Siege of Ishiyama Hongan-ji
Encyclopedia
The , taking place from 1570 to 1580 in Sengoku period
Japan
, was an eleven-year campaign by warlord Oda Nobunaga
against a network of fortifications, temples, and communities belonging to the Ikkō-ikki
, a powerful faction of religious zealots. It centered on attempts to take down the Ikki's central base, the cathedral fortress of Ishiyama Hongan-ji
, in what is today the city of Osaka
. While Nobunaga and his allies led attacks on Ikki communities and fortifications in the nearby provinces, weakening the Hongan-ji's support structure, elements of his army remained camped outside the Hongan-ji, blocking supplies to the fortress and serving as scouts.
's bid to conquer all of Japan. Oda had fought the Ikki before, crushing their armies of Mikawa Province
and other areas, and by 1570, their twin fortresses of Ishiyama Hongan-ji and Nagashima
were their last bastions of strength. He besieged both fortresses simultaneously, attacking Ishiyama in August 1570 and Nagashima
in 1571.
in Gifu
with 30,000 troops, and ordered the building of fortresses around Ishiyama. On September 12th, the Ikkō-ikki
launched a midnight stealth attack with 3,000 arquebusiers, destroying several of these forts and pushing Oda's army back. While Oda himself focused on the sieges of the Nagashima fortress and other campaigns, his armies remained camped out, assigned to monitor the Ikki's fortress, and take it if they could.
After reducing the threat from the Ikki's supporters, Oda attempted to starve out the fortress. This was no easy task, however, because the Ishiyama fortress sat on the coast, which was guarded by the fleet of the Mōri clan
, masters of naval combat and Oda's dire enemies. As early as 1575, however, the fortress was already in urgent need of supplies, and the Abbot Kōsa
was ready to begin peaceful overtures with Nobunaga to end the siege. But the ousted Shogun
, Ashikaga Yoshiaki
, sent a letter to Mōri Terumoto
asking for his aid in supplying the cathedral fortress.
In April 1576, Oda's army attacked with 3,000 men under the command of Akechi Mitsuhide
and Araki Murashige
. By now, 51 outposts had been built around the central fortress, many equipped with arquebus
squads. The attackers were quickly repelled by 15,000 defenders. Oda Nobunaga was forced to revise his tactics and began to attack the outposts, and the supporters of the Ikki. He sent Toyotomi Hideyoshi
to head an assault on the monk's fortress at Negoroji
.
Nobunaga enlisted Kuki Yoshitaka
to set up a blockade and disrupt the fortress' supply lines. In August 1576, in the first Battle of Kizugawaguchi
, the blockade failed. But Kuki Yoshitaka returned two years later with massive new battleships and, in the second Battle of Kizugawaguchi, he broke the Mōri supply lines for good.
By now, the siege was beginning to swing in Nobunaga's favor. The majority of the Ikki's allies were already inside the fortress with them, so they had no one to call on for aid. Uesugi Kenshin
, one of Nobunaga's strongest enemies and, therefore, among the Ikki's strongest allies, died in 1578, and the Mori clan lost their castle at Miki
in 1580. Between 1578 and 1580, the Ikki sallied forth from the fortress many times under the leadership of Shimozuma Nakayuki to face Oda's armies.
But by April of 1580, the defenders were nearly out of ammunition and food. The Abbot Kōsa held a conference with his colleagues and, shortly afterwards, received a message from the Emperor
himself asking that the Ikki surrender. It was no secret that this letter had been prompted by Nobunaga, but that would not change the power of an Imperial request; Kōsa surrendered several weeks later and fighting finally ended a few months after that, in August 1580.
, a version of which still stands today.
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...
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...
, was an eleven-year campaign by warlord 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...
against a network of fortifications, temples, and communities belonging to the Ikkō-ikki
Ikko-ikki
', literally "Ikkoshū Uprising", were mobs of peasant farmers, Buddhist monks, Shinto priests and local nobles, who rose up against samurai rule in 15th to 16th century Japan. They followed the beliefs of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism which taught that all believers are equally saved by Amida...
, a powerful faction of religious zealots. It centered on attempts to take down the Ikki's central base, the cathedral fortress of Ishiyama Hongan-ji
Ishiyama Hongan-ji
For other uses, see Ishiyama .The ' was the primary fortress of the Ikkō-ikki, mobs of warrior monks and peasants who opposed samurai rule. It was established in 1496, at the mouth of the Yodo River, on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. At the time, this was just outside of the remains of the...
, in what is today the city of Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. While Nobunaga and his allies led attacks on Ikki communities and fortifications in the nearby provinces, weakening the Hongan-ji's support structure, elements of his army remained camped outside the Hongan-ji, blocking supplies to the fortress and serving as scouts.
Warrior Monks
The Ikkō-ikki, mobs of warrior monks and peasants were among the last to stand in the way of Oda NobunagaOda 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...
's bid to conquer all of Japan. Oda had fought the Ikki before, crushing their armies of Mikawa Province
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....
and other areas, and by 1570, their twin fortresses of Ishiyama Hongan-ji and Nagashima
Sieges of Nagashima
The , taking place in 1571, 1573 and 1574, were part of Oda Nobunaga's campaigns against the Ikkō-ikki, arguably among his greatest enemies. Nagashima, in Owari Province along Japan's Pacific coast, was the location of a string of river island fortresses and defensive works controlled by the...
were their last bastions of strength. He besieged both fortresses simultaneously, attacking Ishiyama in August 1570 and Nagashima
Nagashima, Mie
was a town located in Kuwana District, Mie, Japan.On December 6, 2004 Nagashima, along with the town of Tado, also from Kuwana District, was merged into the expanded city of Kuwana and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
in 1571.
Siege
In August 1570, Oda Nobunaga left his castleGifu Castle
is a castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Along with Mount Kinka and the Nagara River, it is one of the main symbols of the city.-History:Gifu Castle was first built by the Nikaidō clan between 1201 and 1204 during the Kamakura Period....
in Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
with 30,000 troops, and ordered the building of fortresses around Ishiyama. On September 12th, the Ikkō-ikki
Ikko-ikki
', literally "Ikkoshū Uprising", were mobs of peasant farmers, Buddhist monks, Shinto priests and local nobles, who rose up against samurai rule in 15th to 16th century Japan. They followed the beliefs of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism which taught that all believers are equally saved by Amida...
launched a midnight stealth attack with 3,000 arquebusiers, destroying several of these forts and pushing Oda's army back. While Oda himself focused on the sieges of the Nagashima fortress and other campaigns, his armies remained camped out, assigned to monitor the Ikki's fortress, and take it if they could.
After reducing the threat from the Ikki's supporters, Oda attempted to starve out the fortress. This was no easy task, however, because the Ishiyama fortress sat on the coast, which was guarded by the fleet of the Mōri clan
Mori clan
The Mōri clan was a family of daimyō, descended from Ōe no Hiromoto and established themselves in Aki Province. Their name was derived from a shōen in Mōri, Aikō District, Sagami Province. The generation of Hiromoto began to name themselves Mōri.After the Jōkyū War, Mōri was appointed to the jitō...
, masters of naval combat and Oda's dire enemies. As early as 1575, however, the fortress was already in urgent need of supplies, and the Abbot Kōsa
Kosa
, also known as Hongan-ji Kennyo , was the 11th head of the Hongan-ji in Kyoto, and Chief Abbot of Ishiyama Hongan-ji, cathedral fortress of the Ikkō-ikki , during its siege at the end of the Sengoku Period...
was ready to begin peaceful overtures with Nobunaga to end the siege. But the ousted Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
, Ashikaga Yoshiaki
Ashikaga Yoshiaki
was the 15th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate in Japan who reigned from 1568 to 1573. His father, Ashikaga Yoshiharu was the twelfth shogun, and his brother, Ashikaga Yoshiteru was the thirteenth shogun....
, sent a letter to Mōri Terumoto
Mori Terumoto
Mōri Terumoto , son of Mōri Takamoto and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome, participated in the Kyūshū campaign on Hideyoshi's side and built Hiroshima Castle, thus essentially founding Hiroshima.Terumoto was a...
asking for his aid in supplying the cathedral fortress.
In April 1576, Oda's army attacked with 3,000 men under the command of Akechi Mitsuhide
Akechi Mitsuhide
, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
and Araki Murashige
Araki Murashige
was a retainer of Oda Nobunaga, and daimyō of Itami Castle during the late Sengoku period of the 16th century in Japanese history, in what is now Itami city in Hyōgo Prefecture....
. By now, 51 outposts had been built around the central fortress, many equipped with arquebus
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
squads. The attackers were quickly repelled by 15,000 defenders. Oda Nobunaga was forced to revise his tactics and began to attack the outposts, and the supporters of the Ikki. He sent 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...
to head an assault on the monk's fortress at Negoroji
Siege of Negoroji
The was commanded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a former vassal of Oda Nobunaga, who came to inherit his armies, his land, and his rivalry with the warrior monks of Japan when Nobunaga was killed in 1582. Thus, in a way this was the next in a series of many sieges that Oda Nobunaga's forces undertook in...
.
Nobunaga enlisted Kuki Yoshitaka
Kuki Yoshitaka
' was a naval commander during Japan's Sengoku Period, under Oda Nobunaga, and later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.In the 1570s, Kuki allied himself with Oda Nobunaga, and commanded his fleet, supporting land-based attacks on the Ikkō-ikki. In 1574, his aided ensured a victory for Nobunaga in his third...
to set up a blockade and disrupt the fortress' supply lines. In August 1576, in the first Battle of Kizugawaguchi
Battles of Kizugawaguchi
The two were fought during Oda Nobunaga's attempted sieges of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji in Osaka. The Hongan-ji was the primary fortress of the Ikkō-ikki, mobs of warrior monks, priests, and farmers who opposed Oda's rule. He ordered one of his admirals, Kuki Yoshitaka, to organize a blockade against...
, the blockade failed. But Kuki Yoshitaka returned two years later with massive new battleships and, in the second Battle of Kizugawaguchi, he broke the Mōri supply lines for good.
By now, the siege was beginning to swing in Nobunaga's favor. The majority of the Ikki's allies were already inside the fortress with them, so they had no one to call on for aid. Uesugi Kenshin
Uesugi Kenshin
was a daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku period of Japan.He was one of the most powerful lords of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries...
, one of Nobunaga's strongest enemies and, therefore, among the Ikki's strongest allies, died in 1578, and the Mori clan lost their castle at Miki
Miki, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan.As of April 30, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 82,162, with a household number of 32,143 and a population density of 465.30 persons per km²...
in 1580. Between 1578 and 1580, the Ikki sallied forth from the fortress many times under the leadership of Shimozuma Nakayuki to face Oda's armies.
But by April of 1580, the defenders were nearly out of ammunition and food. The Abbot Kōsa held a conference with his colleagues and, shortly afterwards, received a message from the Emperor
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
himself asking that the Ikki surrender. It was no secret that this letter had been prompted by Nobunaga, but that would not change the power of an Imperial request; Kōsa surrendered several weeks later and fighting finally ended a few months after that, in August 1580.
Aftermath
Nobunaga spared the lives of many of the defenders, including Shimozuma Nakayuki, but burned the fortress to the ground. Three years later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi would begin construction on the same site, building Osaka CastleOsaka Castle
is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan.Originally called Ozakajō, it is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.-Description:...
, a version of which still stands today.