Magara Naotaka

In this Japanese name, the surname is Magara.
Magara Naotaka in the Battle of Anegawa.

Magara Naotaka (真柄 直隆, 1536 – August 9, 1570) was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Asakura clan. He was also known as Magara Jūrōzaemon (真柄 十郎左衛門). Magara was a big man with a height of 7 shaku (210 centimetres (83 in)) and was famed for his skill with the ōdachi.[1]

During the 1570 Battle of Anegawa, he served on the front lines, together with his son Naomoto. They supported the Asakura army's retreat from the forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. There is also a report of Naotaka fought in a one on one duel against Honda Tadakatsu. However, The duel was cut short as during their duel, the Asakura army started to retreat.[a] As the Asakura continued to presently retreat to their original stronghold, Naotaka lost his blade. After attempting to continue fighting bare-handed, he was killed together with his son.[3]

Atsuta Shrine owns Tarō tachi (太郎太刀), a ōdachi with a blade length of 221 centimetres (87 in)) which is said to be the sword Naotaka used. The historical book Akechi Gunki (明智軍記) states that he used a ōdachi of 7 shaku 8 sun (237 centimetres (93 in)), and Asakura Shimatsuki (朝倉始末記) states that he used a ōdachi of about 9 shaku 5 sun (288 centimetres (113 in)).[1][4][5]

Appendix

Footnotes

  1. ^ Daimon Watanabe, professor of Bukkyo University, and director of Japan institute of arts and culture stated this duel between Tadakatsu and Naotaka were much unconfirmed due to very few historical primary sources of the story.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b 【戦国こぼれ話】君は朝倉氏の家臣で、名刀「太郎太刀」で名を馳せた真柄直隆を知っているか. Daimon Watanabe. Yahoo News. 6 October 2021.
  2. ^ Watanabe Daimon (2023). "「どうする家康」姉川の戦いにおける、真柄直隆と本多忠勝の一騎打ち". yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/ (in Japanese). 渡邊大門 無断転載を禁じます。 © LY Corporation. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  3. ^ Turnbull, Stephen (1987). Battles of the Samurai. Arms and Armour Press. pp. 63–65. ISBN 0853688265.
  4. ^ Yasutue Owada (12 June 2015). Token Mokuroku (刀剣目録). Shin kigensha (新紀元社). p. 301. ISBN 978-4775313404.
  5. ^ 福井縣南條郡誌. 南条郡教育會. March 1934. p. 548.

Bibliography

  • Turnbull, Stephen R. (2005). Warriors of Medieval Japan. Osprey. ISBN 1841768642.
  • Masahare (18 Feb 2008). "Magara Naotaka". Shiro to Kosenjō (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2008-12-26. Retrieved 2024-05-27.


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