Clan mergers

[Zen Blade]

I was wondering if anyone could come up with some ideas/details about this.

I know that some clans might unite through marriage and such, but if you think about Imagawa, Hojo, Takeda, and Uesugi... even though they had marriages and brothers and such there was never any true merging.

This also brings up an interesting question...
regarding the successor to Kenshin... What if Ujimasa's brother had won???

Seal, it has been so long since we have seen your expertese mate!! but, we need your help here!

-Zen Blade

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Zen Blade Asai
Red Devil
Last of the RSG
Clan Tenki Council-Unity

[Zen Blade]

*Bump*

Anyone know where FWSeal is??
He usually responds to these types of posts.
without him, our knowledge is much less
: (

-Zen Blade

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Zen Blade Asai
Red Devil
Last of the RSG
Clan Tenki Council-Unity

[Anssi Hakkinen]

I've been wondering about that too. The Samurai Archives are still up, but maybe he's just cut his presence here, given that we haven't been very active in the past few weeks. Let's hope everything is all right otherwise...

[Shiro]

I know almost nothing about Japanese history, but I enjoy FWSeal's posts tremendously. The man has always something to teach me. Let us hope for his speedy return.

[This message has been edited by Shiro (edited 05-27-2001).]

[FwSeal]

Hey, fellows,
I've had a heck of a lot going on in my life - barely time to think (that and my home computer gave up the ghost a few weeks back - which did allow me to relieve some stress by shooting holes in the motherboard out back .
Well, anyway... its difficult to say about the Uesugi civil war. The preponderance of the notable Uesugi retainer clans flocked to Kagekatsu's banner (such as Amakasu, Nakajo, Naoe, Saito, Suibara). It seems hard to imagine that Kagetora could ever have brought Echigo firmly under his hand. Kagekatsu's victory, while costly indeed for the Uesugi (and a boon for the Oda), did at least allow for some continuity (as, again, many of the chief Uesugi retainers had supported him and he was, after all, a Nagao by birth).
Kagetora was a tragic figure, as the sengoku period went. Apparently a decent enough guy (if popular history is to believed), he was at first adopted by the venerable Hojo Genan (who would die in 1589, at over 90 years of age) when the latter's two sons were killed in battle by the Takeda. Around 1569 he was sent to Uesugi Kenshin and married to a daughter of Nagao Masakage (making him Kagekatsu's brother-in-law). Kenshin is supposed to have been taken by Kagetora's brightness and good nature. Kagekatsu, on the other hand, was perhaps a better picture of the Echigo warrior - somber, a hearty campaigner, and ambitious (anyway, so the conception goes).
A few western sources list Kagetora as a one-time adoptee of Takeda Shingen (and known as Takeda Saburo). A number of Japanese works I have seen (albiet of the Rekishi Gunzo variety - that is, rather more popular then scholarly) describe Kagetora as a 'hostage' of Shingen (rather then an adopted son) who was sent back when the Takeda and Hojo went to war.

[This message has been edited by FwSeal (edited 05-31-2001).]

[Kurando]

Glad you're back Forest!