Akiyama Nobutomo Early career . In 1531 , Akiyama Nobutomo was born at in Kai province . His father was Akiyama Nobutou , a member of a respected family in the service of the Takeda clan . When Nobutomo came of age , he entered into the service of Takeda Shingen , patriarch of the clan and lord of Kai province , in the mountainous area of central Japan . In 1547 , during the campaign for the Ina district , Nobutomo fought with excellence and was granted a fief in the northern half of Ina , present day Kamiina District in Nagano prefecture . Nobutomo continued his service , most often tasked in a defensive role and holding such castles as Takato Castle and Iida Castle . During this time , Nobutomo acquired the nickname ( literally : " Raging Bull of the Takeda Clan " ) . Height of career . By 1568 , Nobutomo was esteemed enough to be entrusted with diplomatic duties . In that year , he was dispatched to Gifu Castle where he represented his lord , Takeda Shingen , at the wedding ceremony of Oda Nobutada , eldest son of Nobunaga , and Matsuhime , daughter of Shingen . In 1571 , Takeda Shingen organized a campaign against Tokugawa Ieyasu , intent on taking the coastal lowlands of Tōtōmi province and pushing westward toward the fertile fields of Mikawa province . Nobutomo was recalled from Iida Castle and ordered to lead an invasion of Mino province . His advance was checked by troops of the Saigo clan , led by Saigo Yoshikatsu . The two armies met at the Battle of Takehiro , and though Yoshikatsu was killed in action , Nobutomo was forced to retreat . In 1572 , the Takeda organized another campaign against Mikawa province which would culminate in the Battle of Mikatagahara in January 1573 . As Takeda Shingen drove south and west , Nobutomo would descend from the north , cutting off an escape route and blocking reinforcements . To accomplish this , Nobutomo laid siege to Iwamura Castle . When Toyama Kagetou , lord of Iwamura Castle , died of a sudden illness , the morale of the defending troops collapsed , and the Lady Toyama Otsuya ( Kageto ' s widow and an aunt of Oda Nobunaga ) entered into negotiations with Nobutomo . They agreed on a treaty , and under its terms the castle was surrendered without bloodshed , and Lady Toyama agreed to marry Nobutomo , thus securing his protection and the safety of the defending troops . Also among the spoils was , the biological son of Oda Nobunaga , adopted son of Kageto , who was then seven years old . Nobutomo sent him to Kai Province as a hostage ; the boy would later become known as Oda Katsunaga . With the fulfillment of treaty stipulations , Nobutomo made Iwamura Castle his headquarters and a front - line defensive position from which he could support the Takeda . Final days . After the death of Takeda Shingen in the spring of 1573 , Nobutomo continued to support his son , Takeda Katsuyori , in the prosecution of his campaigns . In 1575 , Katsuyori lost the Battle of Nagashino , a disaster for the Takeda clan which left Nobutomo at Iwamura Castle without support . Under repeated siege by Oda Nobutada , the forces under Nobutomo managed to hold the castle until November when Nobunaga swept in with the main army . Nobutomo signed a truce to surrender the castle after realizing that he had no chance to hold out any longer . Unfortunately , Nobunaga broke the truce and ordered Nobutomo , his wife ( Nobunaga ' s own aunt ) , and the troops of the castle garrison to be executed . On December 23 , 1575 , Nobutomo and his wife , the Lady Otsuya , were crucified on the banks of the Nagara River . Cultural references . Akiyama Nobutomo is portrayed in the children ' s novel " The Samurai ' s Tale " , by Erik Christian Haugaard .