Murakami Yoshikiyo

Murakami Yoshikiyo (村上 義清, 1501–1573) was a Japanese samurai from the Murakami clan and retainer of the Uesugi clan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. Yoshikiyo followed in fighting against both Takeda Nobutora and his son Takeda Shingen. Yoshikiyo was also a very close ally under Uesugi Kenshin and one of Shingen's bitterest opponents for his high kill-counts in their conflicts.

Before he came into conflict with Takeda he was on good terms with them, Yoshikiyo even sent back Oi Sadataka, their enemies who fled to Yoshikiyo domain to Takeda's home city of Kōfu as a prisoner, where he was then killed.

At first he was joined the collaboration with Ogasawara Nagatoki, Suwa Yorishige, and Kiso Yoshiyasu in opposing Shingen in the 1542 Battle of Sezawa, but they suffered defeat in this battle.

In 1546, when Shingen arrived to attack Toishi Castle. Yoshikiyo came to the rescue commanding 6000 warriors, crushing Harunobu's spearhead and claiming the life of some commanders such as Amari Bizen and Yokota Bitchū. He suffered defeat after some of Takeda's more brilliant strategists, Yamamoto Kansuke, Sanada Yukitaka and his son Sanada Masayuki join the fray and each score their brilliant strategems to ensure Harunobu's series of victories; however, in 1547 Yoshikiyo settled the score with Shingen, who had just enjoyed victory for seizing Shiga castle. Yoshikiyo caught him off guard and attacked him with entire force and routed him. One year later in 1548 he provided more severe defeats for Takeda by killing 3 of Shingen's generals Itagaki Nobukata, Amari Torayasu, and Hajikano Den'emon in Battle of Uedahara in similar full-scale counterattack as before and causing Shingen to retreat into Kai after losing 700 men

In 1550 he held Toishi Castle for 1 year against Sanada Yukitaka and suffered a loss but not before inflicting a loss with the death one of Takeda's general, Yokota Takatoshi. Then in 1553, he lost Katsurao.

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