Tachibana Muneshige

Biography

In July 27, 1581, Tachibana Dōsetsu and Takahashi Shigetane fought against Tsukushi Hirokado and Akizuki Tanezane in the second Battle of Dazaifu Kanzeon-ji. It is in this battle that, Takahashi Munetora, who will be known as Tachibana Muneshige, saw his first notable action.

Contemporary Italian jesuit Alessandro Valignano has recorded that Muneshige later being adopted as son by Dōsetsu and inherited the Tachibana clan. At first, Shigetane declined as he also need Muneshige to inherit the Takahashi clan. However, Dōsetsu implored him and stating that although he had Ginchiyo as inheritor of his clan, but he needed strong young samurai to lead the Tachibana clan in the future, as he further stated his reason that after his death, he need strong commanders to lead the both Takahashi clan and Tachibana clan to defend the declining Ōtomo clan. As he saw the Takahashi Shigetane potential heirs were many, then he need Muneshige inherit the command of Tachibana. Thus Shigetane finally accepted this reason and agree to give Muneshige for the Tachibana clan. Then, as he secured the adoption, Dōsetsu immediately changed the lordships of Tachibana clan from his daughter, Ginchiyo, to Muneshige.

On November 6, Dōsetsu marched to Kama and Honami along with Muneshige and Shigetane. While on their way to the rescue of Kutami Akiyasu, the Tachibana and Takahashi forces received information that Akiyasu had safely retreated after fighting Akizuki Tanezane and Monjūjo Munekage (the great-uncle of Munekage) in the Battle of Haratsuru, so they retreated. However, Tanezane forces turns out still pursuing them. Both fierce battles resulted in over 1,000 casualties, including over 300 casualties from Tachibana and Takahashi, and 760 for the Akizuki clan.

On April 16, 1582, during the Battle of Iwato against the combined forces of 2,000 from the Akizuki, Harada, and Munakata clans, Dōsetsu led a 500-strong ambush force and surrounded his 1,000-strong main force. 300 of Muneshige's troops launched a surprise attack from the side with guns, while the remaining 200 soldiers were led by Komono Masutoki, who set up a false flag to make it look like reinforcements from the Otomo clan were coming, and finally managed to lift the siege. Muneshige then led 1,000 cavalry including Komono Masutoki, Korenobu Yufu, and Shigeyuki Ono, eliminating 300 of the Harada general's troops, Kasa Okinaga, who had built a fort at Iwatosho Kubeno, killing 150 of them, and pursuing them west to Sawara County, where he burned down Harada Chikahide's Sawara Castle.

On March 17, 1583, he killed Yoshiwara Sadayasu in the Battle of Yoshiwaraguchi, and on April 23, he captured Munakata Ujisada's castle, Konomiyama Castle, and Ryutoku Castle in Suginami, forcing them to surrender.

In 1587, After the Tachibana clan siding with Toyotomi Hideyoshi and he had conquered Kyushu in 1587, Muneshige split from the Ōtomo to become a daimyō in his own right. He was given Yanagawa castle in Chikugo province, after this the Tachibana became an independent clan. Later, Muneshige was involved in the suppression of rebels from Amakusa. In this campaign, a famous Tokugawa clan warrior, Mizuno Katsunari, served under Muneshige.

Korean invasion

in 1592 during the first Japanese invasions of Korea, Muneshige served in the 6th Division, commanded by Kobayakawa Takakage, with 2,500 men.

During the Siege of Dongnae In April, Muneshige forces captured Dongnae Fortress. On June 26 , at the request of Ukita Hideie, he used fire and ambush tactics to drive out the Joseon army north of Hanseong.{{citation |trans-title= Biography of Western Japanese

In 1593, Muneshige and Takahashi Noriyoshi became vanguard during the Battle of Byeokjegwan.[] |trans-title=Japanese War History: Korea War" (Supplementary Biography, No. 67: Muneshige's Decision)

On January 26, around 2:00 am, Muneshige sent his officer Morishita Tsuyoshi Totoki Koreyoshi to lead 30 soldiers in reconnaissance mission. Around 6:00 a.m., Muneshige continent deployed two columns each numbered 500 soldiers with Toki Koremichi and Uchida Noriyoshi as commanders.{{citation |trans-title=Yanagawa Domain Series |trans-title=Yanagawa Domain Series Yanagawa Domain Series” Volume 1 |trans-title=Yanagawa Domain Series Yanagawa Domain Series” Volume 1 |trans-title=Yanagawa Domain Series Yanagawa Domain Series” Volume 1 |trans-title=Yanagawa Domain Series Yanagawa Domain Series” Volume 1 |trans-title=Yanagawa History Yanagawa Domain Series” Later, Muneshige's main force of 2,000 men advanced north, with Koremichi leading the vanguard and Ono Shigeyuki and Yonetabe Shigehisa commanding 700 men.{{citation |trans-title=Yanagawa Domain Series |trans-title=Yanagawa Domain Series

During the second Japan invasion to Korea in 1597, Muneshige was not incorporated into the invading army but was ordered to defend Busan. Later, there is change of plan in operation as now Mori Yoshinari assigned to the defense of Busan, while Muneshige was assigned to the defense of Goseong and Angolpo Japanese castles. In the subsequent First Battle of Ulsan Castle, he was in charge of the defense of Goseong Japanese castle, and is said to have participated in the battle two days later.

Sekigahara war

In 1600, at Sekigahara campaign, he sided with the 'Western army'. According to one historical record from Chikugo Province, Tschibana Muneshige was once advised by his senior retainer, Komono Masutoki, to side with the Eastern Army, saying that the Western Army had no chance of winning. However, Mneshige replied that he does not care about winning or losing.

Muneshige manage to force the Eastern army warlord Kyōgoku Takatsugu to surrender in the Siege of Ōtsu. However, after learning that the Western Army had been annihilated in the battle of Sekigahara, he returned to Osaka Castle. At first, Muneshige urged Mōri Terumoto to prepare resistance in Osaka castle against the Eastern army. However, Terumoto decided that he did not want to resist against the Eastern army, and rather submitted to Tokugawa Ieyasu as he marched to Osaka castle.

Later, Muneshige back to Chikugo Province and surrendered to Tokugawa after the Siege of Yanagawa under the assumption that he could then switch sides and aid the Tokugawa-loyal forces against the Shimazu clan of Satsuma. After the battle of Sekigahara, he was deprived of the Yanagawa Domain for punishment by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

After Sekigahara

in 1603, Muneshige went down to Edo, and with the help of Honda Tadakatsu, began living in seclusion at the Hosshō-ji Temple in Takada with his attendants, including Korenobu Yufu and Totoki Tsunetada. In 1604, he was summoned to Edo Castle on Tadakatsu's recommendation. Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who knew Muneshige's abilities well, awarded him 5,000 koku as the Shogunate's Goinbanto (head of the Shogun's personal guards). Soon after, he was selected as one of the attendant of his eldest son, Tokugawa Hidetada, and in 1606, he was given 10,000 koku in Mutsu Tanagura (Nango) and returned to his position as a daimyo. At this time, he changed his name from Naomasa to Toshimasa.

In 1614, He participated in the Siege of Osaka as military advisor of the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, as his military strategist and in charge of guarding the area. Muneshige correctly predicted the movements of the general of Toyotomi, Ono Harufusa's troops and guided Hidetada's troops.

After the campaign against Toyotomi Hideyori ended in 1615 and later he was brought back to the former territory, Yanagawa.

In 1637, Muneshige served in the shogunate army during the Shimabara Rebellion (1637-1638), a revolt involving mostly Japanese peasants, most of them Catholics. He was then given a small territory in Tanagura.

Muneshige in popular culture

See People of the Sengoku period in popular culture.

Honours

• Junior Third Rank (November 10, 1915; posthumous)

Appendix

Footnotes

References

Bibliography

• Genjō Sanjin. Kyūshū sengokushi: Bekki gundan. Tōkyō: Rekishi Toshosha, 1978.
• Kawamura, Tetsuo. Tachibana Muneshige. Fukuoka-shi: Nishi Nihon Shinbunsha, 1999.
• Nakano, Hitoshi. Tachibana Muneshige. Tōkyō: Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 2001.
• Tachibana, Muneshige, and Tōun Hasegawa. Ehon hōkan. Setsuyō [Osaka]: Kankidō Shigeyuki, 1688.

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