Shitennō (Tokugawa clan)
# Shitennō (Tokugawa clan)

The Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa (徳川四天王, Tokugawa-shitennō) is a Japanese sobriquet describing four highly effective samurai generals who fought on behalf of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Sengoku period. They were famous during their lifetimes as the four most fiercely loyal vassals of the Tokugawa clan in the early Edo period.

## Etymology

The sobriquet evolved from the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Buddhist iconography. These are said to be the guardians of the four horizons.

## Fudai leaders

Each of these four generals was the founder of a cadet branch clan:

* Honda Tadakatsu of the Honda clan
* Ii Naomasa of the Ii clan
* Sakakibara Yasumasa of the Sakakibara clan
* Sakai Tadatsugu of the Sakai clan

## Tokugawa Four Gallery

* Ii Naomasa (1561–1602)
* Honda Tadakatsu (1548–1610)
* Sakakibara Yasumasa (1548–1606)
* Sakai Tadatsugu (1527–1596)
