In response to the Oda clan's advance into the western part of Mikawa Province, in August 1542, the combined forces of Imagawa Yoshimoto and Matsudaira Hirotada (father of the future shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu) advanced into the Ikutahara area.
After receiving reports from his scouts, Oda Nobuhide (father of the future first unifier of Japan, Oda Nobunaga) left Anjo Castle, crossed the Yahagi River, and took up a position in the Kamibada area.
From Kamibada in October, Nobuhide advanced to Azukizaka, an area located southeast of the Matsudaira clan's stronghold, Okazaki Castle. It was here that the battle took place, which later became known as the First Battle of Azukizaka.
The allied forces of Imagawa and Matsudaira were commanded by the monk Taigen Sessai from Suruga Province, who was the chief advisor to Imagawa Yoshimoto.
Nobuhide was supported by his brothers: Nobuyasu, Nobumitsu, and Nobuzane.
The battle was short but fierce. Oda Nobuhide managed to defeat the allied forces, thereby maintaining his influence in the province of Mikawa.
The seven samurai who distinguished themselves in battle were awarded the honorary title of “Seven Spears of Azukizaka.” They were:
- Oda Nobumitsu,
- Oda Nobufusa,
- Okata Shigeyoshi,
- Sassa Masatsugu,
- Sassa Magosuke,
- Shimokata Sadakiyo,
- Nakano Itiyasu.
The victory gave Nobuhide the opportunity to temporarily weaken the position of his unfriendly neighbor, the Matsudaira clan, and switch his attention to other tasks and problems.
However, some historians believe that the first battle of Azukizaka may never have actually taken place. It is believed that the information about it was falsified by the chroniclers of the Oda clan.
See also
-
The Third Siege of Takatenjin Castle
The history of the castle prior to the conflict between the Tokugawa and Takeda clans is rather unclear. According to one version, the castle was built in 1416, when Imagawa Sadayoshi (1325–1420) was governor of Suruga Province and half of Totomi Province. Allegedly, it was he who ordered Imagawa Norimasa (1364–1433) to build this fortification. However, no reliable evidence has been found to support this. Another version is considered more plausible, according to which the castle was built during the conquest of Totomi Province at the end of the 15th century by Imagawa Ujitsuna (1473–1526) and his general Ise Shinkuro (Hojo Soon). In this case, another of Ujitsuna's generals, Kusima Masashige (1492–1521), is considered responsible for the construction.
-
Battle of Mimigawa
In 1556, the Shimazu clan launched a campaign aimed at systematically conquering the island of Kyushu. In the same year, the province of Osumi was annexed and a war began with the Ito clan for control of the province of Hyuga. In 1577, Ito Yoshisuke was defeated and fled north, where he sought help from Otomo Sorin, the Christian daimyo of Bungo Province.
-
The Siege of Kozuki Castle
The battle for Kozuki Castle was a consequence of Oda Nobunaga's expansion in the Chugoku region. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was appointed to lead the campaign, which aimed to weaken the influence of the Mori clan in these lands. Under his command were famous samurai: Kuroda Kanbei, Takenaka Shigeharu, and Hachisuka Koroku. Amago Katsuhisa, who cherished the hope of one day restoring the Amago clan's lost dominance in western Japan, also joined Oda's army.
-
The Siege of Nagashino Castle
Despite his reputation as a failure, created by 20th-century popular culture, especially cinema, Takeda Katsuyori (1546–1582) was in fact a brave warrior and talented commander. However, he always remained in the shadow of his great father, the legendary Takeda Shingen. After Shingen's death, Katsuyori sought to at least equal him, if not surpass him. Therefore, his actions were not always determined by pragmatic calculation. This character trait greatly influenced the subsequent events that led to the demise of the Takeda clan.
-
Siege of Nagashima Fortifications
The Buddhist peasant movement Ikko-Ikki, which emerged in the 15th century, had grown considerably stronger and larger by the middle of the following century. It had effectively turned into a large feudal army used for territorial conquests. The Ikko-ikki fought fiercely not only against other branches of Buddhism, but also against the provincial daimyo and the central government.
-
The Second Battle of Konodai
Hojo Ujiasu (1515–1571), one of the greatest representatives of the Hojo clan, spent almost his entire life at war. His possessions were in a difficult position: they were surrounded on all sides by aggressive neighbors ready to attack at any moment. In implementing his plans to expand the Hojo clan's influence in the Kanto region, Ujiasu was forced to confront well-known and powerful opponents—the Uesugi and Takeda clans. In the east, his main rival was the Satomi clan.
-
The Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima
The Kawanakajima Plain is located at the confluence of the Saigawa and Tikumagawa rivers in the Japanese Alps. Between 1553 and 1564, five battles took place on this plain between the forces of Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen.
-
Battle of Tonamoto (Nagahama)
At the beginning of the Sengoku Jidai period, the Teshokabe clan was one of the smaller clans in Tosa Province. Its neighbors were constantly at war with each other, engaging in endless skirmishes. Among them, Yosokabe Kunitika stood out as a military strategist of extraordinary talent. It was thanks to these abilities that he managed to defeat the neighboring clans step by step by the middle of the 16th century, expanding the influence of his clan. At that time, the clan's headquarters was Oko Castle.
