Siege of Uozu

• Shibata Katsuie / Sassa Narimasa (Oda Nobunaga) vs. Takemata, Yoshie, ect. (Uesugi Kagekatsu)
  • Date: June 1582
  • Location: Etchû province
  • Castle Siege
  • KIA: (Uesugi) Tadanume Yasushike, Takemata Yoshitsuna, Yoshie Kagesuke

Following the death of Uesugi Kenshin in 1578, the Uesugi domain had fallen into a year-long civil war (see Otate no Ran). Taking advantage of the Uesugi's feud, Shibata Katsuie and Sassa Narimasa, Oda Nobunaga's spearheads in the Hokuriku region, began a drive for the borders of Echigo itself. By 1581 the Oda had taken Toyama castle and were entrenched in Etchû, which Shibata and Sassa set about clearing of both Uesugi and Ikkô-ikki resistance.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Uesugi Kagekatsu reinforced Uozu Castle with a number of his important retainers. In May 1582, the Oda attacked both Matsukura and Uozu Castles. After a bitter struggle, Uozu fell in the first week of June and the Uesugi presence in Etchû was all but eliminated. Yet, as fate would have it, Oda Nobunaga himself was killed by Akechi Mitsuhide just days later, and the Uesugi would be granted a reprieve.