Born in Mikawa (Aichi), son of Honda Tadataka, a retainer of the Matsudaira (later Tokugawa). His father died in battle while Tadakatsu was very young.
He fought his first battle when Matsudaira Motoyasu (Tokugawa Ieyasu) ran supplies into Ōdaka castle just before Okehazama.
At the Anegawa he reportedly charged boldly into the great Asakura host, fighting with his famous spear Tonbogiri.
He commanded the rearguard of Ieyasu's army pursued by Takeda Shingen, bringing it off brilliantly. Even the enemy reportedly praised him as one of "two things too good for Ieyasu".
At Nagashino he fought the Takeda as part of the Oda-Tokugawa coalition.
During the Honnō-ji Incident he protected Ieyasu, who was in Sakai, escorting him safely home to Mikawa over the mountain paths of Iga.
He reportedly stood with a handful of men before Toyotomi Hideyoshi's vast army, astonishing Hideyoshi.
When Ieyasu moved to the Kantō, he received 100,000 koku at Ōtaki in Kazusa (Chiba). He is counted among the Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa.
He distinguished himself at Sekigahara, and the next year was moved to Kuwana in Ise, where he developed the castle town.
He died at Kuwana. Though he fought in a great many battles, he is said never once to have been wounded.
Takeda ShingenToyotomi HideyoshiTokugawa IeyasuSakai TadatsuguSanada Yukimura (Nobushige)Sakakibara Yasumasa
Sanada MasayukiAsano NagamasaSatake YoshishigeOda Nagamasu (Urakusai)Nene (Kōdai-in)Sakakibara YasumasaTakayama UkonMōri Terumoto
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.