Oda Nobukatsu, a Daimyo and esteemed warrior, was born as the second son of Oda Nobunaga in Ko’ori Castle, situated in Niwa-Gun, presently known as Konan City of Aichi Prefecture, in the year 1558.
In 1570, following a brief conflict between the Oda and the Kitabatake clan of Ise Province (Mie Prefecture), Nobukatsu was adopted as the heir of the Kitabatake clan to restore peace. He married the daughter of Kitabatake Tomonori, but soon after the wedding, he orchestrated a series of ruthless actions. This included the murder of his father-in-law, the elimination of several key Kitabatake supporters, the imprisonment of the former Lord of Ise, and the complete usurpation of control for himself. Subsequently, Nobukatsu launched an unsuccessful invasion of neighboring Iga Province (also in Mie Prefecture). In response to his failure, Nobukatsu faced the wrath of his father, Nobunaga, and to preserve his authority, he was compelled to annihilate the entire region, including Iga and the remaining Kitabatake clan, along with their prestigious residences and Kiriyama Castle.
The 1582 coup known as the Honno-ji Incident resulted in the deaths of Nobukatsu's father and elder brother, Nobutada, sparking a dispute over succession between the two surviving brothers. Despite being born 20 days prior to Nobukatsu, Nobutaka, whose mother was a concubine, was considered younger due to Nobukatsu's noble-born mother. The brothers contended for their father’s legacy until the Kiyosu Kaigi, a meeting held at Kiyosu Castle, where Toyotomi Hideyoshi and other chief retainers of Nobunaga decided to nominate Nobutada’s infant son, Samboshi (later Oda Hidenobu), as the rightful heir.
Subsequently, Nobukatsu reclaimed his Oda lineage, relinquishing the Kitabatake name, and was appointed Lord of Mino (Gifu), Owari (Aichi), and Ise (Mie) provinces. Fearing his brother Nobutaka's growing influence, Nobukatsu allied with Toyotomi Hideyoshi to eliminate him, leading to Nobutaka's forced seppuku in mid-late June 1583. However, Nobukatsu later clashed with Hideyoshi over authority, prompting him to seek support from Tokugawa Ieyasu to overthrow Hideyoshi, culminating in the Battle of Komaki Nagakute in 1584. Despite initial hostilities, Nobukatsu eventually accepted Hideyoshi's peace offering, aligning himself with Hideyoshi and relinquishing his allegiance to Ieyasu.
Nobukatsu remained loyal to Hideyoshi, serving at the Siege of Odawara in 1590. However, he refused to surrender his domains when Hideyoshi redistributed his retainers' holdings, resulting in his forced retirement as a monk. Despite this, he was later pardoned and granted lands. Following Hideyoshi's death, Nobukatsu was entrusted with the guardianship of Hideyoshi’s infant son and heir, Hideyori, at Osaka Castle. However, in 1614, he betrayed the Toyotomi clan, surrendering to Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Winter Siege of Osaka. As a reward for his betrayal, he was granted the Uda-Matsuyama Domain in Yamato Province (Nara Prefecture), where he resided until his demise in 1630.
See also
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Uesugi Kagetora
Uesugi Kagetora (1552 – April 19, 1579) was the seventh son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was originally known as Hojo Saburo. He was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and intended to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his Otate Castle by Uesugi Kagekatsu, his brother-in-law, and was ultimately defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following year at Samegao Castle.
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Hojo Ujinao
Hojo Ujinao (1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period and the last leader of the Later Hojo clan. An important figure in Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire domain following the Siege of Odawara (1590). Despite this, he survived, and his family continued as minor daimyo during the Edo period.
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Takeda Katsuyori
Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – April 3, 1582) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, renowned as the head of the Takeda clan and successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was also the son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Katsuyori was born to Shingen and the daughter of Suwa Yorishige, known posthumously as Suwa-goryonin and by her real name, Koihime. His children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Takeda Katsuchika.
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Yasuke
Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
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Yamanami Keisuke
Yamanami Keisuke, the second in command of the Shinsengumi, a special police force during the late Edo period, shocked many when he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, at the age of 32.
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Yamamoto Kansuke
Yamamoto Kansuke, renowned as a samurai strategist and one of Takeda Shingen's esteemed 24 Generals, hailed from the Mikawa region, known for breeding formidable warriors. Despite physical challenges—blindness in one eye, lameness in one leg, and a malformed hand—Kansuke embarked on a warrior's pilgrimage in his twenties. Traveling across the land, he honed his skills in strategy, tactics, castle construction, and warfare, engaging in various swordsmanship schools and forms.
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Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history, renowned as a strategist, philosopher, and scholar. Later in life, he became a ronin, leaving a significant mark on the understanding of the Tokugawa period samurai.
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William Adams - Miura Anjin
William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
