Shibata Katsuie

Katsuie was in the employ of Nobunaga's younger brother Nobuyuki, which means he was on the losing side when, after bitter struggle, Nobunaga secured the family headship. But once Nobunaga's might became incontestable, he discontinued opposition. After he had stepped in to thwart Nobuyuki's second attempted coup against his brother, he won nobunaga's total trust, and Nobunaga enlisted Katsuie as his own retainer. Thereafter, Katsuie was always in the van of any attack launched by Nobunaga, where he earned much fame. On one occasion, when hard-pressed by the Rokkaku forces, he smashed his own side's water jars, demonstrating how resolute and sure of victory he was, and inspiring his men. This became a famous story and earned Katsuie the nickname 'Shibata Jar-Breaker'.
In 1572, he had brought all of Echizen under his sway, and began to devote himself to economic development of the Hokuriku area, from his castle at Fukui. He built a nine-storey keep, and welcomed artisans and merchants from the defeated Asakura town at Ichijodani. He also relocated surrounding temples and laid out a fine castle town.
In 1582, at the death of Nobunaga, he took a stand against Hideyoshi, but as the Hokuriku region is often snow-bound, it was not propitious for raising an army, and he was defeated the following year at Shizu-ga-Take. He and his wife, O-ichi, committed suicide.
Katsuie was admired for his care of civic matters, as well as for his martial skills. He was an able opponent of the Toyotomi regime.