Origins & Early Life

Honda Tadakatsu (本多 忠勝; March 17, 1548 – December 3, 1610), also called Honda Heihachirō (本多 平八郎) was a Japanese samurai, general, and daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings (Shitennō) along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu. It was reported that he never suffered a single wound despite participating in a total of 57 military campaigns throughout his life. For his fighting prowess on the battlefield Honda Tadakatsu earned the praise of various contemporary figures such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu himself.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Tadakatsu was born in 1548, in Kuramae, Nukata, Mikawa Province (present-day Nishi-Kuramae, Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture), the eldest son of Honda Tadataka. The Honda clan was one of the oldest Anjō fudai families, a family of fudai daimyo who had been serving Tokugawa Ieyasu since he was in Anjō. In 1560, Tadakatsu participated his first battle in the battle of Washizu Fort, where he accompanied his father. Later, he also participated in Ieyasu's campaign during the siege of Ōdaka Castle which occurred before the Battle of...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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