Hōjō Ujimasa | |
|---|---|
北条 氏政 | |
 Hōjō Ujimasa | |
| Head ofLater Hōjō clan | |
| In office 1559–1590 | |
| Preceded by | Hōjō Ujiyasu |
| Succeeded by | Hōjō Ujinao |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1538 Sagami Province, Japan |
| Died | August 10, 1590(1590-08-10) (aged 51–52) Odawara Castle,Sagami Province, Japan |
| Spouse(s) | Ōbai-in Hōshō-in |
| Children | 12, includingHōjō Ujinao |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Lady Hayakawa (sister) Hōjō Ujiteru (brother) Hōjō Ujikuni (brother) Hōjō Ujinori (brother) Uesugi Kagetora (brother) Imagawa Yoshimoto (maternal uncle) Imagawa Ujizane (cousin and brother-in-law) Takeda Shingen (father-in-law) Takeda Katsuyori (brother-in-law) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Later Hōjō clan |
| Rank | Daimyo |
| Commands | Odawara Castle |
| Battles/wars | Siege of Odawara (1561) Battle of Konodai (1564) Siege of Odawara (1569) Siege of Sekiyado (1574) Siege of Gion castle (1575) Kazusa Campaign (1577) Battle of Omosu (1580) Battle of Tenmokuzan (1582) Siege of Odawara (1590) |
Hōjō Ujimasa (北条 氏政, 1538 – August 10, 1590) was the fourth head of thelater Hōjō clan, anddaimyō ofOdawara. Ujimasa succeeded the territory expansion policy from his father,Hōjō Ujiyasu, and achieved the biggest territory in the clan's history.
In 1538, Ujimasa was born as the second son of Hōjō Ujiyasu. His childhood name was Matsuchiyo-maru (松千代丸). As Ujiyasu's first son, Shinkuro, died young, Ujimasa became the apparent heir of Ujiyasu.
In 1554, when Ujiyasu make an alliance withTakeda Shingen andImagawa Yoshimoto. Ujimasa took a daughter of Shingen, Obai-in, for his lawful wife.[1]
Upon Ujiyasu's retirement, Ujimasa inherited formal leadership of the family around 1559.[2]
In 1560, Hojo clan seizedIwatsuki Castle and almost conquered wholeMusashi Province.[2] Ujimasa commanded in many battles, he took part in theBattle of Konodai (1564), including theSiege of Odawara (1569).
In 1574, Ujimasa forcedSekiyado Castle ofShimosa Province underYanada Harusuke to surrender and also forcesYuki Harutomi a vassal ofUesugi clan swore allegiance to Ujimasa.
In 1575, he forcedGion Castle ofShimotsuke Province underOyama Hidetsuna to surrender.
In 1577, Ujimasa invadedKazusa Province and realized the reconciliation with his old enemy,Satomi Yoshihiro. This battle marked the first battle for his heir,Hojo Ujinao.
In 1580, afterTakeda Katsuyori joined the force to supportUesugi Kagekatsu andUesugi Kagetora killed himself, Ujimasa built a new alliance withOda Nobunaga andTokugawa Ieyasu. He invaded the territory of theTakeda clan in Suruga from both sides attacked Katsuyori, which triggered theBattle of Omosu and later join attack on Conquest of Koshu, from the east of Kai province atBattle of Tenmokuzan in 1582.
In 1582, following the sudden death ofOda Nobunaga, Ujimasa took advantage of the situation and launched an attack onOda clan territory atBattle of Kanagawa, who had received territories after the defeat ofTakeda Katsuyori. Later, Hojo and Tokugawa clans settled a territorial dispute by giving the Tokugawa clanKai andShinano Provinces and the Hojo clanKozuke Province.
In 1588,Toyotomi Hideyoshi succeeded the unifying nation from Oda Nobunaga. Hideyoshi asked Ujimasa and Ujinao, the father and son, to attend the imperial visit toJurakudai (Hideyoshi's residence and office in Kyoto), but Ujimasa refused it. However, Ujimasa proposed to reschedule the visit to spring or summer of 1590, but Hideyoshi refused the proposal, which worsened their relationship.
In 1590, after Ujimasa consolidated his clan's position and retired. His sonHōjō Ujinao became head of the clan and lord of Odawara. Later that year, Hideyoshi launch theOdawara Campaign againstHōjō clan.
In 1590, Odawara Castle was the biggest castle in Japan at that moment. However, Hideyoshi surrounded the castle with the biggest army in all of Japan. Hojo's plan was to use all of his castles inKantō against Hideyoshi via guerrilla warfare. However, Hideyoshi defeated all these castles one by one with his samurai and vassals. Ujimasa failed to hold Odawara against the forces ofToyotomi Hideyoshi; finally, Odawara fell. Later, Ujimasa was forced to commitsuicide along with his brotherUjiteru.[2]
Like manysamurai who committedseppuku in the face of shameful defeat, Ujimasa composeddeath poems:
(雨雲の おほへる月も 胸の霧も はらひにけりな 秋の夕風)
(我が身今 消ゆとやいかに 思ふべき空より来たり 空へ帰れば)
Hōjō Ujimasa appears inKoei's video gamesKessen,Samurai Warriors 2,Samurai Warriors 3 andWarriors Orochi. He is also inCapcom'sSengoku Basara 1 and2 (includingHeroes) as an old man who is armed with a spear and has both his ancestral spirits and ice attacks and assisted byFūma Kotarō.He also appears in The Creative Assembly'sShogun: Total War andTotal War: Shogun 2. Professional wrestler Akito wrestled as Ujimasa for theDramatic Dream Team promotion on February 10, 2013.[3]
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