SHIZUGATAKE Twists of Fate

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KATSUIYE had placed his vassal, SAKUMA MORIMASA, his governor at OYAMA Castle, KATSUIYE’s KAGA Province, in the van at _{“SHIZUGATAKE”}

SAKUMA succeeded in destroying NAKAGAWA KIYOHIDE but, becoming drunk on the glory, disobeyed KATSUIYE’s strategy to repair for position and continued the field. Suddenly, however, he faced the surprising appearance of HIDEYOSHI - who had galloped 50 miles through the night to strike at dawn. The ECHIZEN / KAGA forces under SAKUMA broke around noon and were chased across country to the door of KATSUIYE’s, KITAnoSHO manor. His wife, OICHI, NOBUNAGA’s sister, silenced the pleas of her husband to save herself and provided history with a proof and poignant prayer to a love everlasting... SHIBATA KATSUIYE and OICHI It is said, 'war is the last political card.' For Japan and NOBUNAGA, it was merely one in the deck, and in no special order... Sisters, daughters, mothers, wives. The bedroom - and heirs, were as effective as the sword, and used as often. NOBUNAGA’s other sister was married to TAKEDA KATSUYORI, - which served as much purpose as the life of the sister placed in ODANI Castle.

 

OICHI became ODANI no KATA "The Lady of the Castle" after being parted from KATSUIYE, her first husband and true love, and given by brother, NOBUNAGA to ASAI NAGAMASA as cement for an alliance, becoming then the Lady of the ASAI family’s OMI strong-hold, ODANI Castle, 1568.  She was 22 and had a daughter the next year.  NAGAMASA, however, reverted again from the ODA camp, saving ASAKURA YOSHIKAGE and clan from the reproach of team, NOBUNAGA and IYEYASU, for YOSHIKAGEs’ stance against the ODA election of ASHIKAGA YOSHIAKI as SHOGUN.  This then placed the ASAI on the losing bank of the ANEGAWA River in 1570.    Asakura Yoshikage & Asai Nagamasa

Oichi Odani-no-Kata

The Emperor stepped in following ANEGAWA, saving the ASAI and ASAKURA, with a peace which would also allow NAGAMASA enough time to produce two more daughters at ODANI Castle.    OGIMACHI-SAMA, Emperor for the epoch beginning EI-ROKU 1558, would bring Heavenly power to end the disgusting SENGOKU. He had commissioned NOBUNAGA to pacify the land in 1562. OGIMACHI's Reign would see the SENGOKU perish and the rise of HIDEYOSHI and his MOMOYAMA. NAGAMASA’s ASAI at ODANI and their ally, the ASAKURA at ICHIJO-ga-DANI in ECHIZEN were to soon see their fate. At the end of the coming 1573, ODA siege, NAGAMASA handed his wife and daughters out to her brother and died in the flames of the castle.    Scene of Nagamasa's Seppuku,  directly outside Odani's Apartment

Ogimachi-Sama

The ASAKURA had the same fate in their family keep - a house which would pass, eventually to KATSUIYE, who now had the happy re-union of his beloved OICHI and her daughters.

Fate gave them 10 years. Her sister’s husband, TAKEDA KATSUYORI had been crushed with all his clan, NOBUNAGA had been assassinated and HIDEYOSHI now chased KATSUIYE’s beaten men through the mountains from SHIZUGATAKE to the very gate of their KITA-no-SHO manor. Here her husband begged her to leave. But she had left him already - once before.  Once before, she had left and spent 5 years with NAGAMASA making three daughters, - but that was then...

Shibata Katsuiye & Odani Kata

Shizugatake

Now, with her daughters on one side and her husband on the other, she had a choice. For KATSUIYE would fire his castle and die within the hour.  The world and history - and her daughters would judge. OICHI, The Lady of Odani, remanded her three daughters, including 14 year old CHA-CHA, the eldest, out into the care of HIDEYOSHI.  And stayed with her husband,  and their destiny.

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