Oda Katsunaga

Who was Oda Katsunaga?

Oda Katsunaga was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through early Azuchi-Momoyama Period, who was the fifth son of Oda Nobunaga. At a very young age, Katsunaga, then known as "Gobomaru", was given in adoption to Toyama Kagetou and his wife, Lady Otsuya at Iwamura Castle. Lady Otsuya was Oda Nobunaga's aunt. In 1572, the castle was captured by Takeda forces under Akiyama Nobutomo, and Gobomaru, then only four, became a hostage to the Takeda. Takeda Katsuyori returned Gobomaru to the Oda clan in 1581, where he was allowed the delegated hold over Iwamura castle. One year later, Katsunaga accompanied his father to Honnō-ji. When Akechi Mitsuhide attacked Honnoji and killed Nobunaga, Katsunaga was killed while defending the Nijō Palace.

Katsunaga's son Oda Katsuyoshi became a retainer of Oda Nobukatsu; later, Katsuyoshi became a retainer of the Maeda clan of the Kaga Domain.