Oda Nobukatsu
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese samurai
of the Azuchi-Momoyama period
. He was the second son of Oda Nobunaga
. He survived the decline of the Oda clan
from political prominence, becoming a daimyo
in the early Edo period
.
In 1579, eager to achieve fame, Nobukatsu directed an invasion of Iga
, which only ended in disastrous failure and severe rebuke from his father. Two years later, Nobunaga himself led another invasion with an army of several ten thousand and destroyed the whole region.
, died at the Incident at Honnō-ji in 1582, problems arose about who would succeed the lordship of Oda clan
. Though Nobukatsu's younger brother Nobutaka
intended to become the new lord, the retainers decided on the two-year-old son of Nobutada, Oda Hidenobu
. It is said that the opinion of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was most influential on this decision, and Hideyoshi, Nobukatsu and Nobutaka were assigned to the custodian of the new lord. At this point, Nobukatsu changed his surname back to Oda. And, he succeeded Mino Province
/Owari Province
/Ise Province
.
to fight Hideyoshi in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
in 1584.
After more than a half year of battles, Hideyoshi persuaded Nobukatsu to make peace, offering him the security of the dominion. Nobukatsu took this offer and practically became a retainer of Hideyoshi. Later, when he served at the siege of Odawara
(1590), he refused to accept the order of Hideyoshi to change his dominion, and not only lost his original dominion but also had to become a monk and be put under control of other retainers of Hideyoshi. A few years later, Hideyoshi's anger eased and Nobukatsu regained some land to dominate.
He became the guardian of Toyotomi Hideyori
after Hideyoshi's death. However, he betrayed Toyotomi clan
at Siege of Osaka, and surrendered to Tokugawa Ieyasu
. As a result, he was permitted to remain a daimyo
by the Tokugawa shogunate.
Though he is often described as an incompetent general, he at least managed to survive the series of upheavals. After the establishment of Tokugawa shogunate
, he became the lord of the Uda-Matsuyama Domain
in Yamato Province
(modern-day Nara Prefecture
), and comfortably lived the rest of his life.
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
of the Azuchi-Momoyama period
Azuchi-Momoyama period
The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place. It spans the years from approximately 1573 to 1603, during which time Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, imposed order...
. He was the second son 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...
. He survived the decline 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...
from political prominence, becoming a 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...
in the early Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.
Kitabatake clan
In 1570, Nobukatsu became an adopted heir of the Kitabatake clan and married a daughter of the former lord of Kitabatake, Tomonori. The true nature of this marriage was a condition of truce forced by the Oda clan to the Kitabatake clan. In 1575, Nobukatsu officially became the head of the family. The next year, he killed his father-in-law, imprisoned the previous lord, who was his father by adoption, and completely took over the Kitabatake clan.In 1579, eager to achieve fame, Nobukatsu directed an invasion of Iga
Iga Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today western Mie Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iga bordered on Ise, Ōmi, Yamato, and Yamashiro Provinces.-Geography:...
, which only ended in disastrous failure and severe rebuke from his father. Two years later, Nobunaga himself led another invasion with an army of several ten thousand and destroyed the whole region.
Death of Nobunaga
When Nobunaga and his heir, NobutadaOda Nobutada
was the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga, and a samurai who fought in many battles during the Sengoku period. He commanded armies under his father in battles against Matsunaga Hisahide and against the Takeda clan....
, died at the Incident at Honnō-ji in 1582, problems arose about who would succeed the lordship of 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...
. Though Nobukatsu's younger brother Nobutaka
Oda Nobutaka
was a samurai and member of Oda clan. He was adopted as the head of Kanbe clan that ruled the middle region of Ise Province and was also called Kanbe Nobutaka ....
intended to become the new lord, the retainers decided on the two-year-old son of Nobutada, Oda Hidenobu
Oda Hidenobu
was the son of Oda Nobutada and lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in the late-16th century. His other name was Sanpōshi .-Succession dispute:...
. It is said that the opinion of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
was most influential on this decision, and Hideyoshi, Nobukatsu and Nobutaka were assigned to the custodian of the new lord. At this point, Nobukatsu changed his surname back to Oda. And, he succeeded 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....
/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....
/Ise Province
Ise Province
or was a province of Japan including most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces.The ancient provincial capital was at Suzuka...
.
Decline of Nobukatsu
During the succeeding chaotic years, Nobukatsu joined with Hideyoshi to destroy Nobutaka. However, soon their relationship became hostile, too, and Nobukatsu allied with Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
to fight Hideyoshi in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
The consisted of two battles in 1584 between the forces of Hashiba Hideyoshi and the forces of Oda Nobukatsu and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hideyoshi and Ieyasu had both served Oda Nobunaga and had not previously come into conflict; this would in fact be their only period of enmity...
in 1584.
After more than a half year of battles, Hideyoshi persuaded Nobukatsu to make peace, offering him the security of the dominion. Nobukatsu took this offer and practically became a retainer of Hideyoshi. Later, when he served at the siege of Odawara
Siege of Odawara (1590)
The third ' occurred in 1590, and was the primary action in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign to eliminate the Hōjō clan as a threat to his power. The months leading up to it saw hasty but major improvements in the defense of the castle, as Hideyoshi's intentions became clear...
(1590), he refused to accept the order of Hideyoshi to change his dominion, and not only lost his original dominion but also had to become a monk and be put under control of other retainers of Hideyoshi. A few years later, Hideyoshi's anger eased and Nobukatsu regained some land to dominate.
He became the guardian of Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
after Hideyoshi's death. However, he betrayed Toyotomi clan
Toyotomi clan
Originating in Owari Province, the served as retainers to the Oda clan throughout 16th-century Japan's Sengoku period. -Unity and Conflict:The most influential figure within the Toyotomi was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three "unifiers of Japan." Oda Nobunaga was another primary unifier and the...
at Siege of Osaka, and surrendered to Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
. As a result, he was permitted to remain a 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...
by the Tokugawa shogunate.
Though he is often described as an incompetent general, he at least managed to survive the series of upheavals. After the establishment of Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, he became the lord of the Uda-Matsuyama Domain
Uda-Matsuyama Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Yamato Province . It was ruled for most of its history by the Oda clan....
in Yamato Province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
(modern-day Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
), and comfortably lived the rest of his life.