Azai Hisamasa
Encyclopedia
was a son of Azai Sukemasa
and the second head of the Azai clan.
Hisamasa became the head of the clan in 1542 after his father died, but unlike his father, he was never a strong leader. Losing domains against Rokkaku clan
, he instead became a Rokkaku retainer. Hisamasa's retainers had enough and after his son Azai Nagamasa
won the Battle of Norada
against a force at least twice the size of his led by Rokkaku Yoshikata
to win back independence, they forced Hisamasa into retirement.
Yet, this retirement was not complete and Hisamasa managed to hold some sway of the clan. This surfaced on 1570 after Oda Nobunaga
who was allied with his son, Azai Nagamasa, attacked Asakura Yoshikage
who had supported Hisamasa against enemies like the Rokkaku clan. Hating Nobunaga for his personality, Hisamasa demanded that the Azai clan pay back the support of Asakura clan
and forced a war by breaking the alliance. It is thought that Nagamasa opposed him and believed that the alliance could somehow be mended over time since he refused to divorce his wife, Oichi
, but he failed to gain enough support to overturn Hisamasa.
On 1573, Odani Castle
was besieged by Nobunaga's forces, and facing a loss Hisamasa committed seppuku
.
Azai Sukemasa
built Odani Castle for the Azai clan, including his son Azai Hisamasa, to rule.Sukemasa was a former Samurai under the Kyōgoku clan, but he gradually increased his power under an internal struggle within the clan. He managed to become daimyo, a powerful feudal ruler, but became engaged in a...
and the second head of the Azai clan.
Hisamasa became the head of the clan in 1542 after his father died, but unlike his father, he was never a strong leader. Losing domains against Rokkaku clan
Rokkaku clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan which wielded considerable power in the Muromachi period under the Ashikaga shogunate.-Rise and Fall:Founded by Sasaki Yasutsuna of Ōmi province in the 13th century, the name Rokkaku was taken from their residence within Kyoto; however, many members of this family...
, he instead became a Rokkaku retainer. Hisamasa's retainers had enough and after his son Azai Nagamasa
Azai Nagamasa
was a Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japan. His clan, the Azai, were located in northern Ōmi Province, east of Lake Biwa. He was both the brother-in-law of Oda Nobunaga, starting in 1564, and one of Nobunaga's enemies from 1570-1573. Nagamasa and his clan were utterly destroyed by Oda...
won the Battle of Norada
Battle of Norada
The Battle of Norada was a battle of Japan's Sengoku period, fought between forces under Azai Nagamasa and Rokkaku Yoshikata in the year 1560....
against a force at least twice the size of his led by Rokkaku Yoshikata
Rokkaku Yoshikata
was a samurai head of the Rokkaku clan during Japan's Sengoku period. He was shugo and later daimyō of an area of southern Ōmi province, he served as castellan of Kannonji Castle...
to win back independence, they forced Hisamasa into retirement.
Yet, this retirement was not complete and Hisamasa managed to hold some sway of the clan. This surfaced on 1570 after Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
who was allied with his son, Azai Nagamasa, attacked Asakura Yoshikage
Asakura Yoshikage
) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, who ruled a part of Echizen Province.Born in Ichijodani Echizen, Yoshikage ascended to the head of the Asakura clan in 1548. He proved to be adept at political and diplomatic management, markedly demonstrated by the Asakura negotiations with the...
who had supported Hisamasa against enemies like the Rokkaku clan. Hating Nobunaga for his personality, Hisamasa demanded that the Azai clan pay back the support of Asakura clan
Asakura clan
The ' are descendants of Prince Kusakabe , son of Emperor Temmu .The family was a line of daimyō which, along with the Azai clan, opposed Oda Nobunaga in the late 16th century...
and forced a war by breaking the alliance. It is thought that Nagamasa opposed him and believed that the alliance could somehow be mended over time since he refused to divorce his wife, Oichi
Oichi
or a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
, but he failed to gain enough support to overturn Hisamasa.
On 1573, Odani Castle
Odani Castle
was a Sengoku period mountain-top castle located in the present day town of Kohoku in Higashiazai District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Only the ruins remain today. It was the home castle of the Azai clan and the mountain it was built upon was considered to be impregnable...
was besieged by Nobunaga's forces, and facing a loss Hisamasa committed seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...
.