The Miura Sea Forces (4)

     In 1512, Ise Shinkuro (1432-1519) started his full-scale attack against the Miura Clan.  He first made a surprise attack on Okazaki Castle, which was located near the centra eastern part of Sagami Province.  Miura Yoshiatsu (1451?-1516), who had been adopted by Tokitaka (1416-1494), who was the grandson of Takaaki (?-?), was forced to retreat to Sumiyoshi Castle, which was just at the root of Miura Peninsula.  Fortress by fortress, Yoshiatsu ran up withdrawals, only to hold the castle at the tip of the Peninsula; at Arai Castle.

     Nevertheless, Yoshiatsu held the castle for over 3 years with the help of Miura Sea Forces.  They turned away Shinkuro’s landing forces many times, supplied military provisions and arms, and kept the contact with the Satomi Clan in Awa Province.

     In 1516, Shinkuro succeeded in cutting the castle up from the sea forces.  Yoshiatsu hopelessly announced to his men, “Whoever want to escape, just escape.  Whoever want to die, die in battle and let your names go down in history.”  With the words, he and his men opened the castle gate, and charged into the enemy.  After a short attack, some of them came back to the castle and committed harakiri suicides in their own time.  Yoshiatsu composed a death poem, “The defeating and the defeated are all earthenware.  Once broken, they are all back in dirt.”