Siege of Minowa
{{short description|Japanese battle in 1566}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Siege of Minowa
| partof = Sengoku period
| image =
| caption =
| date = 1566
| place = Minowa Castle, Kōzuke province
| coordinates = {{coord|36|24|16|N|138|57|05|E|type:event_region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| map_type = Japan Gunma Prefecture#Japan
| map_relief = yes
| map_size =
| map_marksize =
| map_caption =
| map_label =
| result = Siege successful; Takeda victory
| combatant1 = Uesugi clan
| combatant2 = Forces of Takeda Shingen
| commander1 = Kamiizumi Hidetsuna
Nagano Narimori{{KIA}}
| commander2 = Takeda Shingen
Naitō Masatoyo
| strength1 = 3,000
| strength2 = 5,000
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
}}
{{Campaignbox Campaigns of the Takeda}}The 1566 siege of Minowa was one of several battles fought by the Takeda clan in their campaigns to seize the lands of the Uesugi clan, during Japan's Sengoku period. It is part of a larger power struggle between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin.{{Cite book|last=Turnbull|first=Stephen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NnKHCwAAQBAJ&q=Siege+of+Minowa&pg=PT195|title=Kawanakajima 1553–64: Samurai power struggle|date=2013-01-20|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4728-0022-0|language=en}}
Background
Some years before, Nagano Narimasa, lord of Minowa castle and faithful retainer to the Uesugi, died. In order to protect the region from the depredations of the Takeda, the Nagano family kept his death a secret until his heir could settle into power.
Siege
The Takeda attacked in 1566, and were held off for a time, with the young heir, Nagano Narimori, and famous swordsman Kamiizumi Hidetsuna, leading the defense. Intense hand-to-hand fighting eventually led to Hidetsuna leading a bold charge from the castle, which was initially successful. However, Narimori was killed soon afterwards, and the castle fell.
Aftermath
References
{{Reflist}}
- Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minowa 1566}}
Category:Sieges of the Sengoku period
Category:Attacks on castles in Japan
Category:16th-century military history of Japan
Category:Military history of Gunma Prefecture
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