Shibata forces · Shibata
Shibata Katsuie
“The Demon Shibata”
A fierce commander and elder of the Oda house who led the vanguard in battle after battle. He is famous for the story of "Jar-breaker Shibata," who smashed the water jars in a besieged castle to cut off retreat and then charged. He commanded the northern army against the Uesugi. After Nobunaga's death he contended with Hideyoshi for control of the Oda house following the Kiyosu conference, but lost at Shizugatake, withdrew to Kitanoshō Castle and died there by his own hand with his wife Oichi.
- Epithet
- “The Demon Shibata”
- Rank / office
- Shuri-no-suke
- Domain / base
- Echizen
- Banner / crest
- Two wild geese
- Side
- Shibata forces
- Lived
- 1522–1583 (aged 62)
A summer night's dream, fleeting: cuckoo of the mountains, carry my name up to the clouds.
Death poem
Life
- Genki 1 Jar-breaker Shibata Surrounded in a castle, he smashed the water jars to cut off retreat and won with a desperate charge.
- Tenshō 3 The Northern Army Granted Echizen, he commanded the northern front against the Uesugi.
- Tenshō 11 Shizugatake Contended with Hideyoshi for leadership of the Oda, but collapsed when the Maeda withdrew.
- Tenshō 11 The Fall of Kitanoshō Took his own life at Kitanoshō Castle with Oichi, in one of the most celebrated deaths of the Sengoku age.
Battles in this archive2 battles
- Battle of Tedorigawa 23rd day of the 9th month, Tenshō 5 Tedori River, Kaga Province Commander-in-chief of the northern army. He ordered the retreat, but command broke down; he lost much of his army to the night attack and the torrent and barely escaped south. Watch ▸
- Battle of Shizugatake 21st day of the 4th month, Tenshō 11 Shizugatake, Ōmi Province Chief retainer of the Oda house, "the Demon Shibata." Caught between Morimasa's recklessness and Toshiie's withdrawal, he was driven to his end at Kitanoshō. Watch ▸
Related sites
- Kitanoshō Castle ruins and Shibata Shrine (Fukui)
FAQ
- Who was Shibata Katsuie?
- The chief retainer of the Oda house, feared as "the Demon Shibata." A fierce commander who led the vanguard in many battles, he is known for the story of "Jar-breaker Shibata": smashing the water jars in a besieged castle to cut off retreat before charging out.
- Why did Katsuie fight Hideyoshi?
- After Nobunaga's death he clashed with Hideyoshi over control of the Oda house at the Kiyosu conference, and the two collided the following year at Shizugatake. He lost, in part because Maeda Toshiie, on whom he relied, left the field.
- How did Katsuie die?
- Beaten at Shizugatake, he withdrew to Kitanoshō Castle in Echizen and took his own life together with his wife Oichi. It is remembered as one of the noblest deaths of the Sengoku age.