Nobuhide ODA (jiju [a chamberlain]) (織田信秀 (侍従))
Nobuhide ODA was the sixth son of Nobunaga ODA. His name is identical with the name of his grandfather. His childhood name was Daido (大洞). He was commonly called Sankichi or Sankichiro (三吉郎). He was granted the rank of Jushii (Junior Fourth Rank), and held the position of jiju. His lawful wife was a daughter of Sadamichi INABA. His children were Shigeharu ODA, Torahoshi (虎法師), and a wife of Ujinori NISHIO.
Biography
His birth
It is believed that he was born around 1571. The shoryo (territory) and matrimonial relation of his mother suggest that she may have been a daughter of the Inaba clan, but it remains unknown. Because his childfood name is paired with that of Nobutaka ODA (whose childhood name was Shodo (小洞) and Nobutaka's mother is generally believed to have been Kyounin, one opnion states that Nobuhide's mother was Kyounin. He was bestowed shoryo in the Ibi area, Mino Province, by his father Nobunaga ODA. Another opinion states that the shoryo was given to his mother by Ittetsu INABA, who owned the territory at the time, instead of being bestowed by Nobunaga. When the Honno-ji Incident occurred in 1582, he fled to Bussho-ji Temple in Mino to find refuge. It is believed that he had his Genpuku (coming-of-age) around 1583.
Assuming the position of jiju
After Nobunaga died and Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI took over the power, he became a retainer of Hideyoshi by the recommendation of Ittetsu INABA, and became a trusted vassal along with Hidenobu ODA, who was his nephew and the head of the Oda clan, Yoshisato ROKKAKU, who was a maternal relative, and Sadamichi INABA (jiju of Sone). In July, 1585, he was granted the rank of Jushii (Junior Fourth Rank) and became jiju. Around this time, Gyokuunin from the Inaba clan married into his family and became his lawful wife. According to "the Materials of the Inaba Family," the mother of Gyokuunin was a younger sister of Nobunaga, i.e., a cousin of Nobuhide.
In March, 1586, he presented 10 shirogane (silver) coins to the Imperial Court as reimotsu (a gift in token of thanks) for promotion to jiju. In May, when the Emperor Goyozei made an Imperial visit to Jurakudai (Hideyoshi's residence and office in Kyoto), he accompanied the Emperor walking behind Hideyoshi's gissha (ox-drawn carriage), and submitted a kishomon (sworn oath) of loyalty with other daimyo (Japanese feudal lords). The same year, he was baptized in Osaka with Kumanosuke (presumably Hideyasu NAKAGAWA), who was a son of a sister of Nobunaga and one of the cousins of Nobuhide, and became a Christian. His Christian name was Peter. One anecdote has it that he persuaded his mother, who was angry at his christening, to make her an assentor of Christianity (Luis FROIS "the History of Japan").
In 1587, he participated in the Kyushu Conquest as a commander.
The Bunroku era
During the Bunroku-Keicho War, he led ushirosonaeshu (literally, a covering force) of 300 soldiers and stationed in Nagoya-jo Castle, Hizen Province. Although his territorial land value is unknown, it is pointed out that, inferred from the mobilization of warriors, he may have received 20,000- to 50,000-koku shoryo. Later, his daughter married Ujinori NISHIO, who was a Sotomago (grandchild from a daughter married into another family) of Mitsunori NISHIO, who owned Ibi of 30,000 koku.
His later years
According to "the Records of the Oda Family," he took the tonsure in his later years and called himself Urabo (浦坊) (which is rare as a Kaimyo [posthumous Buddhist names], and one opinion states that it is a transcription of his Christian name), and it is said that he died of Hansen's disease in Kyoto in the Bunroku era. He was buried in Soken-in Temple in Daitoku-ji Temple. His homyo (a name given to a person who enters the Buddhist priesthood) was Hotokuin Kogonshoko.
Record of offices and ranks held
Date according to old lunar calendar
1585
: Granted the rank of Jushii and became jiju.
Descendants
He had three children, Shigeharu, Torahoshi (虎法師), and a wife of Ujinori NISHIO between his lawful wife who was a daughter of Sadamichi INABA, but Shigeharu didn't take over the shoryo and the clan did not continue as a Daimyo family (feudal lord family). Torahoshi (虎法師), who was his second son, became a monk but was killed by a bandit when he was undergoing ascetic practices. Although Shigeharu and Torahoshi (虎法師) had no children and the line of males was discontinued, the daughter who married Ujinori NISHIO had children including Morinori NISIO, and the maternal side of the family continued as the Nishio clan which was a hatamoto (a direct retainer of the Shogun) family (a branch family of the Nishio clan in Ibi, 4,400 koku).