was a warlord and magistrate of lower Owari Province

Owari Province

was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....

 during the Sengoku period

Sengoku period

The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...

 of Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. His father was Oda Nobusada and Nobuhide was the father of Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

.

Ruling the clan

As the head of the Oda clan

Oda clan

The was a family of Japanese daimyo who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they had the climax of their fame under Oda Nobunaga and fell from the spotlight soon after, several branches of the family would continue on as daimyo...

, Nobuhide was involved in open warfare as he was fronted to the north by Saitō Dōsan

Saito Dosan

was a daimyo who dramatically rose and also fell from power in Sengoku period Japan. He was also known as the for his ruthless tactics.-Life:Originally a wealthy merchant from Yamashiro Province , he entered the service of Nagai Nagahiro of Mino Province , assuming the name Nishimura Kankurô.He...

, daimyo

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

 of Mino Province

Mino Province

, one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces....

, and to the east by Imagawa Yoshimoto

Imagawa Yoshimoto

was one of the leading daimyo in the Sengoku period Japan. Based in Suruga Province, he was one of the three daimyo that dominated the Tōkaidō region. He was one of the dominant daimyo in Japan for a time, until his death in 1560....

, the daimyo of Mikawa

Mikawa Province

is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....

, Suruga

Suruga Province

was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay.-History:...

, and Tōtōmi

Totomi Province

was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today western Shizuoka Prefecture. Tōtōmi bordered on Mikawa, Suruga and Shinano Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was .-History:...

 provinces. However, he was never able to fully unite Owari Province

Owari Province

was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....

. Though he managed to hold his own against any of the opponents, constant internal struggles within Oda clan prevented him from achieving a complete victory. In 1549, Nobuhide made peace with Saitō Dōsan by arranging a political marriage between his eldest son, Nobunaga, and Saitō's daughter, Nōhime

Nohime

also Kichō or Lady Noh, was the wife of Oda Nobunaga, a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Her proper name was Kichō, but since she came from Mino Province, she is most commonly referred to as Nōhime . She was renowned for her beauty and cleverness.Nōhime's father was the...

. Supported by Dōsan, Nobuhide focused on facing Imagawa. In one of his moments of glory, he managed to capture Matsudaira Motoyasu on route to Imagawa as a hostage. He was thus able to gain some footholds into Mikawa. His remains are interred in a little known alley near Osu Kannon temple in Nagoya.

Succession controversy

When Nobuhide died in 1551 in Owari, he had designated young Nobunaga to succeed him as the head of the Oda clan and its small domain. Nobunaga, who hardly even knew his father and already had a bad reputation as a delinquent, arrived inappropriately dressed at Nobuhide's funeral and threw incense at the altar of the temple as he cursed his fate. Almost all support that Nobuhide's retainers would have given Nobunaga went to younger brother Oda Nobuyuki

Oda Nobuyuki

was the son of Oda Nobuhide, and younger brother of Oda Nobunaga in the earlier years of the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan.Nobuyuki conspired against his brother Nobunaga with the Hayashi and Shibata families. Nobuyuki's Suemori Castle was reduced by Ikeda Nobuteru. Though Hayashi and...

, instead. For support, Nobunaga was left with Hirate Masahide

Hirate Masahide

was a Japanese samurai who served the Oda clan for two generations. His original name was .Masahide first served Oda Nobuhide.He was talented not only as a samurai but also in various arts like sado and waka, and this helped him to act as a skilled diplomat, dealing with Ashikaga shogunate and...

 and his father-in-law Saitō Dōsan, whom he had never met before. From that point forward, it would take a seven years for Nobunaga to consolidate his power within the clan and finally unite Owari Province.

Family

He was married to Tsuchida Gozen

Tsuchida Gozen

was married to Oda Nobuhide and was the mother of Oda Nobunaga, a major feudal warlord in the Sengoku period of Japan. She was also the mother of three of his brothers, Nobuyuki, Nobukane and Hidetaka; and two of his sisters, Oinu and Oichi. It is assumed that she is the daughter of Tsuchida...

, who gave birth to four of his sons (Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

, Nobuyuki

Oda Nobuyuki

was the son of Oda Nobuhide, and younger brother of Oda Nobunaga in the earlier years of the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan.Nobuyuki conspired against his brother Nobunaga with the Hayashi and Shibata families. Nobuyuki's Suemori Castle was reduced by Ikeda Nobuteru. Though Hayashi and...

, Nobukane

Oda Nobukane

was a Japanese samurai, the younger brother of the supremely famous warlord, Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century. Following the year of 1568, Nobukane was destined to be adopted into the Nagao. Nobukane afterwards shaved his head following the year of 1594 and enjoyed his...

 and Oda Hidetaka

Oda Hidetaka

was a Sengoku period warrior in 16th century Japan. He was the eighth son of warlord Oda Nobuhide and his wife, Tsuchida Gozen. His mother also gave birth to three of his older brothers: Oda Nobunaga, Oda Nobuyuki and Oda Nobukane....

). His sons are listed below:

• Oda Nobuhiro
  Oda Nobuhiro
  was the eldest son of Oda Nobuhide. After Nobuhiro's father took Anjo Castle in Mikawa Province in 1540, the castle was given to Nobuhiro. During 1549, Nobuhiro was trapped by the Imagawa clan, but was saved when the Oda clan handed over one of their hostages—Matsudaira Takechiyo, later known...
  
   (illegitimate oldest son)
• Oda Nobunaga
  Oda Nobunaga
  was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
  
  
• Oda Nobuyuki
  Oda Nobuyuki
  was the son of Oda Nobuhide, and younger brother of Oda Nobunaga in the earlier years of the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan.Nobuyuki conspired against his brother Nobunaga with the Hayashi and Shibata families. Nobuyuki's Suemori Castle was reduced by Ikeda Nobuteru. Though Hayashi and...
  
  
• Oda Nobukane
  Oda Nobukane
  was a Japanese samurai, the younger brother of the supremely famous warlord, Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century. Following the year of 1568, Nobukane was destined to be adopted into the Nagao. Nobukane afterwards shaved his head following the year of 1594 and enjoyed his...
  
  
• Oda Nobuharu
  Oda Nobuharu
  was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Oda clan. Nobuharu was the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga granted him Nobu Castle and its surroundings as a private fief...
  
  
• Oda Nobutoki
  Oda Nobutoki
  was born the sixth son of Oda Nobuhide, a feudal warlord in Owari Province, Japan, during the Sengoku period. He was the half-brother of Oda Nobunaga and the full brother of Oda Nobuhiro, with all three having the same father...
  
  
• Oda Nobuoki
• Oda Hidetaka
  Oda Hidetaka
  was a Sengoku period warrior in 16th century Japan. He was the eighth son of warlord Oda Nobuhide and his wife, Tsuchida Gozen. His mother also gave birth to three of his older brothers: Oda Nobunaga, Oda Nobuyuki and Oda Nobukane....
  
  
• Oda Hidenari
• Oda Nobuteru
• Oda Nagamasu
  Oda Nagamasu
  was a Japanese daimyo who lived from the late Sengoku period through the early Edo period. Also known as Urakusai , he was a brother of Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasu converted to Christianity in 1588 and took the baptismal name of John....
  
  
• Oda Nagatoshi