Tsutsui Junkei

Who was Tsutsui Junkei?

Tsutsui Junkei son of Tsusui Junshō, and a Daimyo of the province of Yamato.

Very early on, Junkei had his castle taken away by Matsunaga Hisahide, one of the most powerful warriors of the region in feudal Japan at that time. Later by joining forces of Oda Nobunaga, Junkei defeated Hisahide at Mount Shigi in 1577. Junkei's original castle was regained after the battle, but shortly after had to be abandoned following the order of Nobunaga. He was then appointed to the lord position of Yamato by Nobunaga, and was allowed to build a new castle in Kōriyama. During the Battle of Yamasaki in 1582, Junkei refused to take either side and simply stayed neutral. His governance over Yamato was guaranteed by the victorious Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After Junkei’s death the Tsutsui clan was succeeded by Tsutsui Sadatsugu, a cousin and adopted son of Junkei. The Tsutsui subsequently lost governance of Yamato to Toyotomi Hidenaga, Hideyoshi's stepbrother, at the death of Junkei in 1584. The Tsutsui themselves were moved to the Iga Province by orders of Hideyoshi.