Torii Mototada

Japanese: 鳥居元忠 - とりい・もとただ

Year of death: August 1, 1600 (September 8, 1600)
Year of birth: Tenbun 8 (1539)
A military commander during the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. A vassal of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Commonly known as Hikoemon-no-jo. The second son of Torii Tadayoshi. In 1551, he went to serve Matsudaira Takechiyo (Tokugawa Ieyasu), who was a hostage of the Suruga Imagawa clan. Since Ieyasu's first battle in 1558, he participated in various battles, such as the supply of provisions to Otaka Castle in 1553, the capture of Kakegawa Castle in Totomi in 1559, the Battle of Anegawa in 1570, the Battle of Mikatagahara in 1571, the Battle of Nagashino and the siege of Suwahara Castle in 1575, and achieved many military feats. After the Honnoji Incident in 1581, he defeated the army of Hojo Ujikatsu, a military commander of the Odawara Hojo clan, and was given land in Kai County as a reward for his achievements. In the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute in 1587, he strengthened the defense of Kai. In the 14th year of the same year, he accompanied Ieyasu to Kyoto. At that time, Toyotomi Hideyoshi recommended that some of Ieyasu's vassals become Shodaifu. Mototada was also recommended to be appointed, but he firmly declined, as he was a vassal of the Tokugawa clan. In the 18th year of the same year, during the Siege of Odawara, he particularly distinguished himself in the siege of Musashi Iwatsuki Castle, and was given a letter of commendation by Hideyoshi. When Ieyasu entered the Kanto region, he was granted 40,000 koku of land in Yahagi, Shimousa (Sawara City). In 1600 (Keicho 5), during the Battle of Sekigahara, he became the caretaker of Fushimi Castle. With over 1,800 men, he defended against the fierce attack by Ishida Mitsunari and others that began on July 25, but the castle finally fell on August 1 and he was killed in battle. He was consistent in his loyalty to Ieyasu throughout his life, and is considered a typical loyal vassal. <References> Wada Kenzaburo, Torii Mototada (privately published), Nakamura Takaya, Ieyasu's Vassals: Military Commanders Edition

(Akio Hirano)

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

Japanese:

没年：慶長5.8.1(1600.9.8)
生年：天文8(1539)
戦国・安土桃山時代の武将。徳川家康の臣。通称は彦右衛門尉。鳥居忠吉の次男。天文20(1551)年駿河今川氏の人質となっていた松平竹千代(徳川家康)のもとに赴き,仕える。永禄1(1558)年家康の初陣以来,同3年の大高城兵糧入れ,同12年遠江掛川城攻略,元亀1(1570)年姉川の戦,同3年三方原の戦,天正3(1575)年長篠の戦・諏訪原城攻めなど所々の戦に従い,多くの戦功を挙げた。天正10年本能寺の変後,小田原北条氏の武将北条氏勝の軍を破り,その功によって甲斐郡内の地を与えられた。同12年小牧・長久手の戦では甲斐の守りを固めた。同14年家康に供奉して上洛。このとき豊臣秀吉の推挙によって,家康の臣で諸大夫となるものがあった。元忠も叙任を勧められたが,徳川氏の臣であるとして固辞した。同18年小田原の役には特に武蔵岩槻城攻めに功をたて,秀吉から感状を与えられた。家康の関東入国に際して,下総矢作(佐原市)4万石に封ぜられる。慶長5(1600)年関ケ原の戦には,伏見城の留守居となる。7月25日に始まった石田三成らの猛攻を,1800人余で防いだが,8月1日ついに落城し,討死した。その生涯は,家康への忠誠で一貫しており,忠臣の典型と目されている。<参考文献>和田兼三郎『鳥居元忠』(私家版),中村孝也『家康の臣僚武将篇』

(平野明夫)

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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