By the summer of 1556, Oda Nobunaga no longer appeared to be the eccentric “great fool of Owari.” Four years earlier, in 1552, having just assumed the position of clan leader, he managed to defend his position: first in the Battle of Akatsuka, and then at Kayazu Fort. In 1553, together with his western neighbor and ally Saito Dosan, his father-in-law, Nobunaga successfully repelled an attack by the Imagawa clan on the border fort of Muraki. In 1554, he united his own branch of the family with the Kiyosu line. Step by step, the young military leader strengthened his position.
But much more severe trials awaited him ahead. In 1556, Nobunaga's relationship with his younger brother Nobukatsu (1536–1557) finally came to a head. Most of the clan elders sided with Nobukatsu, including the most influential of them, Hayashi Hidesada. There is a theory that it was Hidesada who was behind this conspiracy, hoping to turn Nobukatsu into an obedient puppet, unlike the wayward and independent Nobunaga. It is important to remember that this was already his second attempt to depose Nobuhide's eldest son — he had made his first attempt back in 1552.
At some point, Nobukatsu began to behave like the head of the clan. For Nobunaga, this was a clear signal that a coup was being prepared. He gathered his loyal warriors around him and prepared for battle.
On August 24, 1556, the decisive battle took place in Inogahara, just five kilometers east of Kiyosu Castle. Those familiar with 16th-century Japanese history know about the famous Battle of Okehazama, where Nobunaga, with fewer forces, defeated the powerful Imagawa Yoshimoto. However, few remember that Nobunaga began to master the art of striking precisely at the enemy's weak points much earlier — in battles for the unification and strengthening of his clan.
In the Battle of Inogahara, the older generation almost unanimously supported Nobukatsu, which made Nobunaga's position extremely dangerous. The battle began around noon when a detachment of a thousand warriors under the command of Shibata Katsuie attacked Nobunaga's positions. But numerical superiority was not decisive. The fighting spirit of Nobukatsu's warriors was weak: many did not understand why they were fighting against the legitimate head of the clan. According to the description of the family chronicler Ota Gyuichi, Nobunaga loudly berated the traitors with fierce insults during the battle. His commanding voice, which they were accustomed to obeying, finally broke their resolve. Katsuiye's warriors began to slow down their advance and soon fled altogether.
But the battle did not end there. The second part of the battle unfolded a little further south, where Nobunaga's army clashed with a detachment commanded by Hayashi Mimasaka, Hidesada's younger brother. According to Ota Gyūichi, the battle began with a duel between the commanders. Kuroda Hambay faced Mimasa, but he was defeated and lost his left arm. At this critical moment, Nobunaga himself saved the situation: according to one version, he replaced his fallen vassal and personally entered the fray, according to another, he unexpectedly attacked and defeated Mimasa. Seeing the death of their commander and Nobunaga's furious curses, the enemy troops lost what little courage they had left and fled in disorder. Thus, with only 700 soldiers against a much larger army, Nobunaga won the battle of Inogahara.
A few days later, Nobunaga's mother met with her eldest son and persuaded him to forgive Nobukatsu. Realizing that further family division would weaken his position, Nobunaga showed political foresight: he not only spared his brother, but also granted amnesty to the elders who had participated in the rebellion. This was a wise move that allowed him, after such a resounding victory, to further reduce the number of enemies within the clan.
As a result of the Battle of Inogahara, Nobunaga proved his right to leadership. His authority increased dramatically, and the number of enemies within the family decreased. Moreover, some of those who had recently opposed him, such as Shibata Katsuie, subsequently became his loyal allies and generals.
See also
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
