Ishida Mitsunari
Ishida Mitsunari (石田 三成 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. His childhood name was Sakichi (佐吉).
He was born in the south of Ōmi Province (which is now Shiga prefecture), and was the second son of Ishida Masatsugu, who was a retainer for the Azai clan. The Ishida withdrew from service after the Azai's defeat in 1573. According to legend, he was a monk in a Buddhist temple before he served Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but the accuracy of this legend is doubted since it only came about during the Edo period.
Mitsunari met Toyotomi Hideyoshi when the former was still young and the latter was the daimyo of Nagahama. When Hideyoshi engaged in a campaign in the Chūgoku region, Mitsunari assisted his lord in attacks against castles like the Tottori Castle and Takamatsu Castle (in present-day Okayama).
After Hideyoshi seized power, Mitsunari became known as a talented financial manager due to his knowledge and skill at calculation. From 1585 onward, he was the administrator of Sakai province, a role he took together with his elder brother Ishida Masazumi. He was appointed one of the five bugyo, or top administrators of Hideyoshi's government. Hideyoshi made him a daimyo of Sawayama in Ōmi Province, a five hundred thousand koku fief (now a part of Hikone). Sawayama Castle was known as one of the best-fortified castles during that time.
Mitsunari was a leader of bureaucrats in Hideyoshi's government, and was known for his rigid character. Though he had many friends, he was on bad terms with some daimyo that were known as good warriors, including Hideyoshi's relative Fukushima Masanori. After Hideyoshi's death, their conflict worsened. The central point of their conflict was the question whether Tokugawa Ieyasu could be relied on as a supporter of the Toyotomi government, whose nominal lord was the child Toyotomi Hideyori.
In 1600, the Battle of Sekigahara was fought as a result of this political conflict. Mitsunari succeeded in organizing an army led by Mori Terumoto. But the coalition following Tokugawa Ieyasu was greater, and the battle resulted in Mitsunari's defeat.
After his defeat, he sought to escape, but was caught by villagers. He was executed by a particularly brutal decapitation in Kyoto, whereby he was buried up to his shoulders in the ground and locals were invited to saw at his neck with a bamboo saw.[citation needed] After execution, his head, severed from his body, was placed on a stand for all the people in Kyoto to see. However, a rumor has it that after a few days, his head mysteriously disappeared [citation needed]. Other daimyo of the Western army, like Konishi Yukinaga and Ankokuji Ekei were also executed.
Mitsunari had three sons (Shigeie, Shigenari and Sakichi) and three daughters (only the younger girl's name is known, Tatsuko) with his wife, and another child from a mistress.
Modern References
- The story of James Clavell's novel Shōgun is based on the strife between Ishida (called Ishido in the novel) and Tokugawa (Toranaga) over the Taiko's son.
- Mitsunari also appears as one of the main characters of Koei's Kessen. He is the first of three commanders under the Toyotomi forces depicted opposing Tokugawa Ieyasu. Whether or not he survives the Battle of Sekigahara and defeats Ieyasu depends on the Player's actions.
- Mitsunari is also a playable character in Koei's Samurai Warriors 2. He wields a folded fan, and is shown to be arrogant and prone to making snide remarks in the game. He is also depicted as a friend of Sanada Yukimura and Naoe Kanetsugu. Towards the end of his story, he admits that he changed his arrogant ways due to the influence of his friends. In Sakon Shima's ending, he forms a friendship with him. In Kanetsugu's ending, he was defeated at Sekigahara and was later captured and executed, similar to his actual death.
- Mitsunari also appeared in Warriors Orochi, a crossover between Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors. In this game, he is part of Orochi's army, under the control of Da Ji but, later forms a friendship with Cao Pi after witnessing him allowing Sun Ce to escape from Orochi's forces during one of their battles and aids him throughout Wei's story line there on in.
- Mitsunari is a villain in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties campaign. In the Japanese campaign, players must kill him in order to win and unify Japan.
- In the anime Bleach, the character Uryū Ishida is based on Mitsunari and shares his last name.
- Mitsunari assumed the role of one of the main antagonists in Capcom's Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, and featured in the opening video fighting against Nankobo Tenkai using a folding fan. His Samurai Warriors 2 Interpretation may be based on him.
- Mitsunari is confirmed as the lead character of Koei's upcoming DS game Saihai no Yukue. [citation needed]
- In the Japanese eroge Sen goku Hime, the character "Ishida Futanari" is a parody of Mitsunari.
Further reading
- Bryant, Anthony. Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle for Power. Praeger Publishers, 2005.
External links
- SengokuDaimyo.com The website of Samurai Author and Historian Anthony J. Bryant
- SamuraiArchives.com