Oda Toshihiro (織田敏広)
Toshihiro ODA was busho (a Japanese military commander) in the Sengoku period. He was a legitimate son of Satohiro ODA. He was shugodai (deputy governor) of four upper districts of Owari Province. It is said that he was the progenitor of 'the Oda Isenokami family' (the Iwakura Oda family). It is believed that he was actually the same person as Hisahiro ODA, the man formerly known as Toshihiro's cousin and the previous family head, and that Toshihiro called himself Hisahiro at first, but later changed his name to Toshihiro because he was granted the use of a character of the name of Owari no kuni shugo (governor of Owari Province), Yoshitoshi SHIBA (there are different opinions).
Biography
Toshihiro's family, 'the Oda Isenokami family' (the Iwakura Oda clan), residing in Iwakura-jo Castle, was originally the head family of the Oda clan.
However, later on, Toshisada ODA from a branch family called 'the Oda Yamatonokami family' (the Kiyosu Oda clan), who was Ko-shugodai (representative of a deputy governor) based in Kiyosu-jo Castle, gradually extended his influence and gained power, and therefore Toshihiro helped Yoshikado SHIBA become new governor of Owari and fought against Toshisada,
According to "Kennaiki," since Toshihiro's alleged father, the then deputy governor Satohiro, embezzled tax money from temples, shrines and honjo (manors) and ran away in 1441, Hisahiro (he may have been Toshihiro) replaced him as Owari no kuni shugodai (governor of Owari Province) in the next year (1442) or so. With the help of the eighth Shogun Yoshimasa ASHIKAGA, Satohiro attempted to be restored to his former position. Therefore in 1451, Toshihiro forced Satohiro to kill himself in Echizen Province by order of his master's family, the Shiba clan. In 1466, Toshihiro and his younger brother Hirochika ODA went to the capital (Kyoto) at the request of Yamana-nyudo (lay-monk) (an unpopular nickname), who was engaged to Toshihiro's daughter.
The following year, in 1467 when the Onin War started, Toshihiro backed up Yoshikado SHIBA to make him new governor of Owari and took the side of the Western Camp led by Mochitoyo YAMANA. In November 1475, Toshihiro accompanied his master Yoshikado from Kyoto to Owari Province, and entered Orizu-jo Castle in Nakajima County, Owari Province, which housed Owari no kuni shugosho (the administration of Owari Province).
The next year, in 1476, Toshihiro and his father-in-law Myochin SAITO fought against Toshisada ODA from 'the Yamatonokami family' (the Kiyosu ODA clan), a vassal branch family. After Toshihiro was defeated and Orizu-jo Castle fell, he took refuge in the Kokufu Palace in Yamada County. But later, he resumed offensive and banished Toshisada from Owari for a while.
In 1478, Toshisada was newly appointed Owari no kuni shugodai by the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), and Toshihiro, who was a direct descendant of the Oda clan, was treated as a rioter along with Yoshikado SHIBA. On October 12 of the same year, Toshisada went down to Owari and seized Kiyosu-jo Castle owned by Toshihiro, which housed new shugosho in Kasugai County, Owari Province. In December of the same year, with the backing of Myochin, Toshihiro fought against Toshisada and surrounded Kiyosu-jo Castle to recapture the castle. After the bakufu repeatedly interfered, Toshihiro gave up Kiyosu-jo Castle and made peace with Toshisada ODA, and then it was decided that the Oda Yamatonokami family and the Oda Isenokami family governed Owari Province together. Toshihiro became shugodai of four upper districts of Owari (namely Kasugai County, Niwa County, Haguri County and Nakajima County. At first, 'the Oda Isenokami family' governed Haguri County, Niwa County, much of Yamada County [later divided and integrated into Kasugai and Nakajima Counties], Kasugai County, Kaisai County and Aichi County [Aichi Prefecture] except Nagoya).
The following year, in 1479, Toshihiro constructed Iwakura-jo Castle in Niwa County, Owari Province, as his residence. Two years later, in March 1481, following the breakdown of peace between the Oda Isenokami family and the Oda Yamatonokami family, he fought against Toshisada but suffered a defeat. Later he died of a disease (he is also said to have died in battle before March 1481). After his death, Chiyo-yashamaru (Tohiro ODA), the adopted son of Toshihiro's brother Hirochika, succeeded him as head of the clan, which continued as the Iwakura Oda clan.