Nobukado Takeda (1529-1582) was a general of the Takeda clan and the younger brother of Shingen Takeda and Nobushige Takeda.
Biography[]
Nobukado Takeda was born in 1529 to the Takeda clan of Kai Province in central Japan, the third son of Nobutora Takeda. He was the younger brother of Shingen Takeda and Nobushige Takeda and the older brother of Nobuzane Takeda. Nobukado came of age in 1547 and became the leader of the Takeda army in Kai Province while Shingen was in Etchu Province to the north on campaign against the Jinbo. In the winter of 1547, Nobukado Takeda recaptured Takayama Castle from the Ikko-Ikki, who claimed it after a pro-Ikko rebellion captured the city. Nobukado's victory led to a war with the Ikko-Ikki, and he assisted in the war against their Kitabatake and Hatakeyama allies. Nobukado captured Nanao from the Hatakeyama and later assisted in the campaign against the monks in Wakasa Province after the Takeda captured the province.
During his brother's early campaigns, Nobukado at times served as his body double due to his close resemblance to Shingen. Nobukado was very close to his brother, and in 1573 he employed Takejiro Higa as his body double while his brother was injured during the Siege of Noda Castle. Nobukado advised Takejiro on how to be his kagemusha, and assisted him until the clan discovered Takejiro's identity in May 1574 when his concubines recognized that he did not have any battle scars. Nobukado had to serve his weak nephew Katsuyori Takeda, and he commanded the central force at the Battle of Nagashino, a crushing defeat. In 1582, Nobukado was captured after the Battle of Temmokuzan by Nobunaga Oda, who had him beheaded.