Battle of Yamazaki
Memorial stone
| date | July 2, 1582 |
|---|---|
| place | Yamazaki , Japan |
| output | Decisive win for Toyotomi Hideyoshi |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
Toyotomi Hideyoshi's armed forces |
Akechi Mitsuhide's armed forces |
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 20,000-40,000 men | 12,000-16,000 men |
| losses | |
|
3,300 |
3,000 |
The Battle of Yamazaki ( Japanese 山崎 の 戦 い , Yamazaki no tatakai ) on July 2, 1582 ( traditional : Tenshō 10/6/13) was a significant battle in Japanese history . By defeating Akechi Mitsuhide , the killer of Oda Nobunaga , Toyotomi Hideyoshi secured a leading role in Japan and eliminated his most dangerous competitor.
prehistory
Akechi Mitsuhide, one of the most capable military leaders, put in a coup in the Honnōji incident in 1582 against his master Oda Nobunaga and brought the Honnō-ji temple in Kyoto under his power with a surprise attack . He forced the cornered Oda to commit suicide ( Seppuku ) and murdered his son and heir Nobuyori. Shortly after this act, Akechi's army occupied Kyoto. Initially, there was no resistance in the region. The imperial court congratulated him for his actions and Mitsuhide presented himself as a liberator in Kyoto by lowering taxes and raising donations. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Nobunaga's highest generals, was besieging Takamatsu Castle , which was held by the Mōri , at the time of the Honnōji incident on Oda's behalf with a large army . At the end of June, the besiegers accidentally intercepted a messenger sent by Akechi to the Mōri, who reported on Nobunaga's murder. Thereupon Toyotomi immediately made peace with the Mōri and moved with his troops from June 25 to the east to avenge his liege lords and kill Akechi. The army marched in a forced march, some 40 kilometers a day, via Himeji to Kyoto. In Osaka he was joined by Niwa Nagahide , another Oda general, and Oda Nobutaka , Nobunaga's son, with their troops. On June 29, Akechi learned of Toyotomi's advance. Akechi at the time held two armored castles near Kyoto (Shoryuji and Yodo) but gave up these positions fearing he would be captured while his troops were divided. Instead, he united his armies and went to Yamazaki to face the enemy. His army took up position behind the Enmyojigawa, a tributary of the Yodogawa , and awaited Toyotomi. Arrived near Kyoto, Toyotomi recognized the strategic importance of Tennō-zan ( 天王 山 ), a 270 meter high hill near Yamazaki. He therefore sent a contingent under his officer Nakagawa Kiyohide , which was able to secure the position. On the night of July 1 to July 2, the first skirmish between units of both armies occurred when Toyotomi's generals Nakamura Kazuuji and Horio Yoshiharu sent ninja to Akechi's camp, who set fire there and caused confusion. The battle began on the morning of July 2nd.
battle
Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his army opened the fight by slowly marching down the heights on the enemy positions. Akechi Mitsuhide sent units under his samurai Matsuda Masachika and Nabika Kamon to meet them in order to push back the enemy and take the hill himself. Toyotomi's arquebusiers , however, fended off all attempts to storm the heights while his right flank simultaneously crossed the Enmyojigawa and Akechi's center fell into the side. Toyotomi then led his left wing through the river and attacked the enemy. Akechi's ranks collapsed under the pressure and his men fled. Only about 200 men under the command of Mimaki Kaneaki continued the fight and were completely wiped out by the enemy superiority. Defeated, Akechi Mitsuhide fled to the village of Ogurusu ( 小 栗 栖 ), where he was killed by bandits.
literature
RG Grant: 1001 Battles That Changed the Course of History , New York 2017. Stephen Turnbull: Toyotomi Hideyoshi , London 2011.