Honnō-ji Incident

The Honnō-ji Incident (本能寺の変, Honnō-ji no Hen) was the assassination of Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga at Honnō-ji temple in Kyoto on 21 June 1582 (2nd day of the sixth month, Tenshō 10). Nobunaga was on the verge of unifying the country, but died in the unexpected rebellion of his vassal, Akechi Mitsuhide.

Honnō-ji Incident
Part of the Sengoku period

Incident at Honnō-ji, Meiji-era print
Date21 June 1582
Location
Honnō-ji and Nijō Palace, Kyoto, Japan
Result

Akechi victory

  • Death of Oda Nobunaga and Oda Nobutada
  • Beginning of Akechi's short-lived reign
Belligerents
Oda forces under Akechi Mitsuhide's command Inhabitants and garrison of Honnō-ji, courtiers, merchants, artists, and servants of Oda Nobunaga
Commanders and leaders
  • Oda Nobunaga †
  • Oda Nagamasu
  • Oda Nobutada †
  • Oda Katsunaga †
  • Mori Ranmaru †
  • Murai Sadakatsu †
  • Maeda Geni
Strength
13,000 Nobunaga, Nobutada, Mori Ranmaru, a handful of other Oda retainers, and the small garrison of Kyoto 70
Casualties and losses
Unknown, presumably minimal Oda Nobunaga, Mori Ranmaru, Oda Nobutada, and many others

Nobunaga only had a few guards and retainers with him when he was attacked, ending his Sengoku period campaign to unify Japan under his power. Nobunaga's death was avenged two weeks later when his retainer Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeated Mitsuhide in the Battle of Yamazaki, paving the way for Hideyoshi to complete the unification of Japan.

Mitsuhide's motive for assassinating Nobunaga is unknown, though there are multiple theories for his betrayal.

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