Okudaira Sadamasa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Okudaira Sadamasa (奥平貞昌?) (1555 - 1615) was a samurai whose change of loyalty led directly to the Battle of Nagashino.
The Okudaira family were originally retainers of the Tokugawa, but were forced to join Takeda Shingen. After Shingen died and Katsuyori assumed leadership of the Takeda family, Okudaira Sadamasa walked his men out of Tsukude Castle and rejoined the Tokugawa. Katsuyori had Sadamasa's wife and brother — hostages to the Takeda — crucified for this.
Ieyasu accepted Sadamasa back and entrusted him with the defense of Nagashino Castle.
[edit] Battle of Nagashino
In 1575, Katsuyori was enraged at this betrayal. He attacked Nagashino Castle with a force of 15,000 troops to suppress Okudaira. Sadamasa stayed at Nagashino Castle, where he fought well, repelling the Takeda siege, while the Tokugawa-Oda alliance arrived to support him. Oda Nobunaga was so impressed by Okudaira's performance in the battle that he allowed Sadamasa to use half of his name, Nobu, and was thereafter styled Okudaira Nobumasa (奥平 信昌?).
Later in life, Nobumasa served as the first Kyoto Shoshidai of the Edo period.
 |
This Japanese biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
The article incorporates text from OpenHistory.
