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**Background Information**

The Battle of Sekigahara, popularly known as the Battle for the Sundered Realm. (Tenka Wakeme no Tatakai?), began with the death of the Warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi who had risen far from his peasant beginning but because of them could not claim the title of Shogun. His fleet had sailed to conquer China in 1592 landing in Korea with 130,000 Samurai, but the campaign soon became bogged down. Negotiations with the Chinese failed and finally in 1598 Hideyoshi died leaving two main rivals for power, Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Their struggle was to be finally decided in a small mountain valley in central Japan. Fog lifted from the battlefield on the 21st of October 1600, with each commander having about 60,000 men. Matchlock gunners (Teppo-tai) were a feature and caused great damage as the battle continued. By 10am despite their efforts the Tokugawa forces were slowly being driven back, Mitsunari now signalled Kobayakawa Hideaki with his 15,000 fresh troops to attack but nothing happened, the Mori clan had abandoned him. Hideaki troops did not attack their former allies either but sat on the side lines waiting until Ieyasu forced his hand by directing cannon fire on the Mori clan troops. Finally Hideaki attacked bringing with him four other generals who decided to change sides and the turncoats fell upon Ishida's rear deciding the battle. By the end of the battle 40,000 had died and Ieyasu was master of Japan, 3 years later to become Shogun.