Nobunaga and Lord Ieyasu: An Unbroken Pact

A Tragedy Born from a War-Torn Era: The Untimely Death of Lord Ieyasu’s Eldest Son, Nobuyasu

A sudden and shocking event occurred in 1579. While Sakai Tadatsugu was visiting Azuchi, Nobunaga asked him about the alleged rebellion of Ieyasu’s eldest son, Nobuyasu, and his mother, Tsukiyama-dono.

Nobunaga had received a letter from his daughter, Gotoku who is Nobuyasu’s wife, in which she accused her husband and his mother of conspiring with the Takeda clan.

In the face of this suspected betrayal, Nobunaga ordered Ieyasu to execute them. It was an unbearably difficult decision for Ieyasu to take the lives of his beloved wife and son, upon whom he had placed his hopes for the future. However, defying his powerful ally Nobunaga was not an option. The accusation of conspiring with the Takeda clan, a sworn enemy, could jeopardize not only the Tokugawa family’s survival but also the stability of his territory.

Though some of Ieyasu’s retainers wished to fight Nobunaga, Ieyasu made the agonizing choice to preserve his family’s peace and the greater stability of the country. Tsukiyama-dono was killed by Ieyasu’s retainers, and Nobuyasu protested his innocence until the end, took his own life at the age of 21. Ieyasu never forgot the pain of his son’s death, which remained a source of deep regret throughout his life.

The Honnoji Incident: The Death of a Great Ally

In 1582, the Oda-Tokugawa allied forces advanced into Kai and defeated the prestigious Takeda clan. In gratitude for taking control of Suruga(a historic province in modern day Shizuoka), Lord Ieyasu visited Azuchi Castle. There, he and his retinue were warmly welcomed, and at Nobunaga’s suggestion, they decided to tour Kyoto and Sakai before leaving Azuchi.

Meanwhile, Nobunaga received a request for reinforcements from Hashiba Hideyoshi and resolved to personally lead the campaign against the Mori clan. His trusted retainer, Akechi Mitsuhide, was tasked with commanding the vanguard. On June1st, Nobunaga himself led a small force to Kyoto, where he stayed at the Honnoji Temple.

The fateful moment arrived early the following morning. Mitsuhide, who had set out with 13,000 men for the campaign to aid Hideyoshi, suddenly turned his forces toward Kyoto and instead attacked Honnoji Temple. Nobunaga realized Mitsuhide’s betrayal and resignedly uttered the words, “There is nothing to be done.” He fought bravely with bow and spear before ultimately succumbing to the flames that engulfed Honnoji Temple.

After 20 years of alliance, the bond between Nobunaga and Ieyasu was shattered not by any betrayal on their part but by the cruel fate of war. Despite the constant upheavals of the Warring States period, their deep connection never wavered until the very end.