Wakisaka Yasuharu

Wakisaka Yasuharu (脇坂安治)(1554-1626), sometimes referred to as Wakizaka Yasuharu, was a daimyo (feudal lord) of Awaji Island who fought under a number of warlords over the course of Japan's Sengoku period.

Wakisaka originally served under Akechi Mitsuhide, a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. In 1581, he was one of several who led Nobunaga's troops in the Siege of Hijiyama. The following year, Akechi betrayed Oda Nobunaga and took his power and lands, but was defeated two weeks later at the Battle of Yamazaki.

Wakisaka then pledged his service to the victor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Following the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, Wakisaka came to be known as one of the shichi-hon-yari (七本槍), or Seven Spears of Shizugatake. These Seven would be among Hideyoshi's most trusted generals, especially in naval combat. Wakisaka was granted the fief of Awaji Island, worth 30,000 koku, in 1585. He was then made commander of part of Hideyoshi's fleet, taking part in Hideyoshi's 1587 campaigns in Kyushu, the 1590 Siege of Odawara, and the invasions of Korea, which took place from 1592 to 1598.

By the year 1600, Wakisaka had come to support Ishida Mitsunari, fighting in the Western Army against Tokugawa Ieyasu's Eastern Army in the famous Battle of Sekigahara. Sometime during the battle, Wakisaka switched sides along with Kobayakawa Hideaki, and contributed to the Tokugawa victory.

Reference

• Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.