(
1558-
1583) was a samurai and member of
Oda clan. He was adopted as the head of
Kanbe clan that ruled the middle region of
Ise Province and was also called ''Kanbe Nobutaka'' (神戸信孝).
Nobutaka was born as the third son of
Oda Nobunaga and he was called ''San Shichi'' (三七) from possibly being born on March 7 on old Japanese calendar system. His mother is a concubine ''Sakashi'' (坂氏). A theory has it that Nobutaka was actually born twenty days earlier than
Oda Nobukatsu but it was reported later than the Nobukatsu's birth to Nobunaga and became the third son. According to this theory, it is also believed that the low status of his mother's parents had played a factor as well.
On
1568, after Nobunaga controlled
Ise Province, Nobutaka was installed by victorious Nobunaga to take over the head of Kanbe clan based around
Kanbe Castle near the present day,
Suzuka, Mie. His elder brother, Nobukatsu on the next year became an adopted member of
Kitabatake clan ruling much larger area of southern
Ise Province. Nobutaka was reported by missionaries to have a better character than older Nobukatsu but was ranked lower and held less area than him.
On
1582, Nobutaka was commanded to lead an army against
Shikoku and had such retainers as
Niwa Nagahide and a son of Nobunaga's younger brother
Tsuda Nobusumi under his command. But while readying his army at
Sakai to cross the sea, Nobunaga was killed at
Honnoji by
Akechi Mitsuhide. Nobutaka turned back and at
Osaka, killed Nobusumi who was married to a daughter of Mitsuhide and had his father,
Oda Nobuyuki killed by Nobunaga. While Nobutaka's suspicion did make some sense, no evidence had turned up that would connect Nobusumi to Nobuyuki. At Tomida of
Settsu Province, Nobutaka joined
Hashiba Hideyoshi who had turned back as well and fought at
battle of Yamazaki.
Yet despite having been present to avenge for his father, at the meeting to determine the next and future head of
Oda clan in
Kiyosu Castle, Nobutaka was left out of discussion and
Sanpōshi became the head of clan. He gained
Mino Province where the eldest son,
Oda Nobutada had ruled before his death by Mitsuhide, but this was still far short of what he had hoped for. He later allied with
Shibata Katsuie and
Takigawa Kazumasa to start a war against Hideyoshi, but while Nobutaka was surrounded at
Gifu Castle by Nobukatsu, Katsuie lost at
battle of Shizugatake and Nobutaka surrendered.
Nobutaka was sent to
Daimidoji at Noma, Chitano county,
Owari Province where
Minamoto no Yoshitomo had been assassinated at the end of
Heian period. Under the pressure from Hideyoshi and Nobukatsu, he committed a suicide. Two dates,
June 19 and
June 21 are given for his death.
His
waka composed before dying was as follows.
:昔より主をば討つ身の間なれば
::''Mukashi yori Aruji woba Utsu Minoma nareba''
:報いを受けよ羽柴筑前
::''Mukui wo Ukeyo Hashiba Chikuzen''
It is a vengeful poetry that would be translated as, ''You had killed the one you had served, may
kami strike you down, Hashiba Hideyoshi''.