Battle
On the evening of August 22, the combined eastern forces continued their pursuit of Hidenobu. To strengthen his own forces, Hidenobu sent out requests for help to nearby Ōgaki and Inuyama castles. While waiting for the forces to arrive, Hidenobu stayed in Gifu Castle thinking that they would be able to trap the opposing forces between his castle and the supporting forces from Ōgaki and Inuyama. The Toyotomi clan also sent some forces to Gifu Castle to help with the defense.
Even though Hideyoshi thought that Gifu Castle could withstand any attack, he still put forces at mountain passes around the castle, protecting each route to it. Hidenobu and his brother Oda Hidenori (織田秀則) were put in charge of the men at Gifu Castle, with Tsuda Tōsaburō (津田藤三郎), Kozukuri Tomoyasu (木造具康) and Dodo Tsunaie in charge of the remaining men, again dividing and weaking Hidenobu's forces.
At daybreak on August 23, the eastern forces received warning of the buildup of forces from Ōgaki and Inuyama castles. To prepare for battle by placing the forces of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, Arima Toyōji (有馬豊氏), Togawa Tatsuyasu (戸川達安) and Horio Tadauji in villages to the southeast of Gifu Castle and the forces of Tanaka Yoshimasa (田中吉政), Tōdō Takatora and Kuroda Nagamasa to the southwest.
Later in the morning, they began to move towards Zuiryū-ji, where they encountered Asano Yoshinaga and the fighting began. As Ii Naomasa fought through other mountains on the way to Gifu Castle, Masanori joined him and threw all of his forces into the battle, completely surrounding the castle.
During the battle, no supporting forces from Inuyama Castle arrived. The lord of the castle, Ishikawa Sadakiyo (石川貞清) remained in his castle with other leaders after he made an agreement with Naomasa not to join in the battle. Ōgaki Castle did send supporting forces; however, they were too late to help with the battle.
All of Gifu Castle, other than the donjon, fell to the eastern forces. Hidenobu kept fighting until the end, but his army was reduced to just tens of men. Hidenobu was prepared to fight until his death, but was convinced to surrender to the eastern forces. In the end, Gifu Castle fell in just one day.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Gifu Castle
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