Nobunaga, a Japanese warrior and legislator, often mentioned in the letters of the Jesuit fathers from Japan, born in 1533, died in 1582. His family name was Ota. He was the lineal descendant of the premier Kiyomori (1117-'81), the head of the Taira clan. No-bunaga's father at his death left him large landed possessions in central Japan. In that period of civil war his ability and vigor quickly gave him preeminence over all other leaders. He first fought on the side of the shogun (of the Ashikaga family), but about 1573 turned his arms against him, captured and deposed him, and thus brought to an end the third line of hereditary military usurpers who had seized the mikado's prerogative and authority. He then governed Japan in the name of the mikado, holding the high office of naidaijin. During his lifetime the Portuguese missionaries first entered Japan. Nobunaga, being the fierce enemy of the Buddhist priesthood, encouraged the Jesuits in every possible manner, using them as a counterpoise to the native bonzes, though in his heart he hated both. The Jesuits and native biographers extol bis justice and his ability as a statesman and general; but his memory is execrated by the bonzes and Buddhist people.

Japanese Buddhism had in his time reached its culmination of power, and the great sects were immensely wealthy, frequently turning the scale of victory by their influence among the people, and the armies they kept in their pay. To destroy their power, and to root up an ever threatening element of disorder and danger, Nobunaga in 1571 attacked the fortified monastery of Hiyeizan, near Kioto, burning the temples, numbering several hundreds, and slaying all the bonzes, with their retainers, concubines, and children by the thousand. For these acts he was lauded by the Portuguese missionaries. He also laid siege to the fortified monastery of Ozaka, which he would have stormed and burned had not the besieged surrendered. Japanese Buddhism has never recovered from this persecution. A Japanese embassy visited Philip II. and Pope Gregory XIII. during Nobunaga's lifetime. The statement of the Jesuit fathers that he made an image of himself, and caused the people to worship it, is a mistake. In 1582, in the fulness of his power and fame, one of his captains attacked the temple of Honnoji, his residence; and Nobunaga, being wounded, set it on lire, and died by his own hand.

He was succeeded by Hideyoshi. (See Japan, vol. ix., p. 542).