The Twenty-Four Generals, depicted and identified individually on a hanging scroll painting.
The Twenty-Four Generals (武田二十四将, Takeda Nijūshi-shō) were just one of many historically famous groupings of battle commanders from Japan's Sengoku Period. These Twenty-Four were the most trusted companions of Takeda Shingen.[1] A third of them died at the famous Battle of Nagashino in 1575 when they led the Takeda forces against Oda Nobunaga.
List[]
In artwork and other historical sources, there is some variation in the list of names.[2]
- Akiyama Nobutomo - Takeda's second in command; granted more autonomy. d.1575, following second siege of Iwamura Castle[2]
- Amari Torayasu - d. Battle of Uedahara 1548[3]
- Anayama Nobukimi - following Mikatagahara and Nagashino, allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu and aided in defeat of Takeda Katsuyori[2]
- Baba Nobuharu - fought at Mikatagahara and commanded vanguard of the right wing of Takeda army at Nagashino, where he died.[4]
- Hara Masatane - d. Battle of Nagashino 1575[5]
- Ichijō Nobutatsu - younger brother to Shingen, fought at Nagashino[2]
- Itagaki Nobukata - d. Battle of Uedahara 1548[3]
- Kōsaka Danjō Masanobu - played a major role in the fourth battle of Kawanakajima, but was not present at Nagashino[2]
- Obata Masamori - led the largest contingent (500 cavalry in the center company) at Nagashino[2]
- Obata Toramori - d. 1561, is recorded as having been wounded 40 times in 30 encounters[2]
- Oyamada Nobushige - fought at Kawanakajima, Mikatagahara, and Nagashino[3]
- Sanada Nobutsuna - d. Nagashino 1575[2]
- Sanada Yukitaka - daimyō of Shinano Province who submitted to Shingen[2]
- Takeda Nobukado - brother to Shingen, d. 1575[3]
- Takeda Nobushige - younger brother to Shingen, d. fourth battle of Kawanakajima 1561[3]
- Tsuchiya Masatsugu - fought at Mikatagahara, d. Nagashino 1575; his sons followed Takeda Katsuyori until his death at Temmokuzan in 1582[2]
- Yamagata Masakage - fought at Mikatagahara and Yoshida, d. Nagashino 1575[2]
- Yamamoto Kansuke - strategist of fourth battle of Kawanakajima, died in that battle[3]
- Yokota Takatoshi - d. Siege of Toishi 1550[3]
In popular culture[]
During Edo period, the twenty-four samurai leaders were a popular topic for ukiyo-e and bunraku.[2]
In the computer game Shogun: Total War, there are 25 Takeda generals.[6]
See also[]
- Seven Spears of Shizugatake
- Twenty-Eight Generals of Uesugi Kenshin
References[]
- ↑ "Legendary Takeda's 24 Generals" at Yamanashi-kankou.jp; retrieved 2013-5-17.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 Internet Movie Database (IMDb), "Shingen Takeda (Character) from Kagemusha (1980); retrieved 2013-5-17.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Inoue, Yasushi. (2006). The Samurai banner of Furin Kazan, p. 7.
- ↑ Turnbull, Stephen. (2011). The Samurai and the Sacred: The Path of the Warrior, p. 85.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Turnbull, Stephen. (2013). Samurai Armies 1467-1649, p. 62.
- ↑ "Takeda Clan" at totalwar.com; Retrieved 2013-5-17.
Further reading[]
- Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
External links[]
- British Museum, No. 3 Yamamoto Kansuke Nyudo Dokisai Haruyuki 山本勘助入道道鬼蔡晴幸 / Koetsu yusho den Takeda-ke nijushi-sho 甲越勇將傳武田家廾四將 (Biographies of Heroic Generals of Kai and Echigo Provinces, Twenty-four Generals of the Takeda Clan)
- Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Portraits of the Twenty-four Generals of Kai Province (Kôshû nijûshi shô no shôzô)「甲州二十四将之肖像」
The original article can be found at Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen and the edit history here.