Battle of Asai

Battle of Asai
Part of Sekigahara campaign

The Battle of Asai screen (six-panel screen), Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of History
Date1600
Location
Hokuriku region
Result Tactical victory for Niwa Nagashige
Belligerents
Maeda clan Niwa clan
Commanders and leaders
Maeda Toshinaga Niwa Nagashige
Strength
25,000 3,000

Battle of Asai (浅井畷の戦い, Asai nawate no Tatakai) was a battle during Sekigahara campaign in 1600 AD that took place in the Hokuriku region between Maeda Toshinaga, the daimyo of Kaga Domain,  against Niwa Nagashige, head of Niwa clan.

Background

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi 's death in 1598, Tokugawa Ieyasu rose to power, competing for the position of next ruler of Japan.[1] In response to this, in 1600, Ishida Mitsunari , one of the Toyotomi's five magistrates, and Otani Yoshitsugu boldly raised an army against Tokugawa Ieyasu and his Eastern Army, who at the time on their way heading to Aizu.[2]

As the conflict broke out between Ieyasu and Mitsunari, many daimyo lords take different sides, with Maeda Toshinaga supported Ieyasu, while Niwa Nagashige supported Mitsunari. The two opposing forces' met in The Asai field, in the city of Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture.[3]

Battle

Battle of Asai historical site
Interactive map of Battle of Asai historical site
LocationOyoryomachi, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Area420 m2 (designated area)[4]
(North-south 30 meters, east-west 17 meters)[3]

On August 9, as the Maeda army marched through the constricted Asai Nawate, Eguchi Masayoshi's hidden Niwa troops struck. The narrow terrain prevented the Maeda forces from deploying effectively, inflicting heavy losses. Despite this, generals Naga Tsunetatsu and Yamazaki Naganori rallied the troops, repelled the Niwa force's attack, and managed a retreat to Kanazawa.[5][6][7][8]

At this time, Toshinaga's younger brother, Maeda Toshimasa, who had participated in the previous battle, remained holed up in his castle, Nanao Castle, and did not helping his brother. It is said that Toshimasa had long been advocating joining the Western Army, in contrast with his brother, who fought on the side of the Eastern Army.[9]

Nine of the subordinate officers of Chō Tsuratatsu, vassal of the Maeda clan who was the rear guard of the Maeda army, were killed in the Battle of Azai-nawate, and stone monuments for them have been erected at the battlefield.[3][10]

Aftermath

At the end of August, Toshinaga was ordered by Tokugawa Ieyasu once again took action to advance into Mino Province. Meanwhile, Niwa Nagashige ultimately surrendered to Toshinaga.[1]

After the Western Army of Ishida Mitsunari was defeated in the main battle on September 15, the daimyo of Echizen and southern Kaga that accused of supporting the Western Army such as Nagashige and Toshimasa, were stripped of their from their domains by Ieyasu.[1] However, Nagashige was pardoned from execution due to the intercession of Toshinaga.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mise Kazuo (2010, pp. 122–123)
  2. ^ Mise Kazuo (2010, p. 10)
  3. ^ a b c Cultural Assets of Komatsu City (2001, p. 134)
  4. ^ "平時忠卿及びその一族の墳・浅井畷古戦場". 石川県. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  5. ^ Jinbutsu Ōraisha (2006). 歴史読本 (in Japanese) (Volume 51, Issue 9 ed.). 新人物往来社. p. 245. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  6. ^ Sumio Minegishi, Akihiko Katagiri, ed. (2005). 戦国武将合戦事典 [Sengoku Warlord Battle Encyclopedia] (in Japanese). 吉川弘文館. p. 441. ISBN 978-4-642-01343-7. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  7. ^ 利家が生きた桃山時代の美術 [The Art of the Momoyama Period in which Maeda Toshiie Lived] (in Japanese). 石川県立美術館. 1999. p. 173. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  8. ^ Kokushi Daijiten Henshū Iinkai, ed. (1979). 国史大辞典 [Encyclopedia of Japanese History] (in Japanese). Yoshikawa Kōbunkan. p. 144. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  9. ^ Mise Kazuo (2014). "関ヶ原合戦前後における前田利政の動静" [Maeda Toshimasa's Activities Before and After the Battle of Sekigahara]. Kanazawa Gakuin University Bulletin (in Japanese) (12).; Onishi Yasumasa, ed. (2016), 前田利家・利長 [Maeda Toshiie and Toshinaga], 織豊大名の研究 第三巻 (in Japanese), vol. 3, 戎光祥出版, ISBN 978-4-86403-207-0
  10. ^ 浅井畷古戦場; 小松市の文化財 [Asai Battlefield; Cultural Property of Komatsu City] (PDF) (in Japanese), Komatsu, Ishikawa, 2020-01-01{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ^ Kankyo Bukan (1916). Shinmichi Kurokawa (ed.). ja:管窺武鑑  (in Japanese) – via Wikisource. Source: Kurokawa Masamichi (ed.), Echigo Shishu (Echigo History Collection), Echigo Shishu Publishing Association, Taisho 5. National Diet Library Digital Collection : info:ndljp/pid/3440079

Bibliography

  • Mise Kazuo (2010). "関ヶ原合戦前夜の北陸と前田利長―慶長五年九月五日付前田利長書状― (Hokuriku and Maeda Toshinaga on the eve of the Battle of Sekigahara – A letter from Maeda Toshinaga dated September 5, 1600)". In 佐藤孝之 (ed.). 古文書の語る地方史 [Regional History Told by Ancient Documents] (in Japanese). 天野出版工房. ISBN 9784642080439. Takayuki Sato (ed.)
  • Cultural Assets of Komatsu City (2001). 小松市の文化財 [Asai Battlefield] (in Japanese). 小松市教育委員会.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.