Ikeda Katsumasa

Ikeda Katsumasa (池田 勝正; 1539 – 1578) was a "daimyo" in Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period.His father was Ikeda Nagamasa and his young brother was Ikeda Tomomasa.

In 1563, Katsumasa succeeded to a house when his father, Nagamasa died.These days Ikeda clan had belonged to Miyoshi clan. However, since Miyoshi Nagayoshi died and Miyoshi clan became weak, retainers of Miyoshi clan were divided.Nagamasa belongint to Miyoshi clan had battled against Itami Chikaoki taking sides with Matsunaga Hisahide.

In 1568, when Oda Nobunaga marched his armies into Kyoto having Ashikaga Yoshiaki as his boss, Katsumasa under Miyoshi clan battled against him.Because he was not equal to Nobunaga by his nature, he lost and surrendered.In the result, he served Nobunaga.

Nobunaga let Katsumasa, Chikaoki and Wada Koremasa rule Settsu Province so that he thought he let powerful clans such as Ikeda clan become his retainers and rule it stably.They were called Settsu no san-syugo (摂津の三守護).

In 1570, Katsumasa was purged of Ikeda clan when its infighting happened.Because of that, it is said that he defected relying on Arima clan after he relied on Ashikaga Yoshiaki and Hosokawa Hujitaka.