More Toda Connections to Tokugawa

This is great research performed by Sean Askew. The history of our art and the Toda lineage keeps getting deeper.

Essay by Sean Askew, first shared on Facebook:
As I have written in the past, I have found evidence that proves the Toda clan was involved with the Tokugawa Shogun's family for a very long time, as far back as the end of the warring states period.
This time a new document has been discovered. The "Kokakoushi Soganjou", or the "Petition to the Koka Warriors". In it is recorded a Toda clan member petitioning the Koka (Koga) warriors to assist Tokugawa Ieyasu with his efforts in the siege of Kaminogou Castle.
Ieyasu had been assaulting the castle for quite some time and was not making the progress he had hoped for. So, early February 1562 CE, he sent his men Toda Katsutaka and Makino Denzo to Koga to recruit the famous guerilla warfare style warriors from the area.
They were able to bring back 200 warriors from Koga and on the night of February 26th, Ieyasu was able to take the castle in a single night. The Koka warriors took the head of the castle's lord and shot down with bow and arrow, over 200 of his top retainers. It was a great victory for the Koka warriors. Ieyasu was very grateful and paid them well to stay in his service.
In another record about the taking of this castle, known as the Kanseichoushushokafu (寛政重修諸家譜) there is a passage regarding Hattori Hanzo Masanari 「服部半蔵正成」. It states that during the night raid against the castle, when Masanari was still only 16 years old, he successfully led 60 to 70 Iga no mono (ninja) on an infiltration mission and helped win the battle.
So, the proof that Tokugawa Ieyasu had a deep relationship with the warriors of Iga and Koga before Oda Nobunaga's invasion of Iga keeps piling up. Now we also know that the Toda clan seems to have been the middle men in this relationship.
The search continues for the Hidden Lineage...
Sean Askew
Bujinkan Kokusai Renkoumyo
10/25/2019
The Hidden Lineage Vol. 1 - The ninja of the Toda Clan
The Hidden Lineage Vol. 2 - The art of the Imperial Tigers (Coming Soon!!!)
www.bkrbudo.com/book