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 Biography of Oda Nobunaga
By: akusunokimasa

Pages:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Hideyoshi’s force set out west towards the Cukgoku Region, the Chugoku region is the area right above Shikoku on the Honshu mainland and was under predominately Mori control. Hideyoshi set out with Oda Nobutada and joined forces with the newly submitted forces of the Odara clan of Himeji. This brilliant force would prove to be more than a match for the Mori clan and their expansive naval dominance. This stellar invasion was delayed after some rebellions and staunch defenses and unsuccessful Oda sieges. Finally some headway came when the Mori clan's main allies the Ukita clan, headed by Ukita Naoie, was brought over to the Oda side. Nobunaga was 'pleased' and the invasion force pressed into Mori territory.
With Hideyoshi’s western campaign making small progress Nobunaga rallied a force to finally destroy the Takeda clan. Many of Shingen’s former generals were now dead and others had merely fallen out of favor with Katsuyori as younger manipulating officers took control over Katsuyori. Public dissent grew and generals lost their loyalty to the Takeda clan. Such was the worst time for an invasion and this was the time in which the biggest invasion against the Takeda occurred. From the west Oda forces invaded, from the southwest came the Tokugawa, from the south and southeast came the Hojo, and unhappy Takeda generals rebelled and joined the invaders. The biggest betrayal came when Katsuyori’s own brother in law Kiso Yoshimasa and Anayama Nobukimi (who was married to his aunt) rebelled against him. Katsuyori fled his new capital of Nirasaki trying to reach a more defensible area, and other Takeda forces, with about 5,000 troops but his forces dwindled as people deserted. Finding no sanctuary as his former vassals turned him away at their gates Katsuyori fled into the hills with only a few hundred soldiers left. As Oda forces closed in around Katsurori’s position at Temmokuzan Katsuyori commited suicide as his only loyal retainers fought to the death around him. So came to an end the house of Takeda.
With this victory the Oda were easily the most powerful clan in Japan. Uesugi Kenshin, Nobunaga’s rival to the north, had died and Shibata Katsuie, a senior Oda retainer, was making brilliant victories against the remaining Uesugi forces. It seemed that within a few year all of Japan would be united under Oda rule, but that would not be as events soon unfolded. A former favorite of Nobunaga’s, see the Asakura campaigns, Akechi Mitsuhide had fallen out of favor with Nobunaga. Once impressed by his intelligence Nobunaga was just silently infuriated by it. Right after the victory over the Takeda forces Mitsuhide was congratulating the generals over their victories at a drinking party. Nobunaga, angered by this comment, accused Mitsuhide for false praise and Mitsuhide’s pleas for forgiveness just made him angrier. Sensing that their lords drinking might cause him to do something he might regret his generals tried to calm him down but Nobunaga wouldn’t listen. Nobunaga stood up and walked over to Mitsuhide, who was already prostrated fully against the floor, and grabbed his head and repeatedly slammed it against the wooden floor while he yelled at Mitsuhide. Nobunaga kicked him out into a corridor and as Mitsuhide was crying out his apologies Nobunaga continued to beat him, only relenting after his aides pulled him away.
Mitsuhide returned to his quarters in disgrace and in depression. Only feeling better after his close retainers had convinced him to try and make up with Nobunaga by accomplishing great feats and working hard. However, Nobunaga relatively ignored Mitsuhide and his chance was passed upon for a while.
Back in Hideyoshi’s western campaign the forces progressed deeper into Mori territory. After the Ukita had finally been brought over to the Oda camp Nobunaga wanted to make sure such a long delay like that didn't repeat itself. He called Oda Nobutada back to his brilliant new castle of Azuchi, near the shore of lake Biwa, to help with the Takeda invasion preparations. Hideyoshi's force went deep into Mori territory and laid siege to Takamatsu castle, one of the last castles before the Mori capital. There was little major victories for either side and the weeks of besiegement dragged on. Studying the terrain surrounding Takamatsu Hideyoshi decided to divert the surrounding rivers and flood the castle. With the work of Hideyoshi's top strategist Kuroda Kane the waters rushed into the castle and flooded the already starving troops creating a 'castle in a lake'. As the waters surrounded Takamatsu word came that the Takeda had been defeated and that Katsuyori was dead. Hideyoshi redoubled his efforts as the weeks passed. Sensing that his forces would need more troops for the final push into Mori land Hideyoshi sent word for reinforcements.