Akechi clan

Akechi clan; 明智氏
	The Akechi clan crest (mon)
Home province	Mino
Parent house	Toki clan
Titles	Various
Final ruler	Akechi Mitsuhide
Ruled until	1582, Battle of Yamazaki

The Akechi clan (明智氏, Akechi-shi) is a branch of the Toki clan, which is descended from the Seiwa Genji. The Akechi clan thrived around the later part of the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Akechi became the head, soryo of the Toki after the Toki fell to the Saitō clan in 1540. The Akechi refused to be under Saito Yoshitatsu who attacked Nagayama castle. Akechi Mitsuhide then served shoguns Ashikaga Yoshiteru and Ashikaga Yoshiaki. After introducing Ashikaga Yoshiaki to Oda Nobunaga, Mitsuhide became a powerful general under Oda Nobunaga. However, after 1582, Mitsuhide trapped Nobunaga at Honnō-ji and forced him to commit suicide. The Akechi then gained power due to the collapse of the Oda clan. Later that same year, Akechi Mitsuhide was slain at the Battle of Yamazaki, twelve days after the Incident at Honnō-ji. The Akechi clan then fell from prominence.

Important Figures

Akechi Hidemitsu (died 1582), Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period
Akechi Mitsutsugu
Akechi Mitsutsuna (died 1538), senior retainer under the Toki clan throughout the latter Sengoku period of feudal Japan
Akechi Mitsuhide (c. 1520–1582), samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. Renowned for his betrayal and murder of Oda Nobunaga.
Akechi Mitsuharu (died 1582), retainer beneath the clan of Akechi during the Azuchi-Momoyama period of Feudal Japan
Akechi Mitsutada (died 1582), Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period who served the Akechi clan
Akechi Mitsuyoshi (died 1582), Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period
Matsuda Masachika (died 1582), member of the Japanese Akechi clan