June 21, 1582 · Kyoto Theater
June 21, 1582
Ordered to march west to reinforce a campaign, Akechi Mitsuhide instead turned his roughly 13,000 troops toward Kyoto, where Nobunaga was lodging with only a small guard at the temple Honnō-ji, en route to the same campaign. Akechi's men surrounded the temple before dawn. Nobunaga, realising the situation was hopeless, is said to have fought briefly with bow and spear before withdrawing into the burning building and taking his own life, ensuring his enemy could never produce his head as a trophy.
Commanders