Sanada Masayuki

Sanada Masayuki (真田 安房守 昌幸, 1547 – July 13, 1611) was a Japanese Sengoku period lord and daimyō. He was the head of Sanada clan, a regional house of Shinano Province, which became a vassal of the Takeda clan of Kai Province.
Along with his father and brothers, Masayuki served the Takeda clan during its heyday, when it was led by Takeda Shingen. After its downfall, Masayuki took the lead of his clan and, despite little power, he managed to establish himself as an independent daimyō under the Toyotomi regime through skillful political maneuvers amidst the powerful Tokugawa, Hojō and Uesugi clans.
Known for having defeated the powerful Tokugawa army in the Battle of Kami river and Siege of Ueda, Masayuki is now considered one of the greatest military strategists of his era. In recent times, a number of portrayals in novels, films and other forms of media have contributed to his increased popularity.