Sakai Tadatsugu Sakai clan genealogy . The Sakai clan originated in 14th century Mikawa Province , claiming descent from Minamoto Arichika . Arichika had two sons : one of them , Yasuchika , took the name Matsudaira ; and the younger , Chikauji , took the name Sakai . Sakai Hirochika , who was the son of Chikauji , likewise had two sons , and their descendants gave rise to the two main branches of the Sakai clan . Tadatsugu was heir to the senior branch of the clan . Biography . Tadatsugu was born in 1527 to Sakai Tadachika , a hereditary vassal of the Matsudaira clan of Mikawa Province . When Tadatsugu came of age , he first served Tokugawa Ieyasu ' s father , Matsudaira Hirotada . After 1560 , when Ieyasu broke off his ties with the Imagawa clan , Tadatsugu was given command of the Yoshida Castle in eastern Mikawa ( present - day Toyohashi ) . In 1573 , during the Battle of Mikatagahara , Tadatsugu secured the Tokugawa ' s right flank , seeing his troops being badly beaten by the opposing Takeda forces ; and when Ieyasu and his allies retreated to Hamamatsu Castle , Tadatsugu participated in the ruse which mitigated the effects of Takeda victory in the field ; and the Takeda forces withdrew . During the Battle of Nagashino , he led a successful night attack against the Takeda . By 1567 , the majority of " daimyō " forces in the Tokugawa armies were organized in two divisions , each with a separate commander . Tadatsugu was placed over the forces of 18 Tokugawa " daimyō " - vassels and his counterpart , Ishikawa Kazumasa , was given command over the forces of 13 " daimyō " - vassels . Tadatsugu ' s qualities of proven loyalty , reliability , and leadership are demonstrably illustrated in this degree of delegated powers and authority . In 1578 , Tadatsugu ' s son , Sakai Ietsugu ( 1564 – 1619 ) , took over his father ' s role as castellan of Yoshida Castle . The " Ie - " in the beginning of Ietsugu ' s name was a special honor bestowed by Tokugawa Ieyasu , who rewarded vassals who had performed with especial distinction by allowing them to use one of the " kanji " from his name . During the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute , he successfully turned back a move by Toyotomi Hideyoshi against Kiyosu Castle , which was led by Toyotomi commander Mori Nagayoshi . In 1590 , during the Odawara Campaign , Tadatsugu was ordered to accompany Tokugawa Hidetada , Ieyasu ' s son and heir , to Kyoto , where he served as hostage for Ieyasu ' s loyalty to the Toyotomi during that campaign . After the battle , Hideyoshi ordered to Tokugawa clan to relocate from their ancestral holdings to the Kantō region . Tadatsugu went into retirement , but his son Ietsugu received a 30 , 000 " koku " " fudai " fief at Usui , in Shimōsa Province , and Tadasugu accompanied them there . Tadatsugu died in Kyoto in the winter of 1596 . After Tadatsugu ' s death , Sakai clan continued to prosper . In 1604 , his descendants removed to Takasaki Domain ( 50 , 000 " koku " ) in Kōzuke Province ; in 1616 , they relocated to Takata Domain ( 100 , 000 " koku " ) in Echigo province ; in 1619 , they were transferred to Matsushiro Domain in Shinano province ; and then , from 1622 through 1868 , they were installed at Tsurugaoka Domain ( 120 , 000 " koku " ) in Dewa province . The head of the Sakai clan was ennobled as a " Count " in the Meiji period .