Otsuya no Kata おつやの方 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Castellan of Iwamura castle (De facto Toyama clan head) | |
| Assumed office 1572 | |
| Preceded by | Tōyama Kagetō |
| Personal details | |
| Died | December 1575 (1576-01) |
| Spouse(s) | Tōyama Kagetō Akiyama Nobutomo |
| Relatives | Oda Nobunaga (nephew) Oichi (niece) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Oda clan Takeda clan |
| Unit | Toyama clan |
| Battles/wars | Siege of Iwamura castle |
Lady Otsuya (おつやの方Otsuya no Kata) was a Japanese female samurai (onna-musha) from theSengoku period. She was a daughter of theOda clan and served as ruler ofIwamura Castle until the last days of her life.
Otsuya is best known as the aunt ofOda Nobunaga, and was also the wife ofHibino Kiyozane [ja] andTōyama Kagetō [ja], and a foster mother toOda Katsunaga. Her execution under Nobunaga may have been a major factor in the decline in Nobunaga's reputation, who would later be murdered byAkechi Mitsuhide and other traitors in theIncident of Honnoji.
Otsuya no Kata was born as the daughter of Oda Nobutada, a military commander in Owari Province. She married Hibino Kiyozane, a vassal of the Saito clan in Mino Province and one of the Saito Six Elders. However, in the Battle of Moribe in 1561, her nephewOda Nobunaga attacked her castle, Yuki. Kiyozane was slain in this battle.[1]
On January 25, 1573, theBattle of Mikatagahara took place, On March 15, 800 soldiers led byBaba Nobuharu, who were attacking Iwamura Castle, attacked the Oda Army and Oda Nobunaga mobilized 10,000 soldiers. When Nobunaga learned that the soldiers at Iwamura's castle, led by his aunt, had attacked the troops of the Oda clan, he decided to counterattack.[2]
In 1575 when Oda army defeated the army of Shingen's son,Takeda Katsuyori, in theBattle of Nagashino,Oda Nobutada and others surrounded Iwamura castle. Oda Nobunaga decided to attack and take his aunt's castle, but she defended it against Oda's fierce assault for a half a year. After six months of battle, she left the castle to respond to Oda's false plea for peace. However, Nobunaga reneged on his word and had Otsuya and Nobutomocrucified as traitors on December 23, 1575.[3] The rest of the castle defenders were also massacred or burned alive.[4]
Representative from Ena City Board of Educational and Cultural Affairs Division has stated that Lady Otsuya has become a basis of popular legend as "female daimyo" who possessing "unmatched beauty." and was also "aunt of Nobunaga" in many novels and anecdotes of the era followingSengoku period. This legend was inspiring many literature works or fictional novels. However, this legend of a female castle lord has no historical sources and no basis, as it only appeared through anecdotes from the later era such asKōyō Gunkan orIwamura Fushi.[5]
Since 1992, the residents living close to Iwamura, Ena City, Gifu Prefecture, have hung a short (split) curtain hung at the entrance of a room indicating the names of female members of each family to the memory of Otsuya no Kata, who was the castellan of the area.[citation needed]