Born the third son of Sanada Yukitaka (Yukitsuna) of Shinano (Nagano). As a boy he was sent as a hostage to Takeda Shingen and served close at his side.
He took part in the Battle of Mikatagahara with the Takeda army, learning the art of war under Shingen.
His two elder brothers were killed at Nagashino, and he became head of the Sanada.
Under Takeda Katsuyori he captured Numata castle in Kōzuke (Gunma), building a power base straddling Kōzuke and Shinano.
When the Takeda fell and the Honnō-ji Incident followed, he protected his lands by switching allegiance among the great Hōjō, Tokugawa and Uesugi.
He built Ueda castle in Shinano, which would twice repel great Tokugawa armies.
Refusing Tokugawa Ieyasu's order to hand Numata to the Hōjō, he routed the large Tokugawa army that attacked Ueda castle.
By Hideyoshi's ruling part of Numata went to the Hōjō, but Hōjō forces then seized the Sanada's Nagurumi castle—the trigger for Hideyoshi's Odawara campaign.
Before Sekigahara the family conferred at Inubushi: eldest son Nobuyuki would join the East, Masayuki and second son Nobushige (Yukimura) the West. At Ueda he held up Tokugawa Hidetada's large army, which missed the main battle.
The West lost; spared at Nobuyuki's plea, he was exiled with Nobushige to Kudoyama in Kii.
Still hoping for a pardon, he died of illness at Kudoyama.
Takeda ShingenTokugawa IeyasuTokugawa HidetadaSanada Yukimura (Nobushige)Takeda Katsuyori
Kuroda Yoshitaka (Kanbei)Takeda KatsuyoriMogami YoshiakiOichiAsano NagamasaSatake YoshishigeOda Nagamasu (Urakusai)Honda Tadakatsu
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.