Shizugatake and Toshiie’s Submission to Hideyoshi

After Honnōji, Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie competed over Oda leadership and territory. Katsuie allied with Oda Nobutaka and Takigawa Kazumasu, while Hideyoshi worked with Nobukatsu. Winter snow constrained movement from Katsuie’s Echizen base as Hideyoshi attacked positions held by his allies.

In spring 1583, the armies faced each other in northern Ōmi. Hideyoshi moved to Ōgaki in response to Nobutaka’s activity, then returned when Katsuie’s forces attacked. He defeated Sakuma Morimasa’s advancing troops around Shizugatake and forced the Shibata army back toward Echizen. Toshiie withdrew during the campaign. His later submission is documented in the career accounts, while evidence for a secret agreement to cause Katsuie’s defeat remains uncertain.

Hideyoshi’s army pursued Katsuie to Kitanoshō, where Katsuie and his wife Oichi died. Toshiie entered the victorious commander’s service and received additional Kaga territory, establishing himself in Kanazawa while retaining Noto. The defeat removed his senior northern associate; submission and a new territorial settlement allowed the Maeda house to continue under Hideyoshi. Its later conflicts with Sassa Narimasa belonged to the continuing struggle to secure that enlarged regional position.