The Ikkō-ikki, mobs of fanatically religious warrior …
Years: 1570 - 1570
The Ikkō-ikki, mobs of fanatically religious warrior monks and peasants, control the Ishiyama Hongan-ji fortress, and stand in the way of Nobunaga's bid to conquer all of Japan.
Nobunaga has fought the Ikki before, crushing their armies of Mikawa Province and other areas, and their twin fortresses of Ishiyama Hongan-ji and Nagashima are their last bastions of strength.
He besieges both fortresses simultaneously, attacking Ishiyama in August 1570.
Leaving his castle in Gifu with thirty thousand troops, he orders the building of fortresses around the Ishiyama.
On September 12th, the Ikkō-ikki launch a midnight stealth attack with three thousand arquebusiers, destroying several of these forts, and pushing Oda's army back.
While Oda himself will focus on the sieges of the Nagashima fortress and other campaigns, his armies remain encamped here, assigned to monitor the Ikki's fortress, and take it if they can.
