The History Of Nobunaga

Sengoku Jidai Trilogy This story first of a three part series covering Oda Nubunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu - the three Sengoku Jidai personalities that significantly effected Japan's History.   This is a great period in Japanese history and thus we will explore many of the events in detail. We will also look at the "management style" of these individuals in order to understand how they were able to control so much power and be so effective.   Odo Nubunaga Let share a thumbnail description of Oda Nobunaga, I wrote that is which is a bit on the dramatic side:    "If a bird doesn't sing, kill it." - a haiku poem describing his style.   Nobunaga is arguably the most potent, the most fierce daimyo in the sengoku jidai - Japan's warring period in the 16th century..  He started as a daimyo of Owari province (very small and weak), gained control of the capital - Kyoto, and unified under his leadership about 1/3 of "Central Japan" before he was betrayed by one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, then force to commit seppuku at Honjoji temple.  One one hand, he is described as a demonic figure with no mercy - a person who killed all potential rivals who would not rally behind him and seldom accepted surrender. He completely destroyed Enryakuji temple in Mt. Hiei , one of the religious centers of Japanese Buddhists, and killed most everyone.  He also suppressed Jodo-shin-shu Buddhism by force.  Sad but true, there were also numerous incident where Nobunaga forces simply slaughtered ten of thousands of people.  On the other hand, Nobunaga is known as a very progressive leader.   He quickly recognized the potency of the mussel loaded riffles, developed new technology, logistic and battle technique instrumental in overcoming his enemy.  It is said that Nobunaga encouraged trade with European nations, and Nobunaga had a Christian name "Geronimo" and it sometime thought to have been a Christian.  However, I don't really believe this.   My take is that he knew the Christians (Portuguese Jesuits) had guns and potential influence amongst his rivals in Kyushu, who were historically difficult to control, independent minded and relatively far away.  Anyway, Oda Nobunaga was very different and wore European style plate armor in battles, rather than normal Japanese yoroi armor, and did I mention he had a big gun!  Yes, he did.  It is said that Nobunaga didn't want to be Shogun, he wanted to be emperor.  This I think is true based on his actions and the renaming of gifu (a reference to a great Chinese conqueror).  Plan:  consolidate power first, marginalize or kill the emperor, destroy the current dynasty, and rise up as new emperor himself, sort of the way it was done in China.  We know that never happened.  But we do know that his reign of "serious power" lasted 14 years and he was able to "unify / control 20 of Japan's 66" province before he was was betrayed and died.  It is from this base that Toyotomi Hideyoshi (a Oda Nobunaga general) would be able to unify Japan.   One important point about all these personalities.  It is sometimes easy to get carried away with the descriptions of how great a person was and "over romanticize" a person.   For example, I said above "Nobunaga encourage trade with the European", as if somehow he had any thing to do with the situation.  Most all trade in Japan was out of Kyushu which he NEVER controlled.  Yes, the Jesuits were in Kyoto, but their ships were not.  The only "port of call" for foreign ships was Nagasaki - very far away indeed.  The Portuguese Jesuits had guns and technology.  At the time, Phillip II of Portugal (although a shadow of his father and in my opinion, a questionable leader) was arguably the most powerful man in the world.   While Oda Nubunaga was perhaps one of the few people to on Japan's main island to grasp this, the Satsuma and others on Kyushu (south and east Japan - closest to china and Korea) definitely understood the implication - hence why (I think) many Kyushu leaders "become Christian", sort of the precursor to becoming an ally. Japan in 1565 Where to begin.   "It was the end of the warring period.  For over 100 years, Japan had been torn by war...."  I love the way that sounds.   First, let's start in 1565 and identify 3 important blocks of Japan History leading to this moment: 700+ years of Imperial rule with the aristocratic civil government  in Kansai, followed by 135 years of Military Rule starting with Minamoto Yoritomo with the government based in Kamakura starting with Minamoto, followed 237 years of Military Rule by the Ashikaga Shogun with the government based in Kyoto.  However, the last 100 years of this rule (during the sengoku jidai) this government under control of powerful external factions.  Sengoku Jidai In 1565, while the country was technically still being ruled by the Shogun (and the emperor), the county unfortunately had fallen into chaos and anarchy.  These troubled time started in 1467 with the Ounin war, 10 year "east army" / "west army" civil war, that was conceptually won by the east, but the conflict spilled over into other conflicts, and hence in 1565, we are in the middle of what is often called the warring period or Sengoku Jidai, the Chinese character of which means "country at war".  I think it is interesting to note the the "east army" and "west army" of the "ounin" war was not "east japan west japan thing" but reference to which ary of Kyoto they controlled during the 10 year of war.  Hosokawa Katsumoto who controlled the 80,000 soldier "eastern" army was actually from Shikoku - the very large island in south and west of Kansai (Kyoto /Osaka) Anyway, 1565 was interesting pivot year: Oda Nubunaga was 31 years old and still just a daimyo from Owari -a relatively small and weak province east of Kyoto and Japan's southern shore (Modern day Nagoya area) also that same year, the 14th Ashikaga Shogun was assassinated and true to the age, another large power struggle began While we start this story in 1565, it is important to note the 1568 (three years later) is the year generally thought to be the beginning of the Azuichi Momoyama period, the first year of which was Oda Nobunaga's rule.  I find it funny that the period is named not after the individual who ruled but after Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle and Hideyoshi's, Momoyama Castle.  True to Japanese History, the impact of these two individuals in hidden within the name of the period.  It is very Japanese.  Azuichi Momoyama period begins with Nobunaga's entry into Kyoto (imperial capital) in 1568 and "installed" the 15th and ultimately final shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate.  However, back to 1565.

1565 Japan - Background

1565 starts with the following forces in play with in Japan.  The Emperor and the Imperial Court.  Is the title of the spiritual leader of Japan.  Title passes from heir to heir.  The holder of this position and other members of the royal family live in some palace in Kansai.  Sometime old sometimes young.  Regardless of age, the emperor is surrounded by significant number of advisors and handlers.    The Shōgun was the official court title give by the Emperor to whomever was the "military dictator" of the time.  The Shougun goverment, the bakufu, control both civil and military issues.. However, the Shougun title passed from heir to heir, and thus the Shogun could actually be a child.  Also, because the characteristic of those who "take power" are generally different that those who inherit power, the bloodline of the shoguns generally get weaker and weaker.  It is probably important to know that the first Shogun was Minamoto no Yoritomo, seized considerable power from the aristocracy in Kyoto and establish the government know as the "Kamakura Shogunate" in eastern Japan about 60 miles south of Tokyo.  He became the practical ruler of Japan, and received the title sei-i taishōgun from the emperor.  Thereafter, the heads of three successive shogunates received the same title. After the downfall of the "Kamakura Shogunate", certain conditions had to be met in order for a Warlord to be bestowed the title of Shogun. First and foremost, the warlord had to be of Minamoto Clan descent.  Secondly, all of Japan had to be unified under a single daimyo. If a warlord unified Japan, and was not of Minamoto descent, then he would be bestowed the title of Regent.  It is an aside at this moment but the third and last shogunate, the Tokagawa shoganate, was base on forged documents showing Ieyasu Tokagowa as being a Minamoto descendant IMPERIAL APPROVAL:  Determining whom actually is in control - the emperor or the shogun - is always an interesting question.  The each need each other.  A Shogun was the Emperor's highest-ranked vassal. So everything that he did must get the Emperor's written approval. Without it, he would have been considered guilty of a coup, and other warlords had their duty to the Emperor to punish him.  That's why, no matter how great a Shogun's armed forces were, he still sent petitions and pleas to the Imperial Court, although it was just a formality. But without doing it his reign would have been illegitimate and people would refuse to get under his rule. A Shogun had the duty to preserve the safety of the Imperial House and the capital city of Kyoto, plus pouring money into the Imperial purse.  Land and Loyalty.  Theoretically the state, and therefore the Emperor, held ownership of all land of Japan.  The system had some feudal elements, with lesser territorial lords pledging their allegiance to greater ones.  Samurai were rewarded for their loyalty with land, which was in turn, on the liege lord's permission, handed down and divided among their sons. The hierarchy that held this system of government together was reinforced by close ties of loyalty between samurai and their subordinates. Christian / Buddhist Tension.  Christianity arrived in 1549 with Saint Francis to Kyushu and began very popular among Kyushu leaders.  <NTS: bring in Kagoshima and Shimazu detail - guns and boats>.  Associating with the Jesuits had tremendous advantages........ By 1560 there were 12 missionaries in Japan, most living and working on Kyūshū.  In 1560, after meeting with the Jesuits who came to Kyoto, Yoshiteru issues orders that the missionaries were to be well treated and not taxed, and are authorized to work in Kyōto.    Hence in 1565, we were 15 years into building religious tension between Buddhist (and Shinto) and the Christian.  This tension ultimately lead to an 1587 imperial edict/order (Hideyoshi) expelling Christian missionaries from Kyōto, where the Christian missionaries would flee to Sakai (very close - just south of modern day Osaka) or Kyūshū (Jesuit base and stronghold).  However, suffice it to say that not everyone was happy with these newcomers.   Guns.  >>>>>>>>>>>>Bring in Nobunaga details from Hideyoshi write-ups<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Assassination of the last effective Ashikaga Shogun.  In 1565, the 14th and the last effective Ashikaga shogun was assassinated (along with his wife and mother) by agents of an alliance of the Matsunaga and Miyoshi clans (vassals of the Hosokawa).  Internal squabbling, however, prevented them from acting swiftly to legitimatize their claim to power.  Anyway, in 1565, the 13th Ashikaga shōgun (Yoshiteru) is assassinated, Yoshihide becomes the fourteenth shōgun and Yoshiaki (who would later become the 15th shōgun under Nobunaga) escapes to Echizen (a province on the North Shore of the Main island just north of Kyoto)

Oda Nobunaga Prior to 1568

Lots of balh blah blah in history and it is easy lose sight of the big picture which is as follows:   Oda Nobunaga was born in Owari province - a small and weak province in central Japan.  (see red on the map).  True to the times, there was much fighting among the powerful clans and well as within them.  Oda had a legitimate hereditary claim as a leader, but there was 10 year stuggle for him to get control of his own province - secure in 1557 - at age 23.   After gaining control of Owari province, Oda Nobunaga spent another 10 years warring with various neighboring provinces - particularly the Mino Province - which he secured in 1567.  During that struggle, there was the spectacular 1560 defeat of Imagawa Yoshimoto near Okehazama, a powerful neighboring daimyo, who was beaten and killed in a surprise attacked by Nobunaga although outnumbered by at least 10 to 1. A secret alliance 1561 with the leader of the Mikawa province - the province to Owari's east whose leader who would later be know as Tokugowa Ieyasu.    The 1567 of the defeat of the Saitō clan, where Nobunaga gained important control of Mino Province, the large province to the north of Nobunaga.  During the final battle, Hideyoshi Toyotomi is said to have lead a small group up the mountain at night to take the castle.  Also during this conflict, Nobunaga was allied with the Azai clan in northern Omi (an area just the west of Mino Provice)  By the end of 1567, Oda Nobunaga - age 33  - after spending most of his spent fighting controlled Owari and the adjoining Mino Province.

1568 -  Oda Nobunaga takes control of Kyoto

In 1568 - Nobunaga Establishes his headquarters at Inabayama (in Mino Province), which he renames Gifu, a reference to the home province of a great Chinese conqueror. That year, his son Oda Nobutaka is married to a daughter of Kanbe Tomomori of eastern Ise and later becomes the head of the Kanbe family.  Ise Province (on Owari's west border) was know for prodigious rice output.  Ashikaga Yoshiaki, brother of the murdered shogun Yoshiteru, who was in living in exile to the north, requests that Nobunaga establish him in Kyoto and Nobunaga willingly agrees. In mid summer, Oda Nobunaga advances towards Kyoto, defeating/brushing aside resistance of Rokkaku Yoshinaka of ōmi province on the south side of Lake Biwako.  Passage through southern Omi to the capital is clear.  In October, Nobunaga enters the capital in the 10th month, easily driving out the Miyoshi and Matsunaga who flee south to Sekai to the south. Yoshiaki became the 15th Ashikaga shogun, but real power rests with Nobunaga. Shibata Katsuie, Nobunaga general, pushes on and defeats an army of Miyoshi and Matsunaga troops at Sakai. Nobunaga’s popularity is given a quick boost by his abolishment of tolls on the roads around Kyoto.

14 More Years of War

In 1568, although Nobunaga had taken control of Kyoto (and conceptually, the Shogun) most of the country was still at war.  Nobunaga really controlled very little.   Even after his death, 14 year later, he would only control 20 of Japan 66 provinces.  What make Nobunaga great is that his conquest over next 14 was the essential foundation from which Toyotomi Hideyoshi (a Nobunaga general) unified Japan.  But for Nobunaga, Hideyoshi's efforts (and techniques may not have worked).  This period breaks into 2 period Everything before the Battle of Nagoshino (1574 defeat of Takeda Katsuyori) Everything after Battle of Nagoshino.

Battle of Nagasino

As you can gather, the Battle of Nagashino was an important battle.  It took place in near Nagashino Castle on the plain of  Mikawa province.  Mikawa was Ieyasu original "hometown province"  Ieyasu was a Nobunaga ally.  The castle was defend by Ieyasu forces was under siege by Takeda Katsuyori..  Nobunaga and Ieyasu both sent troops to alleviate the siege and Takeda Katsuyori  was defeated. Oda's firearms and western-inspired tactics over Takeda's cavalry charge is often cited as a turning point in Japanese warfare.  It is also cited as the first 'modern' Japanese battle.  I think that a lot had lead up to this point and that it was just this battle, and the favorable reult, where it all came together.    A few points: The cavalry charge was a very effective battle technique and had been only introduced into Japan a generation earlier by  Takeda's father.  Firearm had been used in Japan up to this point, but it was Nobunaga who perfected there manufacture, supply logistics and battle techniques.  <<<<<<<<INSERT WRITE-UP ON HIDEYOSHI"S GUN FACTORY<<<<<<<<< The simplistic version of Oda Nobunaga's innovation was the wooden stockades (sort a barrier to horses) and rotating volleys of fire from muskets.  A "rotating volley" i.e. is sequential firing of weapons using multiple rows of soldier. Some say this this was the first time in history that this technique had been used.  Perhaps this is true.  Also important was the Japan's use of the pike.  Pikes were long spears that could be planted in the ground and faced toward she charging enemy.  Japan warriors had for some time used shorter versions of the pike but with Nobunaga, the pikes length increase in length to almost 30'.  Pike were essential in opposing changing horses.  Pikemen worked with the arquebsiers (gunners) and short spearmen and generally formed multiple line.  It was the efficient use of these lines that broke the cavalry charge of Takeda resulting in a Nobunaga and Ieyasu victory.