prefecture. ...

Japanese arquebus of the Edo era.

Back in Edo, Tokugawa received news of the situation in Kansai and decided to deploy his forces. He had some former Toyotomi daimyo engage with the western forces while he split his troops and marched west toward the Osaka Castle. Tokugawa Ieyasu's main forces marched on Tōkaidō. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 318 pixelsFull resolution (2452 × 974 pixel, file size: 534 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Other versions Cropped from Image:Tempo-p1000697. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 318 pixelsFull resolution (2452 × 974 pixel, file size: 534 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Other versions Cropped from Image:Tempo-p1000697. ... Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppō) Example of an arquebus The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus[1] or hackbut; from Dutch haakbus, meaning hook gun[2]) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ... Edo (Japanese: , literally: bay-door, estuary, pronounced //), once also spelled Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo. ... Osaka Castle Osaka Castle (大坂城・大阪城; ÅŒsaka-jō) is a castle in Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan. ... Nissaka, the 25th station on the Tōkaidō, as illustrated by the Ukiyo-e master Hiroshige. ...

Ieyasu's son Hidetada led another group through Nakasendō. However, Hidetada's forces were bogged down as he attempted to besiege Sanada Masayuki's Ueda Castle. Even though the Tokugawa forces numbered some 38,000, an overwhelming advantage over Sanada's mere 2,000, they were still unable to capture the strategist's well-defended position. At the same time, 15,000 Toyotomi troops were being held up by 500 troops under Hosokawa Fujitaka at Tanabe Casle in the Wakayama prefecture. Some among the 15,000 troops respected Hosokawa so much they intentionally slowed their pace down. Both these incidents resulted in a large number of Tokugawa and Toyotomi troops not to show up in time at the battlefield of Sekigahara. Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada Tokugawa Hidetada May 2, 1579—March 14, 1632) was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. ... The Nakasendō (中山道) was one of two Tokugawa-era roads connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. ... Sanada Masayuki (真田 昌幸), (1544 (1547?) - 1608 (June 4, 1611?)) is the son of Sanada Yukitaka. ...

Knowing that Tokugawa was heading toward Osaka, Ishida decided to abandon his positions and marched to Sekigahara. On September 15, the two sides started to deploy their forces. The eastern forces had 88,888 men, whilst the western forces numbered 81,890. is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Setup of both sides in Sekigahara

Even though the western forces had tremendous tactical advantages, Tokugawa had already contacted many daimyo on Ishida's side, promising them land and leniency after the battle should they switch sides. This led some western commanders holding key positions to hesitate when pressed to send in reinforcements or join the battle that was already in progress. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1022x650, 91 KB) (Uploaded using CommonsHelper or PushForCommons) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Sekigahara User:AQu01rius/Gallery ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1022x650, 91 KB) (Uploaded using CommonsHelper or PushForCommons) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Sekigahara User:AQu01rius/Gallery ...

Mori Hidemoto and Kobayakawa Hideaki were two such daimyo. They were in such positions that if they decided to close in on Tokugawa forces, the western forces would in fact have Tokugawa surrounded on three sides. Mori Hidemoto, shaken by Tokugawa's promises, also persuaded Kikkawa Hiroie not to take part in the battle.

Even though Kobayakawa had responded to Tokugawa's call, he remained hesitant and neutral. As the battle grew more intense, Tokugawa Ieyasu finally ordered arquebusiers to fire at Kobayakawa's direction, a move that forced Kobayakawa to join the battle on Tokugawa's side. His forces assaulted Outani Yoshitsugu's position, which quickly fell apart as Outani was already engaging Todo Takatora's forces. Seeing this act of treachery, western generals such as Wakisaka Yasuharu, Ogawa Suketada, Akaza Naoyasu, and Kutsuki Mototsuna immediately switched sides, turning the tide of battle. Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppō) Example of an arquebus The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus[1] or hackbut; from Dutch haakbus, meaning hook gun[2]) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ... Todo Takatora )(1556-1630) was Japanese Lord, Daimyo following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. ... Wakisaka Yasuharu (脇坂 安治; 1554 – September 26, 1626), sometimes referred to as Wakizaka Yasuharu, was a daimyo (feudal lord) of Awaji Island who fought under a number of warlords over the course of Japans Sengoku period. ... Ogawa Suketada (小川 祐忠; 1549 – 1601) was a daimyo in Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo period. ... Akaza Naoyasu (赤座 直保; ? - 1606) was one of Toyotomi Hideyoshis retainers in Azuchi-Momoyama period. ... Kutsuki Mototsuna (朽木 元綱; 1549 – October 12, 1632) was a samurai commander in Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo period. ...

The western forces disintegrated afterwards, and the commanders scattered and fled. Some committed suicide (such as Outani), some were captured (e.g. Ishida, Konishi, and Ankokuji), and others were able to return to their home provinces (e.g. Shimazu Yoshihiro and Mori Terumoto).

Aftermath

Present day Sekigahara battlefield memorials

Tokugawa Ieyasu redistributed the lands and fiefs of the participants, generally rewarding those who assisted him and displacing, punishing, or exiling those who fought against him. In doing so, Tokugawa gained control of many former Toyotomi territories. Ishida Mitsunari, Konishi Yukinaga, and Ankokuji Ekei were publicly executed. The influence and reputation of the Toyotomi clan and its remaining loyalists drastically decreased, although from the Toyotomi clan's point of view, the battle was technically only an internal conflict between Toyotomi vassals; however, in fact, Tokugawa Ieyasu was later made Shogun (Japanese: Seii Taishōgun), a position that had been left vacant since the fall of the Ashikaga shogunate. This change in official ranks also reversed the subordinate position of the Tokugawa clan. In any case, Tokugawa did not gain any casus belli to take action against the frail Toyotomi clan; rather, it would take more political maneuvers for Tokugawa to destroy Toyotomi once and for all. Image File history File linksMetadata Sekigahara_Battlefield. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Sekigahara_Battlefield. ... Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate Shōgun )   is supreme general of the samurai,a military rank and historical title in Japan. ... The Ashikaga shogunate (Jp. ... Casus belli is a modern Latin language expression meaning the justification for acts of war. ... Combatants Tokugawa shogunate Toyotomi clan Commanders Tokugawa Ieyasu Toyotomi Hideyori Strength 164,000 (winter) 150,000 (summer) 113,000 (winter) 60,000 (summer) Inscription on bell at Hokoji in Kyoto The Siege of Osaka ), more commonly called ), was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi...

Even though the battle demonstrated Tokugawa's authority, many clans, especially those on the western side, became bitter about their displacement or what they saw as a dishonorable defeat or punishment. For example, the Mori clan, which was displaced from its home provinces to Chōshū-han, remained angry toward the Tokugawa shogunate, because the clan never actually took part in the battle. The Han ) were the fiefs of feudal clans of Japan that were created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and existed until their abolition in 1871, three years after the Meiji Restoration. ... The Tokugawa shogunate or Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) (also known as the Edo bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family until 1868. ...

The Shimazu clan blamed the defeat on its poor intelligence-gathering. Whilst they were not displaced from their home province, Satsuma, they did not become completely loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate either. Taking advantage of its distance from the capital as well as its improved espionage, Satsuma-han, near the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, demonstrated that it was virtually an autonomous kingdom independent from the Tokugawa shogunate. Grave of Satsuma clan at Mount Koya. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... Satsuma (薩摩国; -no Kuni) was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima prefecture on the island of Kyushu. ...

Tosa's ruling clan, the Chosokabe clan, was stripped of its title and domain and sent into exile. Former Chosokabe retainers never quite came to terms with the new ruling family, the Yamauchi clan. In fact, the Yamauchi clan made a distinction between its own retainers and former Chosokabe retainers, giving them lesser status as well as discriminating treatment. This class distinction continued even generations after the fall of the Chosokabe clan. The article incorporates text from OpenHistory. ...

The three of these disgruntled groups would in two centuries collaborate to bring down the Tokugawa shogunate.

Miyamoto Musashi

• According to tradition, Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary kensei, was present at the battle among the ranks of Ukita Hideie's army. Supposedly, he fought well and escaped the defeat of Hideie's forces unharmed. Whether this is fact or myth is unknown; Musashi would have been around 16 years of age at the time.

This is a Japanese name; the family name is Miyamoto Miyamoto Musashi ) (c. ... In ancient Japan, a kensei (剣聖; also sometimes erroneously rendered in English as Kensai, Ken Sai, Kansei, or Kenshei) was a warrior of legendary skill in swordsmanship. ... Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家, 1573-1655) was the daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ...

Appearances in popular culture

• This battle is the main fighting scene in the film Sengoku jieitai 1549 (2005). The film also reveals some of the main characters and political situation, which is a little perverted by the film plot.
• This battle figures prominently in the manga and anime series Samurai Deeper Kyo.
• The battle appears in the video games Kessen and Samurai Warriors 2 for the Playstation 2. The latter actually is the object of many what-if scenarios, some of which turns the tide of the battle resulting in victory for the Western army. This additionally leads the game into a non-historical Siege of Edo Castle stage.
• The battle will also be featured in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties as part of the Japanese campaign.
• This battle appears in Shogun: Total War as one of the historic battles for the PC.
• In Azumi, the Battle of Sekigahara is a major plot element.
• James Clavell's best-selling novel "Shogun" depicts the events leading up to this climatic battle, although the battle itself is only referred to in a short two-paragraph postscript.
• The 2003 mini-series Musashi begins with a young Miyamoto Musashi emerging from beneath numerous corpses in the aftermath of Sekigahara.

Samurai Deeper Kyo (written in English, even in Japan) is Akimine Kamijyos first published manga. ... Kessen is a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. ... Samurai Warriors 2 (Sengoku Musou 2 in Japan) is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. ... “PS2” redirects here. ... Shogun: Total War Categories: Computer and video game stubs | Real-time strategy computer games ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... This page is about the James Clavell novel. ... Musashi can mean: Miyamoto Musashi, the master swordsman and author of The Book of Five Rings. ...

External links

• SengokuDaimyo.com The website of Samurai Author and Historian Anthony J. Bryant
  • Anthony J. Bryant is the author of Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle for Power, Praeger Publishers;(September, 2005)
• A strategy war game based on the battle: Sekigahara: Unification of Japan

Anthony J. Bryant (born 1961 in Franklin, Indiana, USA) is the author of four books for Osprey Military Publishing on samurai history. ...