Saitō Yoshitatsu

Saitō Yoshitatsu
2nd Lord of the Saitō clan
In office
1554–1561
Preceded by Saitō Dōsan
Succeeded by Saitō Tatsuoki
Personal details
Born July 8, 1527(1527-07-08)
Mino Province, Japan
Died June 23, 1561(1561-06-23) (aged 33)
Nationality Japanese
In this Japanese name, the family name is "Saitō".

Saitō Yoshitatsu (斎藤 義龍?, July 8, 1527 – June 23, 1561) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period. He was the second generation lord of the Saitō clan.

Contents

Early life

Yoshiatsu was born in Mino Province in 1527, the eldest son of Saitō Dōsan.[1] Some theorize that Yoshitatsu was in fact the son of Toki Yorinari, the former ruler of Mino. Whether true or not, this helped bring former retainers of the Toki clan into the Saitō clan's service.

Yoshitatsu declared rebellion against his father in an attempt to obtain control. Decisively defeating his father at the Battle of Nagaragawa in 1556, Yoshitatsu wiped out any opposition within the clan and declared himself as Second Head of Saitō.

Aftermath

Yoshitatsu's victory over his father encouraged many other warlords, such as Oda Nobunaga, to fight after his forts were intentionally destroyed and passage into Mino was restricted. Yoshitatsu died of illness in 1561.[2] The young Saitō Tatsuoki succeeded as the Saitō clan's third head.[3]

References

  1. ^ Nihonshi Yōgoshū B (Tokyo: Yamakawa shuppansha, 2000), p. 122.
  2. ^ Nihonshi yōgoshū B, p. 122.
  3. ^ (Japanese) "Saitō-shi" on Harimaya.com (14 July 2008).

See also