Takahashi Shigetane

In this Japanese name, the family name is "Takahashi".

Takahashi Shigetane (高橋 紹運, 1548 – September 10, 1586) also known as Takahashi Shōun (Jōun) (高橋 紹運) was a senior retainer beneath the clan of Otomo throughout the latter Sengoku Period of Feudal Japan. As Shigetane was additionally known by the name of Takahashi Shoun during the earlier years of his life, he would began his service beneath the Otomo of Bungo Province around this same initial time, who presently possessed Sorin as their leader and head. Eventually, Shigetane became the respective controller of the Takahashi clan, in which he was additionally regarded as a great pillar of power to the Otomo name, being granted a castle by the name of Iwaya that bordered Chikuzen Province in contribution to his authority and prestige. However, by the year of 1586, The powerful Shimazu had recently conquered the Ryūzōji at Okitanawate in 1584, and thus presently set their aim upon the destruction of the Otomo, who they possessed a long, intense rivalry towards for many consecutive years—an action that forced the Shigetane, who was presently unprepared, to strengthen his defenses.

However, the forces of Shimazu had arrived earlier than the Otomo had initially inticipated, and therefore Shigetane was desperately placed into a dilemma: on hand he only possessed no than 760 men, and as the opposition respectively wielded around 50,000 soldiers, no form of defense could be utterly possible, considering that such a mass of military might was additionally set on solely besieging his Iwaya, as opposed to splitting and assaulting from a different direction. And as the circumstances would naturally have it, Shigetane was overwhelmed relatively immediately, but Iwaya somehow managed to survive for over two weeks of time before initially seeing that the situation was far beyond any length of salvation, forcing Shigetane to commit suicide there and then, who was consequently praised by the Shimazu for his bravery and conviction, despite being in a situation that entirely contradicted any means of victory.

Right in the middle of The battle of Iwaya castle, a commanding officer of Shimazu demanded him to stop attack and said that "why do you serve unjust Otomo clan that make light of Buddhism and has faith in Christianity. your bravely has been proved please surrender. and he answered that a lot of men serve hard when their lords are powerful but few men try to protect their lords at the risk of their lives when their lords become weaker. Do you also abandon your lord when your lord become weaker. A samurai who are ungrateful is worse than animals." It was said that all men in the battlefield include Shimazu's soldiers admired him.

His son Muneshige later was adopted to the Tachibana and succeeded Shigetane's daughter-in-law Tachibana Ginchiyo as the head of the clan.

References

• Takahashi Shigetane - SamuraiWiki. (Samurai Archives) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005
• Siege of Iwaya - SamuraiWiki. (Samurai Archives) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005