Takenaka Shigeharu | |
|---|---|
| 竹中 重治 | |
 Takenaka Shigeharu | |
| Head ofTakenaka clan | |
| In office 1560–1579 | |
| Preceded by | Takenaka Shigemoto |
| Succeeded by | Takenaka Shigekado |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 27, 1544 |
| Died | July 6, 1579(1579-07-06) (aged 34) |
| Children | Takenaka Shigekado |
| Relatives | Takenaka Shigetoshi (cousin) Ando Morinari (father in law) |
| Nickname | "Hanbei" (半兵衛) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Saitō clan Oda clan |
| Unit | .svg) Takenaka clan |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Nagaragawa (1556) Siege of Inabayama (1567) Battle of Anegawa (1570) Chūgoku Campaign (1576) Siege of Miki (1579) |
Takenaka Shigeharu (竹中 重治; September 27, 1544 – July 6, 1579), who was also known asHanbei (半兵衛), was aJapanesesamurai during theSengoku period of the 16th century. Hanbei was the castle lord in command of Bodaiyama Castle.[1] He was a chief strategist and adviser ofToyotomi Hideyoshi.[1] His father was Takenaka Shigemoto, a local samurai.[1] He initially served theSaitō clan ofMino Province, but later plotted an uprising and took over the Saitō clan'sGifu Castle.[1][2]
Shigeharu was born in 1544 as the son of Takenaka Shigemoto, the lord ofŌmidō Castle in theŌno District ofMino Province and a retainer of the Mino-Saitō clan.
In 1556, Shigeharu had his first battle at theBattle of Nagaragawa. He allied with Saitō Dōsan, and replaced his father as the commander in chief againstSaitō Yoshitatsu.
In 1560, after the death or retirement of Shigemoto, Shigeharu succeeded him as head of the family and became the lord ofBodaisan Castle.
In 1561, after the death of Yoshitatsu, Shigeharu served Yoshitatsu's son and heir,Saitō Tatsuoki, who took over at the age of thirteen. Tatsuoki, however, indulged in a decadent lifestyle and did not pay attention to affairs of governance. As a result, in 1564, Shigeharu joined theMino Triumvirate in attacking Tatsuoki atInabayama Castle, killing Saitō Hida-no-kami and causing Tatsuoki to flee. Later, Shigeharu returned the castle to Tatsuoki and went into seclusion.[1][2]
In 1567, during theSiege of Inabayama Castle, Shigeharu then directed the defense against the forces ofOda Nobunaga. Eventually, Tatsuoki was driven out of Inabayama Castle. After the castle fell, he left the Saitō family, and served as a guest commander underAzai Nagamasa.
In 1570, Shigeharu joined theOda clan, participating at theBattle of Anegawa in forces led byAndō Morinari, his father in law. After battle, Nobunaga ordered Shigeharu to stay inYokoyama Castle along with Hideyoshi.Hideyoshi was so impressed by him that he invited Shigeharu to join his forces as a strategist.
Later in 1576, he joined Hideyoshi and followed Hideyoshi in theChūgoku Campaign. Shigeharu made many contributions to Hideyoshi with his talents.
In 1579, he died of illness during Hideyoshi's attack against the Mōri in the Chūgoku region of Japan, whileMiki Castle was besieged.[2][1] Later, he was succeeded byKuroda Yoshitaka as strategist.[1]
Takenaka Shigekado, Shigeharu's son and successor, continued to serve Hideyoshi after his father's death.[2] At theBattle of Sekigahara, he fought on the side ofTokugawa Ieyasu, and his holdings at Bodaiyama Castle were secured. The Takenaka family thus became a family ofhatamoto, and would soon move from their old castle of Bodaiyama Castle to the new castle calledTakenaka Jinya(Takenaka clan's fortified residence).[3][2] The holdings of the Takenaka includedSekigahara Village.[4]
In the mid-19th century, Shigeharu's descendantTakenaka Shigekata served as commander of the Tokugawa forces in Fushimi at theBattle of Toba–Fushimi.
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