Japan’s 10 Most Stunning Samurai Warriors
8. Sanada Yukimura (真田 幸村)
Sanada Yukimura is one of the most respected and honored military commanders from Japanese history who earned several nicknames including "Crimson Demon of War", and "The Last Sengoku Hero." He served during the Sengoku period and is best known for leading the defense during the of the Siege of Osaka.
The Siege of Osaka was a series of campaigns that took place during the Winter of 1614 and Summer of 1615. In the first phase, The Tokugawa clan fought battles against villages and forts leading towards the city of Osaka, which housed a castle. In preparation for the defense, Yukimura built a fortress consisting of 7,000 men.
When Tokugawa's forces of approximately 30,000 men met Yukimura's forces, they were repeatedly repelled and ultimately, destroyed. When the siege failed, Tokugawa sued for peace, but this was only a delaying tactic.
By the Summer of 1615, Tokugawa amassed a force of 150,000 men to assault Osaka Castle. Yukiura fought savagely in a last-ditch effort to repel Tokugawa's forces, but they were overwhelmed. Yukimura found himself surrounded and collapsed due to fatigue on a camp stool. When an enemy samurai, Nishio Nizaemon, recognized the commanding general, he abruptly took his life.