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The Battle of Sekigahara (Hardback)

The Greatest, Bloodiest, Most Decisive Samurai Battle Ever

Military > Frontline Books

By Chris Glenn
Frontline Books
Pages: 216
Illustrations: 65 black and white illustrations & maps
ISBN: 9781399014137
Published: 20th October 2021
This Week's Best Sellers Rank: #10

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Sekigahara was the greatest samurai battle in history. Japan had long been at civil war until brought under the rule of Oda Nobunaga, and then, following his death at the hands of a traitorous general, that of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It was Hideyoshi who completed the unification of Japan and ushered in a period of peace.

After Hideyoshi’s death in 1598, a power struggle emerged between those loyal to the Toyotomi, and those who supported the second most powerful warlord, Tokugawa Ieyasu. With Hideyoshi gone, Ieyasu made moves that brought the ire of a number of his contemporaries, and soon the entire country was divided into two great armies, East and West. Leading the loyalist cause was Ishida Mitsunari, who gathered a force of around 130,000 samurai, while the Tokugawa commanded just 80,000.

Both sides hurried to seize strategically vital highways and castles. These attacks and sieges culminated in the decisive Battle of Sekigahara. Fought on 21 October 1600, the battle lasted just six hours, but saw the deaths of an estimated 30,000 samurai, the destruction of a number of noble families and the creation of the Tokugawa Shogunate that was to rule Japan for 260 years of relative peace. The loyalist forces, despite their superior numbers and excellent battle formations, were defeated.

In his exploration of the battle, Chris Glenn reveals the developments that led up to the outbreak of war, the characters involved, how the battle itself unfolded, and the aftermath. The weapons and armor of the time are also fully explained, along with little known customs of the samurai and their warfare.

"I really enjoyed the book it is well researched and gives a great insight into the period and the characters involved."

Stephen Ede-Borrett, The Pike and Shot Society

nformationally enriched for the reader with the inclusion of Illustrations, Maps, a thirteen page Sekigahara Timeline, a sixteen page Sekigahara: Who's Who, a six page Glossary, a one page Select Bibliography, and a five page Index, "The Battle of Sekigahara: The Greatest, Bloodiest, Most Decisive Samurai Battle Ever" is as inherently fascinating read as it is a superb work of definitive and comprehensive work of original scholarship.

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Midwest Book Review

This is an excellent account of this crucial battle, from the introduction which sets up the world in which Ieyasu and his opponents operated, through the early stages of the wider war to the brutal battle itself and on to the almost as brutal aftermath. Between them Sekigahara and Osaka established the power of the Tokugawa, which would last for over two and a half centuries, so an understanding of how that came about is of great value.

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History of War

"This memorable volume is a good springboard for readers to pursue and learn about the culture and history of Japan."

Roger Coleman, The Wessex Branch of the Western Front Association

Written in an anecdotal style of stories and sketches spun around a central narrative, Glenn’s informative and entertaining chronicle of the Battle of Sekigahara is a stand-out contribution to Samurai military history. This is a book that, while complete in itself as a battle narrative, prompts further reading into the world of the samurai, which often seems quite bizarre to readers more accustomed to the practical demands of warfare. The peculiar code of the samurai permeates the battle and Glenn’s account. It is fascinating reading, and for those with even a passing interest in samurai warfare, eye-opening and enlightening.

Read the full review here

Beating Tsundoku

If the history of the Samurai or this Battle interests, you then you should obtain a copy of this outstanding volume. It brings the Battle to life and how Japan as a state was created.

Dr Stuart C Blank, Military Archive Research

About Chris Glenn

CHRIS GLENN is an Adelaide, Australia, born bilingual radio DJ, TV presenter, helicopter pilot, narrator, historian, lecturer and copywriter. He first visited Japan as a Rotary Exchange Student in 1985, spending a year in Sapporo, returning to Japan in 1992. A researcher of samurai history and culture, he is a member of the Japan Armor and Weapons Research and Preservation Society, and the Japan Castle Research Society. He was apprenticed to a traditional samurai armour craftsman from 1994, and is a collector of samurai arms and armour. Chris holds Shodan rank in Kendo, and studied Owari Yagyu Shinkage and Enmei Ryu kobudo, traditional combat techniques. A resident of Nagoya, Japan since 1993, he serves as the Sekigahara Tourism Ambassador, the Nagoya Tourism, Cultural and Exchange Special Ambassador, and the Omi Tourism Ambassador. He has had numerous books on Japanese castles and battles published in both Japanese and English. Called upon by various local and national government agencies as an advisor and committee member, he remains active in researching, preserving and promoting Japanese history and culture.

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