Endō Naotsune

Last updated March 30, 2019

Endō Naotsune(遠藤直経, 1531 – August 9, 1570) was an officer under the Azai clan who was known as a fierce warrior during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan.

The Azai clan was a line of daimyōs during Japan's Sengoku period that was based in Ōmi Province. The Azai clan, along with the Asakura clan, opposed Oda Nobunaga in the late 16th century. They were defeated by him at the Battle of Anegawa in 1570, and all but eliminated when their home castle, Odani Castle, was taken three years later.

The Sengoku period is a period in Japanese history marked by social upheaval, political intrigue and near-constant military conflict. Japanese historians named it after the otherwise unrelated Warring States period in China. It was initiated by the Ōnin War, which collapsed the Japanese feudal system under the Ashikaga shogunate, and came to an end when the system was re-established under the Tokugawa shogunate by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian continent and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea in the south.

Naotsune was opposed to the political marriage between his lord Azai Nagamasa and Oda Nobunaga's sister Oichi. During the Battle of Anegawa, Naotsune camouflaged his own men to resemble those of Nobunaga's, to infiltrate Nobunaga's army. Nobunaga became aware of Naotsune's intentions, and killed him.^{[ citation needed ]}

Azai Nagamasa was a daimyō during the Sengoku period of Japan. His clan, the Azai clan, were located in northern Ōmi Province, east of Lake Biwa. He was the brother-in-law of Oda Nobunaga, starting in 1564, and one of Nobunaga's enemies from 1570 to 1573. Nagamasa and his clan were destroyed by Oda Nobunaga in August 1573. Major battles of Azai Nagamasa include the battle of Anegawa in 1570 and the many sieges of Odani castle between 1570 and 1573.

Oda Nobunaga samurai daimyo and warlord of Japan

Oda Nobunaga was a powerful daimyō of Japan in the late 16th century who attempted to unify Japan during the late Sengoku period, and successfully gained control over most of Honshu. Nobunaga is regarded as one of three unifiers of Japan along with his retainers Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. During his later life, Nobunaga was widely known for most brutal suppression of determined opponents, eliminating those who by principle refused to cooperate or yield to his demands. His reign was noted for innovative military tactics, fostering free trade, and encouraging the start of the Momoyama historical art period. He was killed when his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled against him at Honnō-ji.

Oichi historical figure in the late Sengoku period

Oichi was a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well – Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo.

In 1569 he donated an illustrated poem to the Taga-taisha shrine, which still survives.^[1]

Taga-taisha (多賀大社) is a Shinto shrine located in Taga, Shiga Prefecture, Japan dedicated to Izanagi and Izanami. It is associated with long life, successful marriage and good fortune. The shrine is frequently referred to as O-taga-san (お多賀さん) by local residents. The gardens of the inner shoin are a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty.

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Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a preeminent daimyō, warrior, general, samurai, and politician of the Sengoku period who is regarded as Japan's second "great unifier". He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Warring Lords period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle. After his death, his young son Hideyori was displaced by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Azuchi–Momoyama period period of Japanese history

The Azuchi–Momoyama period is the final phase of the Sengoku period in Japan. These years of political unification led to the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate. It spans the years from c. 1573 to 1600, during which time Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, imposed order upon the chaos that had pervaded since the collapse of the Ashikaga shogunate.

The Sengoku period Battle of Anegawa occurred near Lake Biwa in Ōmi Province, Japan, between the allied forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, against the combined forces of the Azai and Asakura clans. It is notable as the first battle that involved the alliance between Nobunaga and Ieyasu, liberated the Oda clan from its unbalanced alliance with the Azai, and saw Nobunaga's prodigious use of firearms. Nobunaga's loyal retainer, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was assigned to lead troops into open battle for the first time.

The 1573 Siege of Odani Castle was the last stand of the Azai clan, one of Oda Nobunaga's chief opponents.

Saitō Uhyōe-Taihitsu Tatsuoki was a daimyō in Mino Province during the Sengoku period and the third generation lord of the Saitō clan. He was a son of Saitō Yoshitatsu his mother was daughter of Azai Hisamasa and nephew of Azai Nagamasa, a grandson of Saitō Dōsan. He was also a nephew of Oda Nobunaga's first wife, Nohime, herself a daughter of Saitō Dōsan.

Azai Hisamasa was a son of Azai Sukemasa and the second head of the Azai clan.

Genki (元亀) was a Japanese era name after Eiroku and before Tenshō. This period spanned the years from April 1570 through July 1573. The reigning emperor was Ōgimachi-tennō (正親町天皇).

Kōsa, also known as Hongan-ji Kennyo, was the 11th head of the Hongan-ji in Kyoto, and Chief Abbot of Ishiyama Hongan-ji, cathedral fortress of the Ikkō-ikki, during its siege at the end of the Sengoku period. He engineered many alliances, and organized the defenses of the cathedral to the point that most at the time considered Ishiyama Hongan-ji to be unbreachable.

Akao Kiyotsuna was a Japanese samurai of the late Sengoku period, a senior retainer of the Azai clan of Ōmi Province. Together with Kaihō Tsunachika and Amemori Yahei, Kiyotsuna was known as one of the "Three Generals of the Azai". Kiyotsuna served three generations of the Azai lords: Sukemasa, Hisamasa, and Nagamasa. As a mark of the Azai family's deep trust of Akao, he was allowed to maintain a residence within Odani Castle.

Miyabe Keijun was a Tendai monk from Mount Hiei in western Japan. He was the father of Miyabe Nagafusa and became a reputable administrator under Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the latter half of the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. His name could also be read as Miyabe Tsugimasu. Keijun received Miyabe Castle from Azai Nagamasa when he gave his support to the Azai clan. Fighting against the Oda clan during the Battle of Anegawa in 1570, Nagamasa and his counterpart Asakura Yoshikage were defeated, prompting Keijun to distrust his lord's ability, but not to the point in which he was willing to defect. In 1573, Oda Nobunaga laid siege to the Azai clan's Sawayama Castle, which was held by Isono Kazumasa. The castle fell after a siege that lasted over three months. In response, Nagamasa took Kazumasa's elderly mother, who he held hostage in Odani Castle, to the execution grounds for death. Keijun became enraged at the backstabbing qualities of Nagamasa, defected to Nobunaga and assisted him in the downfall of the Azai. As both Nagamasa and the Azai were entirely put into extinction after his defection, Keijun served under Nobunaga until the latter's death in 1582, at which time he then came to serve Toyotomi Hideyoshi, largely assisting him by means of administration and agricultural production.

The 1573 Siege of Hikida Castle was one of many battles the warlord Oda Nobunaga fought against the Azai and Asakura clans during Japan's Sengoku period. These two families were among the staunchest opponents of Nobunaga's attempts to seize land and power for himself.

The 1573 Siege of Ichijōdani Castle was undertaken by Oda Nobunaga, a powerful warlord (daimyō) of Japan's Sengoku period. It was one of several actions taken in a series of campaigns against the Asakura and Azai clans, which opposed his growing power.

Gō: Hime-tachi no Sengoku (江〜姫たちの戦国〜) is a Japanese television series. It is the Taiga drama for 2011 and the 50th Taiga drama overall. It is written by Kumiko Tabuchi and stars Juri Ueno in the title role, with Miyazawa Rie and Mizukawa Asami.

Rokkaku Yoshikata was a samurai head of the Rokkaku clan during Japan's Sengoku period. He was shugo (governor) and later daimyō of an area of southern Ōmi province, he served as castellan of Kannonji Castle. He later became a Buddhist monk, under the name Shōtei.

The Mori clan was a family of Japanese people descended from the Seiwa Genji. Their line descended from Minamoto no Yoshiie through his seventh son, Minamoto no Yoshitaka, proprietor of Mōri-no-shō in Sagami Province. His son, Minamoto no Yoritaka, took Mori as his surname when he retired, and Yoritaka's son Yorisada continued to use the surname.

Nobunaga Concerto is a Japanese manga series by Ayumi Ishii. It began serialization in Shogakukan's Monthly Shōnen Sunday from 2009. It was announced on June 2014 issue of Monthly Shonen Sunday magazine that the historical manga is inspiring an anime television, a live-action television series, and a live-action film. The anime television series adaptation aired from July 12, 2014 to September 20, 2014 on Fuji TV. The television drama aired in October 2014 starring Shun Oguri as Saburo and Nobunaga and the live-action film was released on January 23, 2016.

References

↑ Elizabeth Lillehoj (1 January 2004). Critical Perspectives on Classicism in Japanese Painting: 1600–1700. University of Hawaii Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-8248-2699-4.

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[Lillehoj2004-1] Elizabeth Lillehoj (1 January 2004). Critical Perspectives on Classicism in Japanese Painting: 1600–1700. University of Hawaii Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-8248-2699-4.