Siege of Kanegasaki (1570)

The 1570 Siege of Kanegasaki (金ヶ崎の戦い, Kanegasaki no Tatakai) took place during Oda Nobunaga's struggle against the Asakura clan in Echizen province which was allied with the Azai Nagamasa. This battle is the first mark of Nagamasa's betrayal to the Oda, and Hideyoshi's rear defense for his lord's escape is one of his fabled accomplishments under Nobunaga.

Siege of Kanegasaki (1570)
Part of the Sengoku period
Date1570
Location
Kanagasaki Castle, Tsuruga, Echizen Province
Result
  • Kanagasaki Fortress falls to Oda but he withdraw his forces.
  • Successful Oda Nobunaga retreat.
Belligerents
forces of Oda Nobunaga Asakura clan garrison and Azai Nagamasa forces
Commanders and leaders
Oda Nobunaga
Hashiba Hideyoshi		 Asakura Yoshikage
Azai Nagamasa
Strength
30,000 24,500

Following the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, Nobunaga decided to have his sister Oichi marry Azai Nagamasa from Azai clan to form a diplomatic alliance, securing one of his borders. Nobunaga turned his attention to attack the Asakura clan, which was allied with the Azai.

When Nobunaga attacked Kanegasaki fortress led by Hashiba Hideyoshi, Nagamasa chose his allies over his brother-in-law. After the fortress fall to Hideyoshi, Nobunaga found himself facing both the Asakura and Azai forces, and defeat looked certain, Nobunaga decided to retreat; Hideyoshi decided to launch a fighting retreat to protect his lord to safety, and Nobunaga would have to defeat Akao Kiyotsuna and Kaiho Tsunachika before making it to the escape point. Nobunaga cut his way through the first two officers, and Matsudaira Motoyasu arrived with reinforcements for the Oda army. Nobunaga defeated Kawai Yoshimune and Maeba Yoshitsugu so that he could rendezvous with Ieyasu, and Ieyasu advised Nobunaga that a detour through the forest would be the best way to escape. However, Rokkaku Yoshikata attempted to ambush Nobunaga, and Nobunaga slashed his way through the ambushers as he continued his escape. He proceeded on to defeat Azai Nagamasa and Nobunaga own sister Oichi, and to reach the escape point.

The fighting retreat at Kanegasaki enabled Nobunaga to once more cheat death, and to amass an army which would be victorious against the Azai-Asakura army at the Battle of Anegawa.

See also

References
  • Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.

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