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'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 Omi province (which is now Shiga prefecture), and was the second son of Ishida Masatsugu, who was a retainer for the Asai family. The Ishida withdrew from service after the Asai'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 Omi 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 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 decapitation in Kyoto, along with other daimyo of the Western army, like Konishi Yukinaga and Ankokuji Ekei. 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.
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.

Contents

In fiction

Further reading

External links

In fiction

★ The story of James Clavell's novel ''Shogun'' is based on the strife between Ishida (called Ishido in the novel) and Tokugawa (Toranaga) over the Taiko's son.

★ In ''Capcom's'' latest saga, '', Mitsunari is depicted wielding a tessen. Just like the history facts stated, he, in the public, acts as the head loyalist & confidant of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but secretly makes Hideyoshi his puppet, and obeys his demonic master, Fortinbras. Mitsunari is the one who is responsible of all the insidious plots and chaos that take place in the game, as he had signed a pact with the antagonist Claudius, allowing the latter to take over his body and soul and use him as a disguise. Towards the end of the epic, Mitsunari is almost annihilated by the protagonists if not for his trusted vassal Shima Sakon, who jumps into the scene and stabs him (though not killing him), forcing Claudius out of Mitsunari's body and into his true form, a demonic centipede Genma. Mitsunari is presumably alive at the end, though he no longer has any demonic powers to speak of.

★ 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, similar to his depiction in ''Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams'', although he is slightly good instead of evil like his Capcom counterpart, though he is 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.

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