The Honnoji Incident

On June 2, 1582 (Tensho 10), Akechi Mitsuhide attacked his lord Oda Nobunaga at Honno-ji Temple in Kyoto, forcing him to commit suicide. In March of that year, Nobunaga destroyed the Takeda clan in Kai (Yamanashi Prefecture), and after returning to Japan, he consolidated the management of his bases, including Azuchi, and invited Tokugawa Ieyasu. After that, he entered Honno-ji Temple in Shijo, Kyoto, on June 1 to support Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi, who was facing off against the Mori clan in Bitchu (Okayama Prefecture). At this time, Akechi Mitsuhide, who was ordered to march to the Chugoku region, conspired with his retainers, left Kameyama Castle in Tanba (Kyoto Prefecture), led his troops to Kyoto, and surrounded Honno-ji Temple, forcing Nobunaga to commit suicide. Next, Mitsuhide's soldiers attacked Oda Nobutada at the Nijo Palace, and Nobutada committed suicide. Around this time, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was sightseeing in Sakai at Nobunaga's urging, heard of the Honnoji Incident and immediately took the Igagoe pass to Iseji and fled back to Mikawa (Aichi Prefecture). However, Mitsuhide also fought Hideyoshi, who had returned his troops from the Chugoku camp, at Yamazaki (Oyamazaki Town, Kyoto Prefecture), and was defeated, and fled to death by a farmer in Ogurusu.

There are many theories about the cause of the Honnoji Incident, but none are certain. The main one is that it was a grudge held by Mitsuhide. One of them is that Mitsuhide was employed by Inaba Ittetsu due to a certain incident involving Saito Toshimitsu, a retainer of Inaba Ittetsu, and later an argument ensued in which Ittetsu asked Mitsuhide to return Toshimitsu, leading to Mitsuhide being punished by Nobunaga for this. Another example is that Mitsuhide was punished by Nobunaga in Kami-Suwa, Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture), during the attack on the Takeda clan. Furthermore, Nobunaga reprimanded Mitsuhide for using rotten fish during a banquet for Ieyasu at Azuchi Castle. The list goes on and on. However, the fundamental cause is likely to be due to the limitations of Nobunaga's lack of thorough control over his subordinates. The missionary Luis Frois wrote that Nobunaga's wealth, power, and status led him to great arrogance and madness, and that the Honnoji Incident resulted in Nobunaga being instantly cast into hell, where he received punishment for his services to the devil.

[Kitajima Manji]

"History of the Oda Period" by Tanaka Yoshinari (1924, Meiji Shoin/Kodansha Academic Library)" ▽ "Akechi Mitsuhide" by Takayanagi Mitsutoshi (1958, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "Recollections of Oda Nobunaga" by Luis Frois, edited and translated by Matsuda Takeichi and Kawasaki Momota (1973, Chuokoron-Shinsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1582年（天正10）6月2日、明智光秀(あけちみつひで)が京都本能寺に主君織田信長を襲って自殺させた事件。この年3月、甲斐(かい)（山梨県）の武田氏を滅ぼした信長は、帰国後、安土(あづち)など本拠地の経営を固めたり、徳川家康を招いたりした。そのあと、備中(びっちゅう)（岡山県）で毛利(もうり)氏と対陣している羽柴(はしば)（豊臣(とよとみ)）秀吉を応援するため、6月1日、京都四条の本能寺に入った。このとき中国出陣を命ぜられた明智光秀は家臣と謀り、丹波(たんば)（京都府）亀山城を出ると兵を京都に向け、本能寺を囲んで信長を自殺させた。ついで光秀の兵は二条御所の織田信忠(のぶただ)を襲い、信忠も自殺した。このころ、信長の勧めにより堺(さかい)を見物していた徳川家康は本能寺の変を知るや、ただちに伊賀越(いがごえ)の間道をとって伊勢(いせ)路に抜け、三河(みかわ)（愛知県）へ逃げ帰った。しかし光秀も、中国陣より兵を返した秀吉と山崎（京都府大山崎町）に戦って敗走、小栗栖(おぐるす)で農民に刺殺された。

　本能寺の変の原因については諸説あるが、さだかではない。その主要なものは光秀の遺恨説である。その一つは、稲葉一鉄(いってつ)の家人斎藤利三(としみつ)がゆえあって光秀に召し抱えられることとなり、のち一鉄が光秀に利三を戻してほしいと争論となり、それにつき光秀が信長から折檻(せっかん)を受けたこと。また、武田氏攻略の際、信州（長野県）上諏訪(かみすわ)で信長から折檻を受けたこと。さらに、安土城における家康饗応(きょうおう)の際、腐敗した魚を用いたとして信長から譴責(けんせき)を受けたなど、枚挙にいとまない。しかし、根本的な原因は、信長の部将掌握が不徹底であったという限界にあろう。宣教師ルイス・フロイスは、信長について、その富、権力、身分の強大さにより、大いなる慢心と狂気の沙汰(さた)に陥ったといい、本能寺の変について、瞬時にして信長は地獄に落とされ、悪魔に対する奉仕の報いを受けるに至ったと述べている。

［北島万次］

『田中義成著『織田時代史』（1924・明治書院／講談社学術文庫）』▽『高柳光寿著『明智光秀』（1958・吉川弘文館）』▽『ルイス・フロイス著、松田毅一・川崎桃太編訳『回想の織田信長』（1973・中央公論社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例