learn/[id]

ERA

1 min read

家

ERA

The Letter That Enraged Ieyasu: Why the Naoe-jo Triggered the Battle of Sekigahara

In 1600, Naoe Kanetsugu sent Tokugawa Ieyasu a letter so bold it triggered the Battle of Sekigahara. What did it say, and why did a single letter change the course of Japanese history?

A deep read

In 1600, Naoe Kanetsugu’s written reply to Tokugawa Ieyasu’s demands not only rejected the charges but openly criticized Ieyasu himself. Ieyasu launched a punitive expedition against the Uesugi; the western lords seized his absence to rally under Ishida Mitsunari; and the Battle of Sekigahara followed. A single bold letter changed Japanese history.

Portrait of Naoe Kanetsugu — the bold Uesugi administrator whose letter to Ieyasu triggered the Battle of Sekigahara

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Portrait of Uesugi Kenshin — the Uesugi clan tradition of valuing righteousness (gi) was the backdrop for Kanetsugu's bold letter

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Battle of Sekigahara (1600) — partly triggered by the Naoe Letter, the decisive battle that led to the Edo period when Ieyasu's Eastern Army won

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

── END ──

This article was

♡ Helpful

⤴

Key Figures

Naoe Kanetsugu