Tadatsugu Sakai - Tadatsugu Sakai

A senior vassal who contributed greatly to Tokugawa Ieyasu's military endeavors. Along with Honda, Ii, and Sakakibara, he was one of the four great Tokugawa generals. He was born into the direct line of the prestigious Sakai clan, Saemon-no-jo, which is said to have the same ancestor as the Tokugawa clan. Tadatsugu, 15 years older than Ieyasu, served Ieyasu from an early age, and even during Ieyasu's time as a hostage in Sunpu, he served as a musician and other roles. During Ieyasu's control of Mikawa (eastern Aichi Prefecture), Ishikawa Ienari was appointed leader of western Mikawa, and Tadatsugu was appointed leader of eastern Mikawa, and they performed their duties well. As Ieyasu's territory expanded, his role also grew, and after the fall of Takeda Katsuyori in 1582 (Tensho 10), he played an active role, such as being in charge of the strategy for Shinano (Nagano Prefecture). In 1586, he was appointed Junior Fourth Rank and Chief of the Left Guard, and in 1588, at the age of 62, he retired and took the name Ichi. His wife was the half-sister of Ieyasu's father, Matsudaira Hirotada.

[Ryosho Hayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

徳川家康の覇業に功績のあった重臣。本多(ほんだ)、井伊(いい)、榊原(さかきばら)とともに徳川四天王の一人。徳川氏と同祖だという名門左衛門尉(さえもんのじょう)酒井氏の嫡流に生まれる。家康より15歳年長の忠次は早くから家康に仕え、家康の駿府(すんぷ)人質時代にも供奉(ぐぶ)して奏者役(そうじゃやく)などを勤めた。家康が三河（愛知県東部）を支配する過程で、西三河は石川家成(いえなり)、東三河は忠次が旗頭に任命され、よくその責を果たした。家康の領域が拡大するとともにその役割も大きくなり、1582年（天正10）武田勝頼(かつより)滅亡後には信濃(しなの)（長野県）経略の責任者となるなど活躍している。86年従(じゅ)四位下、左衛門督(さえもんのかみ)に叙任され、88年62歳で隠居し、一智(いっち)と号した。妻は家康の父松平広忠(ひろただ)の異母妹である。

［林　亮勝］

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