The name Nobunaga filters through various anime and manga titles, mostly in a historical drama context. Who is Nobunaga and why does the name appear in so many stories?
Oda Nobunaga is one of the most important historical figures in Japan. He was a feudal lord in the middle of the 16th century who almost unified all of the various portions of Japan under his control. He succeeded in gaining political and military control over the largest landmass in the nation but was betrayed and died before he could see the end of his goal. Two of his allies took up his efforts, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. The later established the hereditary Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled the unified nation for over 250 years.
Nobunaga's efforts and accomplishments were monumental and altered the fabric of the nation for centuries to come. His rise and legacy signaled the end of the bloody feudal warring period known as the Sengoku Era. During this 150 year period of almost constant warfare between the various lords the power of the Emperor, seated in Kyoto, was virtually ceremonial. Instead the various clan leaders battled each other over resources and influence. The constant fighting led to great suffering for the lower caste's who would attempt revolts from time to time. In general it was a dangerous and chaotic period.
Whether through tactics, luck, timing or all three, Nobunaga, the eldest son of a small clad leader, was able to stage a decades long effort to reign in the chaos, instilling allegiance to his power faction. He did so through successful battles, strategic negotiations and his growing prestige, which had a hard time faltering even when he lost military campaigns. Under his command numerous clans that opposed his power grab were defeated and subjugated. In the end one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, betrayed him as a new military campaign was underway, leading to his death. Mitsuhide claimed control following the betrayal but was killed by Hideyoshi with in a month.
Hideyoshi had risen, to be one of Nobunaga's most trusted generals, from a lowly beginning as a peasant. In striking contrast Hideyoshi established the samurai law that would prohibit non-samurai from carrying swords and cement the title of samurai being hereditary only. This maneuver established a block on social mobility in the country, preventing others from taking the same path he had taken. The law would remain in effect until the dissolution of the samurai caste in the 1860's.
Hideyoshi succeeded in unifying Japan, though the unification wasn't guaranteed. He directed his attention to China, to continue Nobunaga's goals and to increase his own renown as he neared the end of his life. His forces failed twice to push through Korea enroute to China and the Hideyoshi clan was left in a weaked position, making its control of the nation difficult. Following his death Tokugawa stepped into the power vacuum to cement his own ambitions to rule the nation. Establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate, setting up his seat of power in the small fishing village of Edo which would become Tokyo. The Tokugawa clan ruled the unified country until pro-Emperor forces would over throw it during the 1860's Boshin War. This change in power would also open the country completely to foreign influence for the first time in over two centuries.
Aside from his roll in shaping modern Japan, Nobunaga is known to have cultivated a number of things that are now intrinsic in Japanese culture, such as the tea ceremony and kabuki. But his place in history is not without controversy. He is viewed by many to have been a harsh dictator and generaly unpleasant person. Part of this negative light is due to the siege and eventual slaughter of a mountain fortress for anti-samurai monks, priests and peasants. After years of besieging the fortress following a defeat by the warrior monks with in, the entire place was burned to the ground and all of its inhabitants slaughtered, including women and children. There existed a rule that prohibited soldiers from attacking monks and priests. Nobunaga believed that if they choose to participate in war as soldiers they were exempt from this rule.
While the subject of many history books in Japan, it is unfortunate that very little is available in English about the historical Oda Nobunaga. The few books that do focus on him in depth are of the prohibitively expensive academic sort. The best source for the casual reader interested in more detailed information on him would be A History of Japan, 1334-1615 by George Samson.
Oda Nobunaga is one of the most important historical figures in Japan. He was a feudal lord in the middle of the 16th century who almost unified all of the various portions of Japan under his control. He succeeded in gaining political and military control over the largest landmass in the nation but was betrayed and died before he could see the end of his goal. Two of his allies took up his efforts, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. The later established the hereditary Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled the unified nation for over 250 years.
Nobunaga's efforts and accomplishments were monumental and altered the fabric of the nation for centuries to come. His rise and legacy signaled the end of the bloody feudal warring period known as the Sengoku Era. During this 150 year period of almost constant warfare between the various lords the power of the Emperor, seated in Kyoto, was virtually ceremonial. Instead the various clan leaders battled each other over resources and influence. The constant fighting led to great suffering for the lower caste's who would attempt revolts from time to time. In general it was a dangerous and chaotic period.
Whether through tactics, luck, timing or all three, Nobunaga, the eldest son of a small clad leader, was able to stage a decades long effort to reign in the chaos, instilling allegiance to his power faction. He did so through successful battles, strategic negotiations and his growing prestige, which had a hard time faltering even when he lost military campaigns. Under his command numerous clans that opposed his power grab were defeated and subjugated. In the end one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, betrayed him as a new military campaign was underway, leading to his death. Mitsuhide claimed control following the betrayal but was killed by Hideyoshi with in a month.
Hideyoshi had risen, to be one of Nobunaga's most trusted generals, from a lowly beginning as a peasant. In striking contrast Hideyoshi established the samurai law that would prohibit non-samurai from carrying swords and cement the title of samurai being hereditary only. This maneuver established a block on social mobility in the country, preventing others from taking the same path he had taken. The law would remain in effect until the dissolution of the samurai caste in the 1860's.
Hideyoshi succeeded in unifying Japan, though the unification wasn't guaranteed. He directed his attention to China, to continue Nobunaga's goals and to increase his own renown as he neared the end of his life. His forces failed twice to push through Korea enroute to China and the Hideyoshi clan was left in a weaked position, making its control of the nation difficult. Following his death Tokugawa stepped into the power vacuum to cement his own ambitions to rule the nation. Establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate, setting up his seat of power in the small fishing village of Edo which would become Tokyo. The Tokugawa clan ruled the unified country until pro-Emperor forces would over throw it during the 1860's Boshin War. This change in power would also open the country completely to foreign influence for the first time in over two centuries.
Aside from his roll in shaping modern Japan, Nobunaga is known to have cultivated a number of things that are now intrinsic in Japanese culture, such as the tea ceremony and kabuki. But his place in history is not without controversy. He is viewed by many to have been a harsh dictator and generaly unpleasant person. Part of this negative light is due to the siege and eventual slaughter of a mountain fortress for anti-samurai monks, priests and peasants. After years of besieging the fortress following a defeat by the warrior monks with in, the entire place was burned to the ground and all of its inhabitants slaughtered, including women and children. There existed a rule that prohibited soldiers from attacking monks and priests. Nobunaga believed that if they choose to participate in war as soldiers they were exempt from this rule.
While the subject of many history books in Japan, it is unfortunate that very little is available in English about the historical Oda Nobunaga. The few books that do focus on him in depth are of the prohibitively expensive academic sort. The best source for the casual reader interested in more detailed information on him would be A History of Japan, 1334-1615 by George Samson.
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