Oda Nobunaga: The Ruthless Warlord

Abstract

This essay examines the somewhat negative legacy of the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga,by providing proper context to the time period that he lived in, and fully exploring the more heinous acts he committed to see if his reputation is deserved or not. Many people see Nobunaga as a one sided villain or even an evil tyrant that was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. By reviewing the life of Nobunaga and understanding the context in which many of his acts occurred I want to bring into focus the many positive changes Nobunaga made to Japan in his lifetime. I do not wish to defend the heinous acts Nobunaga committed, but simply provide context to these events and allow people to judge for themselves how they wish to see the man, the good and the bad parts of him. Was Nobunaga as brutal of a warlord as many believe, or like so many things, is the answer more complicated.