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In [[1568]] Yoshiaki secured the services of [[Oda Nobunaga]], the up-and-coming lord of [[Mino province|Mino]] and [[Owari Province|Owari]]; in November of 1568 Nobunaga marched on Kyôto. Faced with this unexpected danger, Matsunaga cannily decided to submit and was allowed to keep his lands in [[Yamato Province|Yamato]]. Most likely Nobunaga was him as a useful tool both against the Miyoshi and to expand Oda influence into Yamato. In addition, Matsunaga had sent, as a token of his sincerity, a renowned tea item known as [[Tsukumogami]], a gesture which no doubt effected Nobunaga (a bit of a tea enthusiast himself). Matsunaga did prove useful over the next few years, serving Nobunaga in his wars with the [[Asai clan|Asai]] and [[Asakura clan|Asakura]] and against, of course, the [[Miyoshi clan|Miyoshi]].  

In [[1568]] Yoshiaki secured the services of [[Oda Nobunaga]], the up-and-coming lord of [[Mino province|Mino]] and [[Owari Province|Owari]]; in November of 1568 Nobunaga marched on Kyôto. Faced with this unexpected danger, Matsunaga cannily decided to submit and was allowed to keep his lands in [[Yamato Province|Yamato]]. Most likely Nobunaga was him as a useful tool both against the Miyoshi and to expand Oda influence into Yamato. In addition, Matsunaga had sent, as a token of his sincerity, a renowned tea item known as [[Tsukumogami]], a gesture which no doubt effected Nobunaga (a bit of a tea enthusiast himself). Matsunaga did prove useful over the next few years, serving Nobunaga in his wars with the [[Asai clan|Asai]] and [[Asakura clan|Asakura]] and against, of course, the [[Miyoshi clan|Miyoshi]].  

By [[1573]], however, Matsunaga was conspiring against Nobunaga with, of all people, [[Miyoshi Yoshitsugu]]. This arrangement did not last long, and soon Matsunaga was back on Nobunaga’s side, helping to destroy Yoshitsugu and the remaining Miyoshi. Hisahide then became involved in the [[siege of the Ishiyama Honganji]]. In [[1577]] Hisahide rebelled once again; he and his son Hisamichi abandoned their positions around the Honganji and returned to Yamato, possibly hoping that other Yamato daimyo, such as [[Tsutsui Junkei]] would follow. This proved not the case, and Tsutsui and [[Oda Nobutada]] soon surrounded Matsunaga in [[Shigi Castle]]. Word came that Oda sought two things from Matsunaga - his head and a certain valuable tea item, ‘[[Hiragumo]]’, which Matusnaga defiantly smashed before killing himself. Hisamichi was captured alive and taken to Kyôto, where he was executed.  

By [[1573]], however, Matsunaga was conspiring against Nobunaga with, of all people, [[Miyoshi Yoshitsugu]]. This arrangement did not last long, and soon Matsunaga was back on Nobunaga’s side, helping to destroy Yoshitsugu and the remaining Miyoshi. Hisahide then became involved in the [[siege of the Ishiyama Honganji]]. In [[1577]] Hisahide rebelled once again; he and his son Hisamichi abandoned their positions around the Honganji and returned to Yamato, possibly hoping that other Yamato daimyo, such as [[Tsutsui Junkei]] would follow. This proved not the case, and Tsutsui and [[Oda Nobutada]] soon surrounded Matsunaga in [[Shigi castle]]. Word came that Oda sought two things from Matsunaga - his head and a certain valuable tea item, ‘[[Hiragumo]]’, which Matusnaga defiantly smashed before killing himself. Hisamichi was captured alive and taken to Kyôto, where he was executed.  

At once a habitual schemer and a cultured man of tea, Matsunaga Hisahide came in some ways to embody the spirit of the 16th Century - albeit largely the worst qualities. His plots and the manner of his dying (in addition to the smashing of the tea item, it is said that he ordered his head be blown up to deny that to Oda as well) became the stuff of Edo dramas. An ardent [[Nichiren]] adherent, Matsunaga was also vilified in contemporary western accounts of the day, especially after he banned the Jesuits from Kyôto in [[1565]].  

At once a habitual schemer and a cultured man of tea, Matsunaga Hisahide came in some ways to embody the spirit of the 16th Century - albeit largely the worst qualities. His plots and the manner of his dying (in addition to the smashing of the tea item, it is said that he ordered his head be blown up to deny that to Oda as well) became the stuff of Edo dramas. An ardent [[Nichiren]] adherent, Matsunaga was also vilified in contemporary western accounts of the day, especially after he banned the Jesuits from Kyôto in [[1565]].