Battle of Ukino

After defeating the Imagawa clan of Suruga in the Battle of Muraki and capturing the southern provincial capital of Kiyosu (both in 1554), Oda Nobunaga united the Southern Owari under his rule. In 1555, Saitō Dōsan, Nobunaga's father-in-law and ally retired as the lord of Mino Province (north of Owari) for his eldest son, Saitō Yoshitatsu. However, on January 4, 1556 Yoshitatsu killed his two brothers, leading to a military conflict with his father. Nobunaga supported Dōsan, but Yoshitatsu defeated and killed Dōsan in battle in April 1556. Seeing the fall of Nobunaga's father-in-law as an opportunity, Oda Nobuyasu of Iwakura Castle allied with Yoshitatsu and opened hostilities against Nobunaga. Nobunaga defeated his younger brother, Oda Nobuyuki who was supported by Oda Nobuyasu, in the Battle of Inō in 1556. He resolved the internal struggle and rebellion in his own family and was firmly established as the ruler of the southern Owari. The northern part of the province was still the domain of his cousin, Oda Nobukata (successor of Oda Nobuyasu), deputy governor of the northern Owari. == Battle ==

Mizuno Tadashige was the first to clash with the enemy, breaking through with his spear, and then handed the head over to his brother, Sakai Tadatsugu, who took it. Nobunaga defeated the forces of Oda Nobukata at Ukino in Owari on August 24, 1558 with the support of his cousin, Oda Nobukiyo of Inuyama. (Japanese calendar date: Eiroku era: 1st year, 7th month, 12th day). As a result, Oda Nobukata retreated to Iwakura Castle. ==Aftermath==

In 1559, Nobunaga besieged, captured, and razed Iwakura Castle to the ground, ending the Iwakura branch of the Oda family and finally uniting the whole province of Owari under his rule. Later that year Nobunaga visited Kyoto and was received by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, gaining the formal appointment of deputy governor (shugodai) of Owari. == References ==