Toshimitsu Saito

Japanese: 斎藤利三 - さいとう・としみつ

Year of death: June 17, 1582 (July 6, 1582)
Year of birth: Unknown. Military commander during the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. Retainer of Akechi Mitsuhide. Kuranosuke. He was born either in Tenbun 3 (1534) or 7. Son of Toshikata. His mother was said to be Akechi Mitsuhide's sister or Saito Chikayoshi's daughter, and there are various theories about his wife, including the daughter of Saito Dosan, the daughter or niece of Inaba Yoshimichi (Ittetsu). He initially served Ittetsu, but was eventually taken in by Mitsuhide and lived in Tamba as Mitsuhide's chief retainer. In Tensho 10 (1582), he participated in the Honnoji Incident. After being defeated by Hideyoshi in the subsequent Battle of Yamazaki, he fled to Katata in Omi, but was captured and beheaded at Rokujo-gawara. His head was displayed at Honnoji along with Mitsuhide's head, and both bodies were crucified at Awataguchi. The wet nurse of the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, Kasuga no Tsubone, was Toshizo's daughter.

(Taniguchi Ken's words)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：天正10.6.17(1582.7.6)
生年：生年不詳
戦国・安土桃山時代の武将。明智光秀の家臣。内蔵助。生年は天文3(1534)年とも同7年ともいう。利賢の子。母は明智光秀の妹とも斎藤親順の娘ともいい,妻についても斎藤道三の娘,稲葉良通(一鉄)の娘あるいは姪など,諸説がある。初め一鉄に仕えたが,やがて光秀に迎えられ,その家老として丹波に住す。天正10(1582)年,本能寺の変に従軍。続く山崎合戦で秀吉に敗れ近江堅田に逃れるが,捕らえられ六条河原で斬首される。その首は光秀の首と共に本能寺にさらされ,屍もともに粟田口で磔に処された。なお,徳川3代将軍家光の乳母春日局は利三の娘である。

(谷口研語)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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