Changes

In [[1582]], Nobunaga was dead, betrayed by Akechi Mitsuhide in Kyoto. Shibata was too distant and too engaged with the Uesugi to do anything immediately, and could only watch as Hashiba [Toyotomi] Hideyoshi defeated Akechi at Yamazaki (just two days before Nobunaga's death, Shibata had captured [[Uzu castle]] in Etchu). This military achievement gave Hideyoshi a considerable amount of clout when the old Oda retainers met at Kiyosu to discuss the succession issue. As Nobunaga's eldest son Nobutada had been killed in Akechi's rebellion, the matter was by no means cut and dried. Shibata supported Nobunaga's third son, [[Kanbe Nobutaka]], while Hideyoshi championed Samboshi, the late Nobutada's young son. Hideyoshi won the day and it was decided that Nobutaka would act as guardian until Samboshi came of age. Shibata, skeptical of Hideyoshi's intentions and chagrined at having to treat a lowborn junior as an equal, did not, at least, walk away from Kiyosu a complete loser, picking up Hideyoshi's lands in northern Omi.  

In [[1582]], Nobunaga was dead, betrayed by Akechi Mitsuhide in Kyoto. Shibata was too distant and too engaged with the Uesugi to do anything immediately, and could only watch as Hashiba [Toyotomi] Hideyoshi defeated Akechi at Yamazaki (just two days before Nobunaga's death, Shibata had captured [[Uzu castle]] in Etchu). This military achievement gave Hideyoshi a considerable amount of clout when the old Oda retainers met at Kiyosu to discuss the succession issue. As Nobunaga's eldest son Nobutada had been killed in Akechi's rebellion, the matter was by no means cut and dried. Shibata supported Nobunaga's third son, [[Kanbe Nobutaka]], while Hideyoshi championed Samboshi, the late Nobutada's young son. Hideyoshi won the day and it was decided that Nobutaka would act as guardian until Samboshi came of age. Shibata, skeptical of Hideyoshi's intentions and chagrined at having to treat a lowborn junior as an equal, did not, at least, walk away from Kiyosu a complete loser, picking up Hideyoshi's lands in northern Omi.  

After Kiyosu, relations between Shibata and Hideyoshi only grew worse. At the center of their feud was Nobutaka, lord of [[Gifu castle]] (Mino) and yet a hopeful to succeed his late father. War was probably inevitable, and so the two warlords felt out allies to bolster their chances. In addition to the dubious assistance of Nobutaka, Shibata managed to win a promise of support from [[Takigawa Kazumasu]], who held Kameyama is [[Ise province|Ise]], astride the Tokaido road. On paper, his strategic situation was favorable. Both Oda and Takigawa held strategically valuable chokeholds on major transportation routes, and together the three allies hemmed in Hideyoshi nicely. He had hoped to convince Maeda Toshiie and [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] to support Nobutaka's cause but in both cases, he was to be disappointed.  

After Kiyosu, relations between Shibata and Hideyoshi only grew worse. At the center of their feud was Nobutaka, lord of [[Gifu castle]] (Mino) and yet a hopeful to succeed his late father. War was probably inevitable, and so the two warlords felt out allies to bolster their chances. In addition to the dubious assistance of Nobutaka, Shibata managed to win a promise of support from [[Takigawa Kazumasu]], who held [[Kameyama castle (Ise)|Kameyama]] in [[Ise province|Ise]], astride the Tokaido road. On paper, his strategic situation was favorable. Both Oda and Takigawa held strategically valuable chokeholds on major transportation routes, and together the three allies hemmed in Hideyoshi nicely. He had hoped to convince Maeda Toshiie and [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] to support Nobutaka's cause but in both cases, he was to be disappointed.  

In the event, [[Oda Nobutaka]] jumped the gun and began hostilities in December of [[1582]]. This was exceedingly poor timing, as winter snows blocked any Shibata moves from Echizen until at least the early spring. Hideyoshi reacted by leading a powerful army to Gifu, humbling Nobutaka to such an extent that he surrendered. Forced to play his own hand by Nobutaka's impetuousness, Takigawa declared war as well. To assist his ally, Shibata ordered his adopted son Katsutoyo, castellan of [[Nagahama castle|Nagahama]], to attack Hideyoshi's outposts in Omi. Hideyoshi managed to nullify this threat by bribing certain samurai in Nagahama to betray the castle, then turned south. Takigawa was quickly besieged in Kameyama and was forced to surrender when mining began to bring down the castle walls.  

In the event, [[Oda Nobutaka]] jumped the gun and began hostilities in December of [[1582]]. This was exceedingly poor timing, as winter snows blocked any Shibata moves from Echizen until at least the early spring. Hideyoshi reacted by leading a powerful army to Gifu, humbling Nobutaka to such an extent that he surrendered. Forced to play his own hand by Nobutaka's impetuousness, Takigawa declared war as well. To assist his ally, Shibata ordered his adopted son Katsutoyo, castellan of [[Nagahama castle|Nagahama]], to attack Hideyoshi's outposts in Omi. Hideyoshi managed to nullify this threat by bribing certain samurai in Nagahama to betray the castle, then turned south. Takigawa was quickly besieged in Kameyama and was forced to surrender when mining began to bring down the castle walls.