The anti-Nobunaga network (信長包囲網)
The anti-Nobunaga network is a commonly used name for the seige around Nobunaga led by Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA; from the end of the Sengoku period to the beginning of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Nobunaga ODA was an official backing for Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, Seii Taishogun of the Muromachi shogunate, although, in reality, they were conflicted and Yoshiaki established that anti-Nobunaga network.
The members
Nagamasa ASAI
Saiga shu (Ikko groups, who raised a riot called the Saiga riot)
Miyoshi Sanninshu (Miyoshi Triumvirate)
Sakihisa KONOE (he had fled from Nobunaga into Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple,
but he was in conflict with Yoshiaki.)
Yoshikata ROKKAKU
and so forth
An overview
Nobunaga ODA, who conquered Owari, Mino, Ise and Omi Provinces, came up to Kyoto, making him Shogun Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA's servant; then he conquered the areas in and around Kyoto, and, in alliance with Ieyasu TOKUGAWA of Mikawa Province, promoted the seige of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple (battles at Noda-jo Castle and Fukushima-jo Castle). The relationship between Nobunaga and Yoshiaki was good at first but gradually became worse and in 1570, Yoshiaki started his own diplomacy. Yoshiaki formed anti-Nobunaga network; he called for anti-Nobunaga powers and united them in Kinki region under his leadership.
At the same time, Shingen TAKEDA of Kai Province conquered Shinano and expanded his territory; in his latter years, Shingen changed his diplomatic policies and started invading Suruga. After conquering Mino Province, as Nobunaga's territory had a border with Takeda's territory, Nobunaga established the friendly association with Shingen; when Shigen started invading Suruga, Nobunaga tried to reconciliate between Kai and Echigo with the help of Akiyoshi. However, after conquering Suruga, TAKEDA remade the Koso Alliance (an alliance between the Takeda clan in Kai Province and the Hojo clan in Sagami Province) and on October, 1571, he invaded Totomi and Mikawa Provinces in a large scale, which resulted in the decisive confrontation with the Oda and Tokugawa allied forces.
It is known that Shingen intended to come up to Kyoto by driving out the Oda and Tokugawa allied forces; in 1572, Shingen started the strategy to conquer westward. In October, 1572, Shingen defeated Ieyasu in the Battle of Mikatagahara and kept going westward. In December, 1572, Yoshikage ASAKURA, who was confronting with the Oda force as Nagamasa ASAI's support arms, suddenly started withdrawing to his homeland. This withdrawal brought Shingen's plan of dispersing the ODA force to naught, which led to drastically slow down the TAKEDA force's speed of advance drastically. In March, 1573, Shogun Yoshiaki raised an army against Nobunaga, which Nobunaga repressed and on April, Shingen's strategy to conquer westward was discontinued due to his death.
Nobunaga, getting the information of Shingen's death, went on an offensive at a breath; nobody could stand up against Nobunaga, and one after another of the network was defeated impotently. Within one year after Shingen's death, the anti-Nobunaga forces, including ASAI, ASAKURA, and MIYOSHI, were killed by Nobunaga and Shogun Yoshiaki was expelled from Kyoto.
The Result
Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA was expelled from Kyoto and went down to Bingo Province. He stayed with the Mori clan.
Nagamasa ASAI was attacked and killed by Nobunaga.
Yoshikage ASAKURA was attacked and killed by Nobunaga.
After Shingen's death, Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple's activities were settle down.
Saiga shu greatly troubled Nobunaga, but later yielded to him by giving him their written oath.
Enryaku-ji Temple was destructed almost completely by Nobunaga's fire attack (in 1571).
Yoshitsugu MIYOSHI was attacked and killed by Nobunaga.
Miyoshi Sanninshu (Miyoshi Triumvirate) was attacked and almost every one of their clan was killed.
Hisahide MATSUNAGA surrendered to Nobunaga.
After Shingen's death, Katsuyori TAKEDA, Shingen's successor, withdrew to Kai Province, his hometown.
Sakihisa KONOE, after Yoshiaki was expelled from Kyoto, reconciled with Nobunaga and came back to Kyoto. Afterwards, he joined the pro-Nobunaga group.
Yoshikata ROKKAKU surrendered to Nobunaga.
The members
Suketoyo YAMANA
Terumoto MORI
Naoie UKITA
Yoshimitsu MURAKAMI
Saiga shu
Nagaharu BESSHO
and so forth
The overview
In 1576, some subordinated powers, including Hideharu HATANO and Suketoyo YAMANA left the pro-Nobunaga group. Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple also raised an army. Although the Nobunaga's force, with a limited number of soldiers, defeated the Ishiyama Honganji-temple force, the former was defeated by the Mori navy at the first battle of Kizukawaguchi. Afterwards Nobunaga formed a hostile relationship with Kenshin UESUGI, which Hisahide MATSUNAGA took as a good opportunity to attack Nobunaga (the Battle of Shigisan Castle). Saiga shu, Nagaharu BESSHO and Murashige ARAKI, who had promised to work for Nobunaga, broke the promise and stood up against Nobunaga. Nobunaga was forced to discontinue conquering Hokuriku region due to the defeat at the Battle at Tetori-gawa River.
Although Nobunaga faced a predicament, he was saved by the death of Kenshin UESUGI, the strongest leader of the anti-Nobunaga network, in 1578; the anti-Nobunaga network collapsed in 1580, when Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple surrendered to Nobunaga by opnening its gate.
The Result
Hideharu HATANO surrendered to Mitsuhide AKECHI, the leader of the Kinki district attacking force and was executed; the HATANO clan were all killed.
Suketoyo YAMANA died while his territory was besieged by Hideyoshi HASHIBA's force, the Chugoku district attacking force. Akihiro YAMANA, Suketoyo's successor, surrendered to Hideyoshi and became his vassal.
Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple made peace with Nobunaga and left Osaka (Ishiyama War).
Terumoto MORI could only defend himself from the successful offense of the Hideyoshi HASHIBA's force, the Chugoku district attacking force (the Battles of Kozuki Castle, Tottori-jo Castle and Bichu Takamatsu-jo Castle).
Naoie UKITA, considering his conditions disadvantageous, left the anti-Nobunaga network and made an alliance with Nobunaga.
Yoshimitsu MURAKAMI was in trouble since the Kurushima clan, who played an important role of the MURAKAMI navy, made an alliance with Nobunaga.
After Kenshin's death, Kagekatsu UESUGI, who became the successor to Kenshin after the Otate War, could only defend himself from the successful offense of the Katsuie SHIBATA's force, the Hokuriku district attacking force.
Hisahide MATSUNAGA was attacked and killed at the Battle of Shigisan Castle.
Saiga shu was attacked and almost killed completely by Nobunaga but barely escaped due to the Honnoji Incident.
Nagaharu BESSHO was attacked and killed (the Battle of Miki).
Murashige ARAKI was attacked and escaped, abandoning his wife, children and castle garrisons.
Katsuyori TAKEDA was attacked and killed at the Battle of Tenmokuzan.
Nobunaga's Ambition
A game called 'anti-Nobunaga network' can be found in the fourth product, "Nobunaga's Ambition, Busho Fuunroku (Tales of the Military Commanders) " and almost all the games that follow the fourth of "Nobunaga's Ambition Series," a historical simulation game, produced by TECMO KOEI Holdings Co., Ltd,. A historically correct 'anti-Nobunaga network' game can be found; the group was formed in 1570 when Shogun, Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, who was confronted with Nobunaga, called for various feudal lords, such as the Takeda clan and Hongan-ji temple, to fight against the Oda clan and its alliance, the Tokugawa clan; the anti-Nobunaga feudal lords made alliance with each other.