Sieges of Nagashima - Third Siege of Nagashima (1574)

Third Siege of Nagashima (1574)

In 1574, Oda Nobunaga would finally succeed in destroying Nagashima, one of the primary fortresses of the Ikkō-ikki, who numbered among his most bitter enemies.

A fleet of ships led by Kuki Yoshitaka blockaded and bombarded the area, using cannon and fire arrows against the Ikki's wooden watchtowers. This blockade and naval support allowed Nobunaga to seized the outer forts of Nakae and Yanagashima, which in turn allowed him to control access to the west of the complex for the first time.

Eventually, the defenders were forced back by a three-pronged attack, into the fortified monasteries of Ganshōji and Nagashima. The Ikkō-ikki present numbered around 20,000 and they were now completely cut off from outside sources of food, water, and other supplies. As their situation worsened in July and August 1574, the Ikki's allies saw the prospects of relieving the siege worsen as well.

Nobunaga's men built a wooden wall from one outer fort to another, cutting the Ikkō-ikki off from the outside completely. A large wooden palisade was constructed and then set aflame, resulting in the complete destruction of the entire fortress complex; no one escaped or survived.