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| Takeda clan 武田 | |
|---|---|
 The emblem (mon) of the Takeda clan | |
| Home province | Kai |
| Parent house |  Minamoto clan (源氏) |
| Titles | Various |
| Founder | Minamoto no Yoshikiyo |
| Final ruler | Takeda Katsuyori |
| Current head | None |
| Founding year | 12th century |
| Ruled until | 1582, defeat byOda Nobunaga |
| Cadet branches | Aki Takeda Wakasa Takeda Kazusa Takeda Matsumae clan Nanbu clan Yonekura clan Yanagisawa clan Gotō clan Ogasawara clan Miyoshi clan Akiyama clan |
TheTakeda clan (武田氏,Takeda-shi) was a Japanesesamurai clan active from the lateHeian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based inKai Province in present-dayYamanashi Prefecture.[1][2] The clan reached its greatest influence under the rule ofTakeda Shingen, one of the most famous rulers of the period.
The Takeda are descendants of theEmperor Seiwa (858–876), the 56th Emperor of Japan, and are a branch of theMinamoto clan (Seiwa Genji), byMinamoto no Yoshimitsu (1056–1127), son of theChinjufu-shōgunMinamoto no Yoriyoshi (988-1075), and brother to the famousMinamoto no Yoshiie (1039–1106).[3][4]Minamoto no Yoshikiyo (1075–1149), son of Yoshimitsu, was the first to take the name of Takeda, which he took when his father granted him Takeda domain inHitachi Province; thereafter, he was known as Takeda Yoshikiyo.
In the 12th century, at the end of the Heian period, the Takeda family-controlledKai Province. Along with a number of other families, they supported their cousinMinamoto no Yoritomo against theTaira clan in theGenpei War (1180–85). When Yoritomo was first defeated at Ishibashiyama (1181),Takeda Nobuyoshi (1128–86) was applied for help, and the Takeda sent an army of 25,000 soldiers to support Yoritomo. Takeda Nobumitsu (1162–1248), son of Nobuyoshi, fought against the Taira, againstKiso Yoshinaka (1184), distinguished himself in theBattle of Ichinotani (1184), and was appointedShugo (Governor) of Kai province. He also fought against theNorthern Fujiwara (1189) and againstWada Yoshimori (1213). During theJōkyū War, he helped theHōjō, and led 50,000 soldiers as 'Daishogun of the Tosando', and in reward received the governorship of Aki province (1221). Takeda Nobuhide (1413–40), eldest son of the Takeda Nobushige (1390–1465), Shugo of Aki, helped the 6th shogunAshikaga Yoshinori (1394–1441) against the revolt of Isshiki Yoshitsura and was granted the governorship of Wakasa province (1440). Takeda Nobukata (1420–71) inherited the titles of Shugo of Wakasa from his brother Nobuhide, and that of Shugo of Aki from his father Nobushige. During theŌnin War (1467–77) he occupied Tango province that belonged to Isshiki Yoshinao and received the governorship of Tango province (1469). His brother Takeda Kuninobu (1437–90) inherited the titles of Shugo of Aki, Wakasa, and Tango provinces, but lost Tango in 1474. Until theSengoku period, the Takeda were Shugo of the provinces of Kai (since Yoritomo),Aki (since 1221), andWakasa (since 1440).[citation needed]
Immediately prior to the Sengoku period, the Takeda helped to suppress the Rebellion of Uesugi Zenshū (1416–1417).[5]Uesugi Zenshū (d. 1417) was thekanrei chief advisor toAshikaga Mochiuji, an enemy of the centralAshikaga shogunate and theKantō kubō governor-general of theKantō region. Mochiuji, lord of theUesugi clan, made a reprisal against the Takeda clan in 1415. This reprisal began a rivalry between theUesugi and Takeda clans which would last roughly 150 years until the destruction of the Takeda clan at the end of theSengoku period.[6] While this rivalry existed, theTakeda and theUesugi still had a huge amount of respect for one another.
Takeda Harunobu (1521 – 1573) succeeded his father Nobutora in 1540 and becameshugo lord ofKai Province in present-dayYamanashi Prefecture. In this period the Takeda began to quickly expand from their base in Kai Province. In 1559, Harunobu changed his name to the better-known Takeda Shingen. He faced theHōjō clan a number of times, and most of his expansion was to the north, where he fought his most famous battles againstUesugi Kenshin. This series of regional skirmishes is known as theBattles of Kawanakajima. The battles began in 1553, and the best known and severest among them was fought on September 10, 1561.[7]
Shingen is famous for his tactical genius, and innovations, though some historians have argued that his tactics were not particularly impressive nor revolutionary. Nevertheless, Shingen is perhaps most famous for his use of thecavalry charge at theBattle of Mikatagahara. The strength of Shingen's new tactic became so famous that the Takeda army came to be known as theKiba Gundan (騎馬軍団), or 'mounted army'. Up until the mid-16th century and Shingen's rise to power, mountedsamurai were primarily archers. There was already a trend at this time towards largerinfantry-based armies, including a large number of foot archers. In order to defeat these missile troops, Shingen transformed hissamurai fromarchers tolancers.
Shingen died on May 13, 1573, at age 53 from illness.[8][7] His sonTakeda Katsuyori (1546–1582) effectively succeeded Shingen though the nominal head of the family was his grandson Takeda Nobukatsu; Katsuyori continued Shingen's aggressive expansion plan south and westward and was initially successful, briefly achieving the largest extent of Takeda rule. However, he was defeated in theBattle of Nagashino in 1575 byOda Nobunaga andTokugawa Ieyasu.
After Nagashino, the Takeda clan fell into sharp decline as it had lost many of its most notable samurai during the battle. Katsuyori's position within the clan also became precarious (as he did not fully inherit the clan leadership position); in 1582, two of his relatives defected to the Oda/Tokugawa alliance and Nobunaga succeeded in destroying the Takeda clan shortly thereafter. The campaign saw most of the Takeda followers simply abandoning Katsuyori and the other Takeda family members to their fate. The clan was effectively eliminated, although descendants of the Takeda clan would take prominent positions in theTokugawa shogunate, established in 1603.[7]
Takeda is also a fairly common family name in modern Japan, though it is unlikely that everyone with the Takeda name is descended from this noble house (several divisions of the family have the Takeda name).
In fact, most of the real descendants of the Takeda had a different name when they created a cadet branch. It is also acknowledged that members of the clan married into other Japanese families.
During theTokugawa period, severaldaimyō families were direct descendants of the Takeda. In 1868, thesedaimyō families were:
In 1868, two branches named Takeda were also ranked among theKōke (the High Families). This title was given to descendants of great dispossesseddaimyo families of theKamakura period toSengoku period such as the Takeda, theKyōgoku, theRokkaku, theŌtomo, theToki, theIsshiki and theHatakeyama clans. They received a pension from the shogunate and had privileged missions confided to them.
Three major cadet branches of the Takeda clan were established across Japan, along with several smaller branches. Due to the establishment of these cadet branches, the main Takeda clan in Kai Province is also referred to as the Kai Takeda clan.
TheAki Takeda clan, established inAki Province in the present-day western part ofHiroshima Prefecture.[1]Takeda Nobumitsu (1162–1248), Shugo of Kai, received the governorship of Aki province in 1221.Takeda Nobutake († 1362) was the last TakedaShugo of the two provinces of Kai and Aki. His elder son Nobunari received Kai and the younger Ujinobu received Aki province.
The Aki Takeda was granted the governorship of Wakasa province in 1440. The Wakasa Takeda clan was established inWakasa Province in present-day southernFukui Prefecture, and separates from Aki province in 1500, when Takeda Motonobu (1461-1521) ruled Wakasa, while his uncle Takeda Mototsuna (1441-1505) ruled Aki.[1] The Wakasa Takeda were known for their patronage of the arts and developing the Takeda school of military etiquette.[2]
The Kazusa Takeda clan, established at the beginning of the Sengoku period inKazusa Province in the present-day central area ofChiba Prefecture. Along with theSatomi clan ofAwa Province in the southern part of present-day Chiba Prefecture the two clans replaced the dominance of theChiba clan in the region. The Kazusa Takeda is also known as the Mariyatsu Takeda, a reference to their base of power, Mariyatsu Castle.[1]
TheKōshū Hatto, composed at some point in the 15th century, is the code of law of the Takeda family,[9] while theKōyō Gunkan, composed largely byKōsaka Masanobu in the mid-16th century, is anepic poem recording the family's history and Shingen's innovations in military tactics.
Among the notable members of the Takeda clan wasTakeda Nobushige, who wrote theKyujukyu Kakun, which introduced the 99 rules for the clan members.[10]Takeda Nobumitsu, who was a noted warrior under the Hojo shikken of Kamakura, became a monk and founded the Takeda family of Kai.[11] Another important figure was Minamoto no Yoshimitsu, who developed theDaito-ryu Aikijujutsu/Takeda-ryu.[12] Other noted members includeNobuyoshi,Nobutora,Harunobu (Shingen),Katsuyori,Matsuhime
Takeda is a playable faction inShogun: Total War andShogun 2.
Takeda is a playable nation inEuropa Universalis IV.
The Takeda clan in feudal Japan is in the manga and the anime ofInuyasha as well asDinosaur King.
Takeda Shingen and his peasantdoppelgänger are the main subjects ofKagemusha, directed byAkira Kurosawa.
The character Miku Nakano from the anime and manga seriesThe Quintessential Quintuplets is shown to have an obsession with Takeda Shingen.
The Soldier inTeam Fortress 2 has a weapon called the Concheror that includes the Takeda clan's Kamon.[14]
The Takeda Clan is the main enemy faction inYasuke Simulator.
InFate/Grand Order Takeda Shingen is available as a Servant of the Rider Class.