Hidemitsu was the son of Akechi Mitsuyasu and Akechi Mitsuhide's cousin. He is supposed to have urged Mitsuhide not to betray Oda Nobunaga but in the event led his men to support his cousin. Hidemitsu was unable to arrive in time to help at Yamazaki and was himself defeated at Uchide-hama by Hori Hidemasa. Hidemitsu escaped to Sakamoto castle, where he killed Mitsuhide's family. Under siege by Hori, he sent out a collection of famous swords before committing suicide. Legend has it that Hidemitsu took it upon himself to bury Nobunaga's head in the wake of the Honnoji attack, but this seems quite far-fetched. A better known incident from this period has Hidemitsu escaping the Hori at Uchide-hama by riding alone across the finger of water at the southern base of Lake Biwa to safety.
References
- Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005