Did Tokugawa Ieyasu, who feared the Sanada clan, truly not know about the death of Masayuki?
According to the “Gōō Kiroku” (Records of Gōō), when Tokugawa Ieyasu learned that it was not Masayuki but his son Nobushige who had entered Osaka Castle, he felt relieved.
The author of the “Gōō Kiroku” defends this by stating, “Since Masayuki’s unparalleled military prowess was feared by everyone, it is understandable that Ieyasu, concerned about Sanada, felt relieved when he learned that it was not Masayuki who had entered the castle.”
Afterward, Ieyasu sent Masayuki’s brother, Nobutada, to Nobushige in an attempt to make him defect to the Tokugawa side, but it failed. This suggests that Ieyasu indeed feared Nobushige, making it a truly intriguing account.
In this way, it can be said that Ieyasu, as a ruler, was constantly plagued by worries that Masayuki might rise up in rebellion, despite having exiled him to Kudoyama nine times. However, it is interesting to note that Ieyasu believed there would be no problem as long as it was his son Nobushige.
However, there are some questionable points in the above anecdotes. It should have already been reported to Ieyasu that Masayuki had passed away in Keicho 16 (1611). If that is the case, it would be natural to assume that Ieyasu did not think Masayuki had entered Osaka Castle. In fact, the claim that Ieyasu was unaware of Masayuki’s death raises significant doubts.
The episodes discussed so far are based on the assumption that the Sanada clan was skilled in warfare and that Ieyasu feared Masayuki. There seems to be an intention to denigrate Ieyasu and it can be considered entirely fictional. It is not based on historical facts.
In other words, it is a work of fiction that elevates the renowned general Sanada Masayuki, who died in despair, in order to discredit Ieyasu. Although the stories surrounding Nobushige’s entry into Osaka Castle are interesting, they contain many suspicious points and are difficult to believe from a common sense perspective.
Ieyasu let his guard down because it was Nobushige and not Masayuki who entered the castle. However, the stories of Ieyasu being tormented by Nobushige are often exaggerated and filled with absurd and unbelievable anecdotes, and they cannot be fully trusted.
Written by Watanabe Daimon
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