Born with the name Matsudaira Takechiyo on January 31, 1543. She was born in the Mikawa province. She was the daughter of a powerful feudal lord named Matsudaira Hirodata. His clan was characterized by several family differences: some wanted to join the Oda others wanted to get closer to the Imagawa. The young Takechiyo was born in a climate where one could not even trust one's relatives.
1548
Takechiyo was only five when she accidentally heard her father make arrangements with Imagawa Yoshimoto's representative.
« The Oda clan is invading our lands. Mikawa will fall into their hands if we don't do something, understand? I need help from Yoshimoto, I need his army otherwise we will end up in Nobuhide's hands! »
« I understand your regret, the Oda clan is very dangerous but my lord is kind and wants to offer his help to your clan. But there's a price to pay: my lord has imposed as a condition that your daughter be sent to Sunpu as a hostage in exile. »
« Why? »
« Don't discuss my lord's choices. Do you accept or not? »
Hirodata was hesitant, Takechiyo was eavesdropping and was convinced that her father would never agree to such a thing. It would have been crazy.
« Will I have the help I need to stop the Oda clan? »
« You will have all the help you need, yes. »
« Okay, then I accept. »
Takechiyo's heart stopped. Her father had practically thrown her out of the house. However, the plan was not as successful as hoped for. Nobuhide learned of the agreement between Yoshimoto and Hirodata and kidnapped little Takechiyo by taking her to Kowatari Castle. He threatened to kill her. In the end he didn't.
1560
Matsudaira Takechiyo changed her name to Matsudaira Motoyasu and began serving the Imagawa clan, which sometimes allowed her to return to Mikawa. In 1558 she led the siege of Terabe, a castle in the hands of the Ogasawara clan who was allied to the Oda clan. After the victory, Motoyasu was already on the return journey to be welcomed as a winner. Marching on horseback, the girl thought about her life, had a goal in mind and felt she was unable to achieve it as long as she remained under the Imagawa clan. The clan was giving her more autonomy but she wanted to be reunited with the Matsudaira clan.
During a visit to Mikawa she met a member of her clan with whom she delved into a pleasant discussion that changed the tone when the fatal question came:
« How long do you intend to serve the Imagawa clan, Motoyasu? »
« Yours is a strange question. »
« Your clan is afraid that you will remain a puppet of Yoshimoto, we're afraid. Your father never wanted this. »
« My father sold me! I was only five years old and he traded me like an object. I'm not going to be treated this way by Yoshimoto too, you can count on it. Maybe one day I'll be free. I just need a divine signal, a sign that tells me that the time has come to realize my destiny in this world. »
« What did you have in mind? You are a successful general, the soldiers trust you. Maybe you should consider total autonomy. »
« No, it would be madness now. Have you heard of the Demon Girl? Oda Nobunaga. She's apparently more feared than any other monster and more adored than any other deity. Her allies respect her, her enemies fear her and the earth trembles as she passes. She's my way out. She can give me what I'm looking for. With Oda Nobunaga by my side I will be powerful enough to crush the Imagawa clan, I'm sure. »
« And then? »
« Then fate will decide for me. »
In the same year there was the battle of Okehazama at the end of which Oda Nobunaga managed to kill Imagawa Yoshimoto. Motoyasu was baffled by Nobunaga's skill, no one would have been able to defeat an army of 25,000 men with only 3,000. Motoyasu decided to sever all ties with the Imagawa clan and to ally herself with the Oda clan.
1568
Matsudaira Motoyasu had recently changed her name to Tokugawa Ieyasu. By now she was a figure respected by her soldiers and loved by the people. Surrounded by powerful warriors, the girl continued to fight alongside Oda Nobunaga. One day the girl received an unexpected visit from another famous Nobunaga ally: Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This man knew Ieyasu's aims and wanted to confront her.
« It's now clear that you're continuously seeking autonomy. » Hideyoshi asserted.
« What are you insinuating? Do you really think that I want to betray Nobunaga? »
« I'm not an idiot, everyone knows why you've allied yourself with Nobunaga: you're using her for your personal purposes. You're looking for power, you're looking for total independence. »
« You're insulting me! » She exclaimed nervously.
« Stop being a victim! We both know that you're not. You're jealous of Nobunaga, you're jealous of the power that she has managed to achieve and you want to have the same things that she has. But you won't succeed. If Nobunaga dies, you'll have problems with me, Ieyasu. If there was a podium you would be in third place and I in second. »
« Now you're really pissing me off, Hideyoshi. Shut up or I'll cut your tongue. »
« Don't get me wrong, I don't want to attack you, I just want to give you a kind advice: stay in your place and don't try to reach peaks that you can't even see. You're not capable of being independent, you will always be like a child accompanied by your mother. »
« Get out of here! » Ieyasu shouted.
Ieyasu had been offended by Hideyoshi's brash attitude but could not deny herself that she had that lust for power. She had actually become jealous of Nobunaga.
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| Ieyasu Tokugawa as a child by Bikowolf |
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