Oda Nobutaka (1558–1583) was a samurai of the Oda clan, also known as Kanbe Nobutaka after being adopted as the head of the Kanbe clan, which governed the central region of Ise Province. He was the third son of Oda Nobunaga, born to a concubine named Sakashi. Nobutaka was referred to as "San Shichi," possibly because he was born on the seventh day of the third month in the Japanese lunar calendar. However, there is a theory suggesting he was born twenty days earlier than his elder brother, Oda Nobukatsu, but due to delays in reporting and the low status of his mother’s family, he was acknowledged as Nobunaga’s third son.
In 1568, after Nobunaga secured control of Ise Province, Nobutaka became the head of the Kanbe clan, ruling from Kanbe Castle near present-day Suzuka, Mie. In contrast, his brother Nobukatsu was adopted into the powerful Kitabatake clan and governed a much larger territory in southern Ise. Missionaries of the time noted that Nobutaka had a better character than Nobukatsu, despite holding a smaller domain.
In 1577, Nobutaka led a successful siege of Ota Castle (near modern Wakayama Castle) and suppressed the Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist uprising (Saika Ikki) in Kii Province. By 1582, Nobutaka was tasked with leading an army against Shikoku, commanding notable retainers such as Niwa Nagahide and Tsuda Nobuzumi, the son of Nobunaga’s younger brother, Nobuyuki.
Before the campaign began, Nobunaga was assassinated by Akechi Mitsuhide at Honnō-ji. Upon learning of his father’s death, Nobutaka returned to Osaka and executed Nobuzumi, who was married to Mitsuhide’s daughter, suspecting him of collusion with Mitsuhide. Though there was no evidence to support this, Nobutaka’s actions underscored the chaos of the period. He then allied with Hashiba Hideyoshi (later Toyotomi Hideyoshi), and together they defeated Mitsuhide’s forces at the Battle of Yamazaki.
After Nobunaga's death, disputes over succession arose. Nobutaka and Nobukatsu clashed during a council at Kiyosu Castle. Ultimately, Oda Hidenobu was declared Nobunaga’s heir. Nobutaka was granted Mino Province, previously ruled by his eldest brother, Oda Nobutada, who had been killed by Mitsuhide. However, this reward fell short of Nobutaka's expectations.
In 1583, Nobutaka allied with Shibata Katsuie and Takigawa Kazumasu in a rebellion against Hideyoshi. The alliance faltered when Nobutaka was besieged at Gifu Castle by Nobukatsu, Katsuie was defeated at the Battle of Shizugatake, and Kazumasu suffered defeat at Kameyama. Nobutaka ultimately surrendered.
Following his defeat, Nobutaka was confined to Daimidoji at Noma in Owari Province, the site where Minamoto no Yoshitomo had been assassinated centuries earlier. Under pressure from Hideyoshi and Nobukatsu, Nobutaka committed suicide in 1583. Historical records cite either June 19 or June 21 as the date of his death.
See also
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Asano Nagaakira
Asano Nagaakira (March 18, 1586 – October 16, 1632) was a Japanese samurai and daimyō of the early Edo period. He initially ruled Wakayama Domain before being transferred to the Hiroshima Domain, where his family would remain until the Meiji Restoration.
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Takigawa Kazumasu
Takigawa Kazumasu (1525 – October 21, 1586), also known as Takikawa Sakon or Sakonshogen, was a prominent samurai and daimyō of the Sengoku period. He served as a loyal retainer and military commander under Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa, the elder brother of Maeda Toshiie, and Kazumasu served alongside Toshiie in Nobunaga’s campaigns.
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Sanada Yukitaka
Sanada Yukitaka (c. 1512 – June 8, 1574) was a renowned samurai warrior of the Sengoku period, best known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen." He was the father of Sanada Nobutsuna and Sanada Masayuki, as well as the grandfather of the legendary Sanada Yukimura, who later served the Toyotomi clan.
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Torii Mototada
Torii Mototada (1539 – September 8, 1600) was a Japanese samurai and daimyo who lived through the Sengoku and late Azuchi–Momoyama periods. A loyal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu, he is best remembered for his heroic last stand at the Siege of Fushimi, an event that played a crucial role in shaping Japanese history.
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Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori (August 28, 1593 – June 4, 1615) was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first unified Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was Oda Nobunaga's niece.
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Okubo Tadanori
Okubo Tadanori (January 13, 1842 – August 10, 1897) was the 9th daimyo of Odawara Domain in Sagami Province (modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture) during the late Edo period. Before the Meiji Restoration, he held the courtesy title of Kaga no Kami.
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Okubo Tadayo
Okubo Tadayo (1532 – October 28, 1594) was a samurai general who served Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and later became the daimyo of Odawara Domain in the early Edo period.
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Araki Murashige
Araki Murashige (1535 – June 20, 1586) was a samurai and retainer of Ikeda Katsumasa, the head of the powerful Settsu-Ikeda clan in Settsu Province. Initially serving under Katsumasa, he aligned himself with Oda Nobunaga after Nobunaga’s successful campaign to establish control over Kyoto.
