Shibata Shigeie

Shibata Shigeie was a warrior of Echigo Province who rebelled against the Uesugi house and led the Shibata Rebellion. His birth year is given as Tenbun 16 (1547), though other accounts differ. He died on the 25th day of the 10th month of Tensho 15 (25 November 1587). He was a branch of the Kashi family of the Agekita lords and the Sasaki clan. At first he called himself Ijimino Harunaga; after his elder brother's death he succeeded to the Shibata house and took the name Shigeie.

Service to the Uesugi

He served Uesugi Kenshin and is said to have taken part in the Battles of Kawanakajima and the campaigns into the Kanto. After Kenshin's death, in the Otate Rebellion, he supported Uesugi Kagekatsu.

The Shibata Rebellion

The cause of the revolt is said to have been his discontent that the rewards from Kagekatsu fell short of what he had expected. On the 16th day of the 6th month of Tensho 9 (1581) he seized the port of Niigata, built Niigata Castle, and became independent. His independence is said to have involved intrigues and support from Ashina Moritaka and Date Terumune. In Tensho 10–11 he repulsed Kagekatsu's attacks. Ashina Moritaka was murdered in Tensho 12 (1584), and in Tensho 13 Date Terumune died, and his support collapsed.

Death

In Tensho 14 Kagekatsu submitted to Hashiba Hideyoshi, and his attacks grew stronger with that backing. In the summer of Tensho 15 Shibata Castle was besieged. Igume Castle fell, and Shibata Castle was isolated. On the 25th day of the 10th month of that year, after holding a farewell feast inside Shibata Castle, he sallied out, broke into the camp of Irobe Nagamasa (within the precincts of Zenshō-ji), and took his own life. His clan is said to have been destroyed as well.