Tsutsui Junkei Explained

Tsutsui Junkei
Native Name:筒井 順慶
Order:Head of Tsutsui clan
Term Start:1550
Term End:1584
Predecessor:Tsutsui Junshō
Successor:Tsutsui Sadatsugu
Office1:Daimyo of Yamato Province
Term Start1:1578
Term End1:1584
Predecessor1:Matsunaga Danjo Hisahide
Successor1:Toyotomi Hidenaga
Birth Date:March 31, 1549
Birth Place:Yamato Province
Death Date:September 15, 1584
Death Place:Yamato Province
Children:Tsutsui Sadatsugu
Tsutsui Junsai
Father:Tsutsui Junshō
Allegiance: Oda clan
Toyotomi clan
Commands:Kōriyama Castle
Battles:Echizen Campaign (1575)
Siege of Shigisan (1577)
Siege of Itami (1579)
Siege of Hijiyama (1581)
Battle of Komaki and Nagakute (1584)

son of Tsutsui Junshō, and a daimyō of the province of Yamato. On 1571, Junkei, through the offices of Akechi Mitsuhide, pledged to service of Oda Nobunaga.

Military life

Early in his career, in 1565, Matsunaga Hisahide, one of the most powerful warriors of the region, defeated Junkei and took Tsutsui Castle, but one year later in 1566, Junkei's Tsutsui castle was reclaimed after the battle against Hisahide, but shortly afterward he had to abandon it, following an order by Nobunaga.

In 1575, he joint the attack against the Echizen Ikkō-ikki, he participated in a unit among the forces from Yamato led by Harada Naomasa.

In 1577, by joining the forces of Oda Nobutada, along with Akechi Mitsuhide and Hosokawa Fujitaka, Junkei defeated Hisahide in Siege of Shigisan at Mount Shigi.[1]

In 1578, He was then appointed to the position of daimyō over Yamato, and was allowed to build a new castle, which was called Kōriyama Castle, now in Yamatokōriyama, Nara.

He participated in the Siege of Itami (1579) against Araki Murashige and Tenshō Iga War in the Siege of Hijiyama in (1581) against forces of Iga Sōkoku Ikki.[1]

In 1582, during the Battle of Yamazaki, Junkei refused to take either side and remained neutral awaiting the results of the battle at "Hora ga toge". This is the origin of the expression, "To sit on Hora ga toge", when referring to indecision.[1]

In 1584, Junkei fought in the Komaki Campaign against Tokugawa Ieyasu and after battle, his governance over Yamato was guaranteed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Death

Later on September 15, 1584, he died of illness. After Junkei's death, the Tsutsui clan was succeeded by Tsutsui Sadatsugu, a cousin and adopted son of Junkei. The Tsutsui Clan subsequently lost governance of Yamato to Toyotomi Hidenaga, Hideyoshi's half-brother. Sadatsugu themselves were moved to the Iga Province by orders of Hideyoshi.[2] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Turnbull. Stephen. The Samurai Sourcebook. 2000. Cassell & C0. London. 1854095234. 88,228.
  2. Web site: History of Yamatokoriyama, City of Yamatokoriyama . 2007-03-28 . 2002-04-09 . City of Yamatokoriyama . https://web.archive.org/web/20061006064150/http://www.city.yamatokoriyama.nara.jp/engrish/histry.htm . 2006-10-06.
  3. Web site: Tsutsui Junkei in History of Yamatokoriyama . 2007-03-28 . 2002-04-09 . City of Yamatokoriyama. Japanese.