was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku Period

Sengoku period

The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...

, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen

Takeda Shingen

, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...

. He was the son of Shingen

Takeda Shingen

, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...

 by the , the daughter of Suwa Yorishige. Katsuyori's children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Katsuchika.

Katsuyori, first known as , succeeded to his mother's Suwa clan

Suwa clan

The was a Japanese clan which claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji. It was a powerful clan of Shinano Province, particularly during the Sengoku period, when it had frequent clashes with its neighbor in Kai, the Takeda clan. The Suwa served as Takeda retainers for some time, and after the fall of...

 and gained Takatō Castle as the seat of his domain. After his elder brother Takeda Yoshinobu

Takeda Yoshinobu

was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period. Born Takeda Tarō , he was the son of Takeda Shingen, by Shingen's wife,. He came of age in 1550, and took the formal name of Yoshinobu, receiving the "yoshi" from the 13th Ashikaga shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru. In 1552, to further Takeda-Imagawa ties, he...

 died, Katsuyori's son Nobukatsu became heir to the Takeda clan, making Katsuyori the true ruler of the Takeda clan. He took charge of the family after the death of Shingen and fought Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

 at Takatenjin

Battle of Takatenjin

The Battle of Takatenjin was fought in 1574 between the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the forces of Takeda Katsuyori. Katsuyori captured the Tokugawa fortress of Takatenjin, a feat which his father had unsuccessfully attempted. This attack was also displayed in the film "Kagemusha" by Akira...

 in 1574 and at Nagashino

Battle of Nagashino

The ' took place in 1575 near Nagashino Castle on the plain of Shitaragahara in the Mikawa province of Japan. Forces under Takeda Katsuyori had besieged the castle since the 17th of June; Okudaira Sadamasa , a Tokugawa vassal, commanded the defending force...

 in 1575. He captured Takatenjin, which even his father could not; this gained him the support of the Takeda clan, but he suffered a terrible loss at Nagashino, succumbing to one of the earliest recorded uses of volley fire (Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

's 3000 guns), in which he lost a large part of his forces as well as a number of his generals.

Katsuyori incurred the wrath of the Hōjō family

Late Hojo clan

The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...

 by helping Uesugi Kagekatsu

Uesugi Kagekatsu

was a daimyo during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history. The son of Nagao Masakage and husband of Uesugi Kenshin's elder sister, Aya-Gozen. After his father died, he was adopted by Kenshin....

 against Uesugi Kagetora

Uesugi Kagetora

was the seventh son of Hōjō Ujiyasu; he was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin, and was meant to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his castle at Ōtate by Uesugi Kagekatsu--Kagetora's respective brother-in-law—and was subsequently defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following...

 who was Hōjō Ujiyasu

Hojo Ujiyasu

was the son of Hōjō Ujitsuna and a daimyō of the Odawara Hōjō clan.Upon his father's death in 1541, a number of the Hōjō's enemies sought to take advantage of the opportunity to seize major Hōjō strongholds...

's seventh son, adopted by and heir to Uesugi Kenshin

Uesugi Kenshin

was a daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku period of Japan.He was one of the most powerful lords of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries...

.

He lost Takatenjin in 1581 and this led clans like Kiso and Anayama to withdraw their support. His forces were destroyed by the combined armies of Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

 and Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

 at Temmokuzan

Battle of Temmokuzan

The 1582 in Japan, also known as the Battle of Toriibata, is regarded as the last stand of the Takeda family. This was the final attempt by Takeda Katsuyori to resist the combined forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga, who had been campaigning against him for some time.In his bid to hide from...

 in 1582, after which Katsuyori, his wife, his son Nobukatsu and several maids of their retinue committed suicide.

There has been rumours that Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

 had great pleasure in seeing Katsuyori's severed head, since the Takeda clan had always been his biggest rival.

The nun Rikei

Rikei

-Life and work:She was the oldest daughter of Katsunuma Nobutomo and became a nun at Mount Kashiwao. In 1582, Takeda Katsuyori, his wife and retinue fled to the mountain after having been defeated in battle...

wrote an account of his wife's suicide and, pitying them, wrote several verses in their honour.