The Kuki Sea Forces (2)

     After Kitabatake’s practical surrender to Oda, Yoshitaka kept fighting against the local samurai families in Shima Province, defeating them one by one, while he also fought for Nobunaga in the Third Siege of Nagashima in 1574, in the First Battle of Kidu River Estuary in 1576, and the Second Battle of Kidu River Estuary in 1578.

     In 1582, Nobunaga had to kill himself in the Honno-ji Incident.  In the confusion after Nobunaga’s death, Yoshitaka was said to be admitted as the ruler of Shima Province sometime between 1582 and 1584.  But by whom?  It is not clear.  Sumitaka, his nephew and the head of the family at the time, is said to have died of an illness sometime between 1582 and 1584, too.

     Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) heavily lost to the sea forces of the Mori and Kono Clans in the First Battle of Kidu River Estuary in July, 1576.  In June and November, 1578, however, he fought against the sea forces of the Mori Clan and the Soga people again, which ended as his overwhelming victory.  Let’s see how the Kuki Sea Forces contributed to Nobunaga’s final victory, comparing two entries about the two naval battles from the Biography of Lord Nobunaga.

     “They stopped our ships, and shot many earthenware explosives to burn the ships down.  We were heavily outnumbered, and lost veteran samurais such as Manabe Sadatomo, Numa Iga, Numa Den’nai.  Western forces won a victory in the battle, shipped military provisions into Osaka Hongan-ji Temple, and sailed their forces back to the western provinces.”