Wakisaka Yasuharu | |
|---|---|
| 脇坂 安治 | |
 Wakisaka Yasuharu | |
| Lord ofAwaji Island | |
| In office 1585–1626 | |
| Succeeded by | Wakisaka Yasumoto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1554 |
| Died | September 26, 1626(1626-09-26) (aged 71–72) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Azai clan Oda clan Akechi clan Toyotomi clan Western Army Tokugawa shogunate |
| Commands | Sumoto Castle |
| Battles/wars | Tanba Campaign Chugoku campaigns Siege of Miki Tenshō Iga War Siege of Hijiyama Battle of Shizugatake Kyūshū campaign Odawara campaign Korean campaign Battle of Sekigahara |
Wakisaka Yasuharu (脇坂 安治) (1554 – September 26, 1626), sometimes referred to asWakizaka Yasuharu, was adaimyō (feudal lord) ofAwaji Island who fought under a number of warlords over the course of Japan'sSengoku period.
Wakisaka originally servedAzai Nagamasa but after Azai's downfall in 1573, he attended theOda clan. As a yoriki ofAkechi Mitsuhide a vassal ofOda Nobunaga. He distinguished himself during the assault onKuroi Castle in 1578 atTanba Province.
Later, he applied directly toHashiba Hideyoshi to become his vassal. He later gained more success during Hideyoshi'sChugoku campaigns with assaults on Kanki Castle andSiege of Miki Castle inHarima Province.
In 1581, he took part onTenshō Iga War; he was one of several generals who led Nobunaga's troops during theSiege of Hijiyama.
The following year In 1582, Akechi betrayed Oda Nobunaga and took his power and lands, but was defeated two weeks later at theBattle of Yamazaki. Wakisaka then joined the victor,Hashiba Hideyoshi, who had become a conspicuous figure as a retainer ofOda Nobunaga.
Following theBattle of Shizugatake in 1583, Wakisaka came to be known as one of theshichi-hon-yari (七本槍), orSeven Spears of Shizugatake.[1] These seven would be among Hideyoshi's most trusted generals, especially in naval combat. Wakisaka was granted the fief ofAwaji Island, worth 30,000koku, in 1585.
He was then made commander of part of Hideyoshi's fleet, taking part in Hideyoshi's 1587 campaigns inKyushu, the 1590Siege of Odawara, and theinvasions of Korea, which took place from 1592 to 1598.
In 1592, Wakisaka led 1,500 soldiers and landed on the Korean peninsula.[2] He was defeated by AdmiralYi Sun-shin at theBattle of Hansando and lost most of his fleet. Barely surviving the battle, he hid on a nearby uninhabited island and lived by eating seaweed until the enemy withdrew. He participated in both ground and naval actions in various places on the Korean peninsula.
He was also ordered to dispatch a 1,200-man fleet during theKeichō Invasion and annihilated a Korean fleet counterattack his position which was led byWŏn Kyun during aBattle of Chilcheollyang in July 1597. Despite his actions, he was unable to counter Admiral Yi Sun-shin, whose naval activities effectively cut off Japanese naval supply lines to the Korean Peninsula; despite this failure and the ultimate defeat of the Japanese forces during the campaigns, Wakisaka's reward for participating in this war was an increase in territory to 3,000koku.
In 1600, Wakisaka was going to side withTokugawa Ieyasu. At this moment, Wakisaka Yasuharu sent his second son, Yasumoto, to march down to Kanto to join the Tokugawa forces punishingUesugi Kagekatsu. However, Yasumoto was intercepted by Mitsunari, who had raised an army against Ieyasu, and was forced to return to Osaka from Omi. Yasumoto then sent a letter to Yamaoka Kagetomo, who was accompanying Ieyasu, explaining the situation and conveying his intention to side with Ieyasu. Ieyasu then sent a letter to Yasumoto expressing his gratitude for Yasumoto's loyalty to Ieyasu.[3]
He later was compelled to oppose him, siding withIshida Mitsunari, who had raised Wakisaka's army when he stayed in Osaka.
On October 21, during the decisiveBattle of Sekigahara, Wakisaka switched sides along withKobayakawa Hideaki, he defeatedŌtani Yoshitsugu's force, and contributed to the Tokugawa victory.
After the battle, Tokugawa allowed Wakisaka to continue governing his domain of Awaji. In succeeding years, he was given another fief, at Ozu,Iyo Province, worth 53,000 koku. His son, Wakisaka Yasumoto, succeeded to the house after his death.