Tōdō Takatora

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In this Japanese name, the surname is Tōdō.
Tōdō Takatora
Tōdō Takatora
First Lord of Imabari
In office
1600–1608
Preceded bynone
Succeeded byMatsudaira Sadafusa
First Daimyō of Tsu
In office
1608–1630
Preceded bynone
Succeeded byTōdō Takatsugu
Personal details
BornFebruary 16, 1556
Tōdō Village, Ōmi Province, Japan
DiedNovember 9, 1630(1630-11-09) (aged 74)
Edo, Japan
Military service
Allegiance Azai clan
Toyotomi clan
Eastern Army
Tokugawa shogunate
Unit Tōdō clan
Battles/warsTajima Campaign
Siege of Miki
Battle of Shizugatake
Siege of Negoro-ji
Invasion of Shikoku
Kyushu Campaign
Invasion of Korea
Battle of Sekigahara
Siege of Osaka

Tōdō Takatora (藤堂 高虎, February 16, 1556 – November 9, 1630) was a Japanese daimyō of the Tōdō clan from the Azuchi–Momoyama to Edo periods. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru (a light foot soldier) to become a daimyō.

During his lifetime he changed his feudal master seven times and worked for ten people, but in the end he rendered loyalty to Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became his last master.[1][2]

Tōdō Takatora is famous for excellence in castle design. He is said to have been involved in building as many as twenty castles,[1][2] including Edo Castle, Wakayama Castle, Uwajima Castle, Imabari Castle, Iga Ueno Castle and Sasayama Castle.[3]

it is mentioned in the historical records that todo takatora Tōdō Takatora was a large man with around 190 cm in height.[4] Modern archaeological research of Takatora remains also stated that his body was covered with lesions, and some of his fingers were torn off and had no nails.[5]

Biography[edit]

Statue of Tōdō Takatora at Imabari Castle.

Tōdō Takatora was born in 1556 in Ōmi Province.[6] The precise place of his birthplace was in Tōdō village, Inukami-gun, east of Lake Biwa.[7]

Takatora were hailed from Tōdō clan branch which descended from a samurai named Kagemori Todo who served imperial court noble in 14th century.[8]

Takatora started working for Azai Nagamasa at the age of 15.[9]

In 1576, Takatora served Hashiba Hidenaga, the younger brother of Hashiba Hideyoshi, a senior vassal of Nobunaga, and was granted a smallholding of fief worth of 300 koku. At this time, he changed his surname to Yoemon.[10]

In October 1577, when Hidenaga led 3,000 soldiers to marched into Tajima, Takatora succeeded in a surprise attack on and subdued Takeda Castle with the help of a guide. Takatora immediately awarded with additional lands of 1,000 koku, and appointed to lead ashigaru infantry. However, when Takatora led 120 cavalry to attack against the resistance forces from Tochiya castle, Takatora units suffered heavy casualties.[11]

In 1580, during the Siege of Miki, Takatora personally killed the commander of Bessho Nagaharu's 300 horsemen, Kago Rokuroemon.[12][13] Takatora also recorded to seize the mount of Rokuroemon, a jet black colored horse.[14]

In 1581, after Takatora defeated a local clan in Tajima Province, his holding was increased and he was made commander of a unit of musketeers.

in 1583, He fought in the Chugoku region and fought at the Battle of Shizugatake .

In 1585, he served in the conquest of Kishū and defeated Yukawa Naoharu. He was given more land in Kii Province, and was appointed 'commissioner' for the construction of Saruokayama Castle and Wakayama Castle. These were Takatora’s first castles. In the same year, he made contribution in the Invasion of Shikoku, and was awarded further land by Hideyoshi, becoming a daimyo in his own right.

In 1591, after Hidenaga died, Takatora served under Hideyoshi, participating in the invasions of Korea as a "Fleet Commander" of Toyotomi's navy. His fiefdom at that time was Iyo-Uwajima.

In 1597 during Korean campaign, Takatora participated in the Battle of Myeongnyang, where he was wounded in action.[15]

Sekigahara campaign[edit]

Todo Takatora banner and battle standard
Main article: Battle of Sekigahara

In 1600, at the Battle of Sekigahara, although he was one of Toyotomi's main generals, he sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu faction of Eastern army.[16]

During the battle, units of Takatora engage the units of Ōtani Yoshitsugu of the 'Western' army.[17] However, when Kobayakawa Hideaki's army attacked Yoshitsugu from the west, Yoshitsugu lost his ground and is said to have committed suicide, with the Eastern army progressed, Takatora led his troops further to the high ground location where units of Western army supreme leader, Mitsunari, positioned.[17]

The Ietada Nikki records; Shima Sakon fourth son, Shima Kiyomasa within Yoshitsugu's ranks, tried to kill Takatora in one blow, however he was struck down and killed by an 'Eastern' general named Takagi Heizaburō.[citation needed]

After the victory of Tokugawa forces in Sekigahara, Takatora further advanced his troops for the mop up operations against daimyo lords which siding with the Misunari faction. First he suppressing from the vassals of Mōri Terumoto uprisings in Iyo Province, then he also manage to convince Ieyasu giving pardon to former Terumoto generals such as Wakisaka Yasuharu, Ogawa Suketada, Kutsuki Mototsuna, and Akaza Naoyasu.[18]

After Sekigahara[edit]

After the war he was given a larger fiefdom, Iyo-Imabari, assessed at 200,000 koku.[9]

During the Edo period, the wealth of each fiefdom was measured as a volume of rice production in koku. Iyo-Uwajima was assessed at 70,000 koku.[1][2]

Later in 1608 Takatora was made a daimyo of Tsu (with landholdings in Iga and Ise), a domain of total revenue 320,000 koku.[19]

In Iga province, It was reported that Tōdō Takatora employs the Iga-ryū Ninjas.[20][21] Aside from Ninjas, he also employs local clans of Iga province as "Musokunin", which is a class of part time Samurai who has been allowed to retain their clan name but does not have land. The Musokunin also worked as farmer during peace, while they are obliged to take arms in the time of war.[22][20][23]

in 1614, Takatora participated in the winter phase of siege of Osaka aiding the Tokugawa shogunate. He mobilize the Musokunin army from Iga province.[24][20]

In 1615, during the summer phase of the Osaka campaign, Takatora participated in the Battle of Yao where he crushed the army of Chōsokabe Morichika.[25]

Popular culture[edit]

Films[edit]

Comics[edit]

  • A fictionalized version of Todo (renamed "Todo Tokotora") appears in the 2009 comic miniseries Yi Soon Shin: Warrior and Defender, where he is shown in a lover's relationship with fellow general Gurijima Michiyuki. Gurijima's death during the Battle of Hansando becomes Todo's primary motivation to eliminate Yi.

Video games[edit]

  • Takatora is a playable character in the Samurai Warriors franchise debuting in Sengoku Musou Chronicle 2nd. In Samurai Warriors 4, he is portrayed as an Azai retainer and a close friend of Ōtani Yoshitsugu before joining the Toyotomi.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "戦国 出世の方程式 ～藤堂高虎 大坂夏の陣の大勝負～、日本放送協会 (The formula for promotion in the Sengoku ages, Todo Takatora's Challenge in the Osaka Castle Summer War, by NHK" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  2. ^ a b c "津市 文化課 藤堂高虎 (The city of Tsu official homepage)" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  3. ^ "Exploring Japan's most fascinating samurai castles". CNN Travel. 2018-08-22. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  4. ^ Tatsuo Fujita (2006, p. 28)
  5. ^ Kenji Fukui (2016, p. 189)
  6. ^ Morgan Pitelka; Reiko Tanimura; Takashi Masuda (2021). "7. Tōdō Takatora (1556–1630), Warlord and Construction Commissioner". Letters from Japan’s Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries: Correspondence from Warlords, Tea Masters, Zen Priests, and Aristocrats. : Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley. pp. 85–90. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Tōdō Takatora A samurai who rose from humble beginnings to become a lord and castle builder". Visit Omi. Kora: Omi Tourism Board. 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  8. ^ Masaharu Ebara (2011). "藤堂家始祖『三河守景盛』の素顔". 歴史書通信 (in Japanese) (196号).
  9. ^ a b "朝日日本歴史人物事典「藤堂高虎」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  10. ^ Tatsuo 2018, p. 49.
  11. ^ Kenji Fukui 2016, p. 13.
  12. ^ Tatsuo Fujita (2006, p. 35)
  13. ^ Katsutoshi Nakamura (1985). 藤堂藩・諸士軍功錄 [Todo Clan/Shogun Military Merit Box] (in Japanese). 三重県鄉土資料刊行会. p. 109. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  14. ^ Tatsuo Fujita (2006, p. 35)
  15. ^ 史籍集覧 (1903). "藤堂家覺書". Kondo Publishing Department. Archived from the original on 2022-08-23. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  16. ^ Daidoji Yuzan (2018). Budoshoshinshu Essential Teachings on the Way of the Warrior. Translated by Bill Wilson. Shambhala. p. 181. ISBN 9780834841703. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  17. ^ a b Jun Shiramine (2018). "藤堂高虎は関ヶ原で大谷吉継と戦った―『藤堂家覚書』の記載検討を中心に―". 十六世紀史論叢 (9号).
  18. ^ Tatsuo 2018, p. 55.
  19. ^ Yuji Yamada (2017). THE NINJA BOOK: The New Mansenshukai. Translated by Atsuko Oda. Mie University Facultyof Humanities, Law and Economics. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  20. ^ a b c 254: 藤堂藩を裏で支えた無足人 (in Japanese). Rekishi Kaido Promotional Council. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  21. ^ Stephen Turnbull (2008). Ninja (in Indonesian). Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia. p. 55. ISBN 9789799101242. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  22. ^ Kenji Fukui (2016, p. 165)
  23. ^ Iwata Nishizawa (1917). Japan in the Taisho Era In Commemoration of the Enthronement. Cromford, United Kingdom: Scarthin Books ABA, ILAB. p. 695. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  24. ^ Kenji Fukui (2016, p. 165)
  25. ^ Stephen Turnbull (2012, p. 48)

Sources[edit]


Further reading[edit]

  • Glenn, Chris (September 2022). The Samurai Castle Master: Warlord Todo Takatora. Pen & Sword Books Limited. ISBN 9781399096584.

External links[edit]

Preceded by
none
 First Daimyō of Imabari
1600–1608 		Succeeded by
Preceded by First Daimyō of Tsu
1608–1630 		Succeeded by
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