Oda Nobukatsu (Nobuo) (織田信雄)
Nobukatsu (Nobuo) ODA was a warlord/daimyo (feudal lord) who lived in the Azuchi-momoyama and early Edo periods. He was the first lord of the Uda-Matsuyama Domain in Yamato Province.
He was the second son of Nobunaga ODA. His childhood name was Chasen-maru. After becoming a priest, he assumed the name of Joshin. When he assumed the surname of Kitabatake by taking over the head position of the Kitabatake family and he was respectfully called Go-Honjo.
Birth
Nobukatsu was born the second son of Nobunaga ODA in 1558. Some say that Nobukatsu and Nobutaka ODA, who was born several days earlier, were deemed as second and third son, respectively, because the lady in waiting made notification of Nobukatsu's birth earlier than Nobutaka's birth. Others say that they were deemed so because the lineage of Nobukatsu's mother was ranked higher than the lineage of Nobutaka's mother. Nobukatsu's mother was Kitsuno IKOMA, a daughter of Iemune IKOMA. However, the latter view mentioned above originated with a historical document written by a person who was a direct descendent of Nobukatsu, and Nobutaka's mother was from the Saka family, a branch of the Kabuto family, which was a branch of the Seki family (the Seki family originating from the Taira family), the most powerful ruling family in Ise Province. Thus, considering the conditions of the Saka and Ikoma families, it makes no sense at all, as a matter of fact, that the lineage of the Saka family was ranked lower than the lineage of the Ikoma family.
During Nobunaga's Lifetime
In 1570, after his father Nobunaga attacked Kitabatake, Nobukatsu became the adopted heir to Tomofusa KITABATAKE in return for reconciliation, and married a daughter of Tomonori KITABATAKE. Thereafter, he took over as the head of the Kitabatake family in 1575. In the following year (1576), he killed the Kitabatake, including Tomonori KITABATAKE, his adoptive father, to eliminate the Kitabatake forces.
In 1579, he invaded Iga Province without Nobunaga's permission and sustained a crushing defeat, and was rebuked by Nobunaga severely. In 1581, however, he was entrusted by his father with the forces of the daimyos in Yamato Province and Ise Province to once again invade Iga and vanquish the local lords and samurai there.
His original residence, Tamaru Castle, burned to the ground in 1580; after which, he built Matsugashima Castle and moved there to reside.
The Honnoji Incident
After the Honnoji Incident on July 1, 1582, in which Nobunaga was killed, Nobukatsu advanced forces on Tsuchiyama in Omi Province, but immediately withdrew back to Ise. On the occasion of Kiyosu Conference, which was held after the death of Mitsuhide AKECHI, Nobukatsu maneuvered to succeed Nobunaga but failed in doing so. Thereafter, Nobukatsu was given fiefs in Owari Province, Iga, and Minami (Southern)-Ise, which yielded approximately one million koku of rice in total, and resided at Kiyosu-jo Castle and reverted to his former surname, Oda. In addition, he selected as his chief retainer Yoshifuyu TSUGAWA, a non-eldest son of the Shiba family, which had ruled over the Oda family in earlier days.
The Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
In 1583, Nobukatsu sided with Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI during his battle with Katsuie SHIBATA at Shizugatake. In addition, Nobukatsu attacked his half-brother, Nobutaka ODA, who sided with Shibata, at Gifu-jo Castle--his relationship with his brother was never repaired after the succession race which in turn forced Nobutaka to kill himself after his surrender.
After the death of Katsuie SHIBATA, however, Nobukatsu confronted Hideyoshi HASHIBA, who had suddenly grown in power, and concluded an alliance with Ieyasu TOKUGAWA. In April 1584, Nobukatsu killed his three key retainers, i.e., Yoshifuyu TSUGAWA, Shigetaka OKADA, and Nagatoki AZAI, based on the reason that they were in secret communication with Hideyoshi, and asked Ieyasu TOKUGAWA for help, which resulted in the Battles of Komaki and Nagakute.
In the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, the Oda and Tokugawa allied forces defeated the Hashiba forces in select places and killed those who were on the side of Hashiba, including Tsuneoki IKEDA and Nagayoshi MORI. On December 12, however, Nobukatsu made a peace pact with Hideyoshi without Ieyasu's consent. Consequently, Ieyasu, who had confronted Hideyoshi under the banner of Nobukatsu, no longer had any reason to fight Hideyoshi and withdrew his forces.
Thereafter, Nobukatsu was obedient to Hideyoshi and participated in the conquest of Ecchu and Kyushu, which were ruled by Narimasa SASA and the Shimazu family, respectively. After the conquest of Kyushu in 1587, Nobukatsu was appointed as Naidaijin (the Minister of Palace). In February 1590, his eldest daughter Ohime, who had been adopted by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, married Hidetada TOKUGAWA. Nobukatsu moved to Owari Kiyosu-jo Castle after an earthquake in December 1585 damaged Ise-Nagashima-jo Castle.
Punishment by the expropriation of fiefs
Nobukatsu also participated in the conquest of Odawara in 1590, and distinguished himself in the attack on Nirayama Castle in Izu Province. The rewards doled out after the conquest had Ieyasu transfer from his fief of five provinces in Tokai to a fief of eight provinces in Kanto, and Nobukatsu was transferred from Owari to Ieyasu's former fief. However, Nobukatsu rejected this and incurred the displeasure of Hideyoshi, who punished him by depriving him of his fief. He was banished to the present Nasu- Karasuyama City in Shimotsuke Province (or to Nasu, according to another account). On this occasion, Nobukatsu became a priest and changed his name to Joshin.
Thereafter, he was banished to Akita in Dewa Province and then to Iyo Province, but, shortly thereafter--on the occasion of the Bunroku-no-eki War in 1592 (Japan's first invasion of Korea)--he was pardoned by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI through the mediation of Ieyasu, and returned to service as samurai and joined Shobanshu (officials who accompanied the Shogun). On this occasion, he was given a fief yielding 18 thousand koku of rice in Yamato Province. At the same time, Hidekatsu ODA, his eldest son, was also called in front of Hideyoshi, and given a fief yielding 50 thousand koku of rice in Kameyama in Echizen Province.
The Edo Period
Nobukatsu's place in the Battle of Sekigahara, which occurred in 1600, remains unclear. Some say he supported Mitsunari ISHIDA, and others say he provided information about the provinces in the vicinity of Kyoto. He is presumed to have remained in Osaka, and therefore considered to have been on the side of the Western forces. For this reason, Ieyasu punished him by depriving him of his fief after the Battle. Nobukatsu's eldest son, Hidekatsu, was also punished in the same way.
Thereafter, Nobukatsu served the Toyotomi family while living in Osaka. In 1614, however, he walked out on Hideyori TOYOTOMI immediately before the Battle of Osaka in 1614. It appears that a rumor was circulating among people in those days that Nobukatsu would become the supreme commander of the Toyotomi side.
On September 15, 1615 after the Battle of Osaka, Nobukatsu was given fiefs located in Uda County in Yamato Province, Kanra County in Kozuke Province, and other places yielding a total of 50 thousand koku of rice, and thereafter returned to his position as a daimyo. While having built a tasteful garden called Rakusan-en in the castle located in Kanra County, Kozuke Province, he also committed himself to the nurturing of industries, such as sericulture. After he granted the Ueno-Obata Domain, which yielded twenty thousand koku of rice, to Nobuyoshi ODA, his fourth son, in his later days, he lived a relaxed and enjoyable life in Kyoto, enjoying the tea ceremony, falconry, and so forth. This was his defacto retirement. In October 1628, he participated in a tea ceremony gathering at Edo Castle at the invitation of Iemitsu TOKUGAWA.
On June 10, 1630 he died at his residence in Kitano, Kyoto. He was 73 years old. The fief in Uda County in Yamato Province, which had been assigned to Nobukatsu as a substantial retirement stipend, was inherited by his fifth son, Takanaga Oda. The Oda family that ruled the Ueno-Obata Domain objected to this inheritance.
Nobukatsu's Descendants
The lineage originating from Nobuyoshi ODA, Nobukatsu's fourth son, was originally the lord of the Ueno-Obata Domain. He then became the lord of the Dewa-Takahata Domain due to his transfer to the fief of Dewa-Takahata, a result of the Meiwa Incident. Thereafter he became the lord of the Dewa-Tendo Domain due to a relocation of his manor house, and reached the days of the abolition of the feudal domains and establishment of prefectures.
The lineage originating from Takanaga ODA, Nobukatsu's fifth son, originally served as lord of the Uda-Matsuyama Domain in Yamato Province. However, an internal squabble over the headship right resulted in a later descendant being transferred and coming to serve as lord of the Tanba-Kaibara Domain in Temba Province, and such status was handed down until the days of the abolition of the feudal domains and establishment of prefectures.
The lineage originating from Nobutame ODA, Nobukatsu's sixth son, assumed the surname of Tsuda and became retainers of the Oda family ruling the Uda-Matsuyama Domain in Yamato Province and the Oda family ruling the Ueno-Obata Domain. Geki TSUDA and Hachirobe TSUDA (Shinya TANIYAMA), Nobutame's eldest and second sons, respectively, served the Oda family ruling the Uda Domain while Tanomo TSUDA, Nobutame's third son, served the Oda family ruling the Obata Domain.
Personal Profile
Members of the Oda family reacted with disgust towards Nobukatsu's frequent blunders and would often lament, 'That is typical of Sansuke-dono (referring to Nobukatsu)', implying that he was considered a 'stupid leader'. When Nobukatsu sustained a crushing defeat in the attack on Iga carried without Nobunaga's permission, Nobunaga is said to have scolded him harshily in a letter of reprimand, and have even tried to disown him. Regardless of that, Nobukatsu was always ranked higher than his younger brother, Nobutaka, due to the seniority in the Oda family, which held Nobutada in the first position, then Nobukatsu, then Nobukane, and then Nobutaka.
It was said that forces led by Nobukatsu had advanced on Tsuchiyama in Omi but withdrew rather than fighting the Akechi forces; moreover, his action led to burn down Azuchi Castle, constructed by Nobunaga.
(However, a recent in-depth study has revealed the cause of the destruction of Azuchi Castle to be the intrusion of natives aiming to plunder it.)
Moreover, Nobukatsu made a peace pact with Hideyoshi without the consent of his patron, Ieyasu, on the occation of the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, and later, he was deprived of his fief as a result of opposing Hideyoshi's order of transfer. These, as well as many of his blunders, are attributable to a lack of insight into the currents of the time.
It has been said that Nobukatsu was a skillful player of Noh. The record shows that Nobutada KONOE thought, while appreciating the Noh sponsored by Hideyoshi in 1593 with the Emperor in attendance, that Joshin was an unrivalled Noh player, and that he was exceptionally skilled at handling his fans. In addition, the Tokugawa Jikki (official records of the Edo Shogunate) contains an entry that details the overwhelming emotional reaction of the audience to Joshin's skillful Tatsuta-no-mai dance during a Noh play held at Jurakudai.