Battle of Azukizaka (1564)

The Battle of Azukizaka (小豆坂の戦い, Azukizaka no tatakai) or Battle of Batō-ga-hara (馬頭原の戦い, Batō-ga-hara no tatakai) took place in 1564, when Matsudaira Motoyasu (later renamed Tokugawa Ieyasu), sought to destroy the growing threat of the Ikkō-ikki, a league of monks, samurai, and peasants who were strongly against samurai rule.

Battle of Batogahara
Part of the Sengoku period
Date January 15, 1564 Location Azukizaka, Mikawa Province Result Matsudaira victory
Belligerents
Ikkō-ikki monks	Matsudaira clan and Jōdo monks
Commanders and leaders
Kuzei Honda Masanobu Natsume Yoshinobu	Matsudaira Motoyasu Kōriki Kiyonaga Sakakibara Yasumasa

Background

Tensions between warriors and the Ikki had been escalating in Mikawa as the Ikki resisted samurai efforts to tax their temples. Fighting broke out in 1563 when Suganuma Sada, a Matsudaira retainer entered the Jōgū-ji temple in Okazaki, and confiscated its rice to feed his own men. In retaliation the monks attacked Suganuma's castle and retrieved the rice back to Jōgū-ji where they barricaded themselves. When Motoyasu sent messengers to their temple to investigate the disorder they were executed. In another incident, Ikki samurai attacked a merchant in the temple town of Honshō-ji. Motoyasu launched a raid against the temple but was defeated.

Battle

The Matsudaira residence was in the castle of Okazaki

The Jōdo monastery of Daiju-ji enjoyed the patronization of the Matsudaira clan and assisted Motoyasu at Azukizaka

On January 15, 1564. Motoyasu had decided to concentrate his forces in eliminating the Ikki from Mikawa and had sought the help of warrior monks from the temple of Daiju-ji with whom he enjoyed good relations. In the Ikki ranks were some of Motoyasu's vassals, like Honda Masanobu and Natsume Yoshinobu, who had turned over to the Ikki rebellion on religious sympathy.

The battle was fierce and Motoyasu took the field personally, issuing challenges to enemy samurai and fighting in the front line where he received several bullets that pierced his armour but failed to wound him.[1][2]

Aftermath

Motoyasu's brave conduct in the battle convinced many of the samurai turncoats in the Ikki to switch sides and the Ikki were defeated. Nevertheless, the battle did not spell the end of the Ikki in Mikawa, Motoyasu continued his campaign to pacify the province from the Ikki.

See also

• Battle of Azukizaka (1542)

References

1. Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 216. ISBN 1854095234.
2. Turnbull, Stephen R. (1977). The Samurai: A Military History. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co. p. 144.

Bibliography

• Turnbull, Stephen. (1996). 'Samurai warfare'. CASSEL IMPRINT.
• Turnbull, Stephen. (2003). 'Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949-1603'. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
• Turnbull, Stephen. (2008). 'Samurai Armies 1467–1649'. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
• Turnbull, Stephen. (2010). 'Samurai Armies 1467–1649'. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.