Oda Hidenori (織田秀則)
Hidenori ODA was a busho (a Japanese military commander) in the Azuchi-Momoyama period. He was the second son of Nobutada ODA, the lord of Gifu-jo Castle in Mino Province. Hidenobu ODA was his older paternal half-brother. His childhood name was Yoshimaru (吉丸), and he passed by the name of Saemon no jo (third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards). His official court rank was Jushii no jiju (Junior Forth Rank Chamberlain). His imina (personal name) was Hidetoshi (秀利). His homyo (a name given to a person who enters the Buddhist priesthood) was Eigen (英厳). He also went by the name of Miyoshi no jiju (Miyoshi Chamberlain).
Around 1596, Hidenori, who lived in the castle town of Osaka-jo Castle, joined the Catholic Church and was given the Christian name of Paolo. Hidenobu, his older brother also joined the Catholic Church at the same time.
In 1598, he built Kenshoin in the Myoshin-ji Temple in Kyoto. Kenshoin was kept by the Ishikawa clan in Mino, and has still remained as Keishunin.
In 1600, he held up in Mino Gifu-jo Castle at the Battle of Sekigahara, belonging to the Western Camp along with his older brother, Hidenobu. According to the Kogen Bukan, Vol. 18 (the Directories of Bakufu Officialdom of the Minamoto Clan of Omi Province), he fought bravely at the battle, together with Hyobu ODA, who is thought to have been a member of the family and Toemon TSUDA. After the battle, Hidenobu, his older brother was dismissed from his post and deprived of his fief, while Hidenori moved to the castle town of Osaka-jo Castle to rely on the Toyotomi family. After that, he moved to Kyoto because of the fall of the Toyotomi family. In his later years, he took the tonsure and named himself as Soji (宗爾). It is said that he changed his name to Nobumasu TSUDA, but details are uncertain because he could be a different person of the same name.
On November 26, 1625, he died in Kyoto at the age of 45. He had a daughter (wife of Sadamasa OGASAWARA).