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 commander of Kozuki Castle, Akamatsu Masanori, refused to recognize Oda Nobunaga's authority, and in December, Hideyoshi's troops began to capture the outer posts that reinforced the approaches to the fortress. Later that month, the Ukita clan, which was allied with the Mori clan at the time, sent an army to help the garrison. However, Ukita's forces were intercepted and defeated by Hideyoshi's army.
When Ukita's attack was repelled and no support came from the Mori clan, Hideyoshi offered Akamatsu the chance to surrender. After he refused, Hideyoshi ordered a final assault. The castle was taken, but both sides suffered heavy losses. Akamatsu Masanori chose to kill himself rather than be taken prisoner. By the time the Oda army's banners flew over the fortress, about a thousand of its defenders were already dead.
After the capture, Kozuki Castle was handed over to Amago. In 1578, it was recaptured by the Ukita clan, but soon the fortress returned to Amago control. Some time later, the main forces of the Mori clan approached the castle and began a siege. At that time, Oda's army was busy storming Miki Castle, so no help was sent. As a result, Kozuki fell again, and with it, Katsuhisa's hopes of reviving the former power of the Amago clan collapsed.
See also
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The Siege of Nagashino Castle
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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
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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.
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The Siege of Iwakura Castle
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The Siege of Katsurayama Castle
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The Battle of Nagaragawa
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