Siege of Mount Hiei
The siege of Mount Hiei was a battle between Oda Nobunaga and the warrior monks of the monasteries on Mount Hiei, Japan on 30 September 1571.
Mount Hiei was home to the Tendai sect of Buddhism[1] and its temple complex of Enryaku-ji had given refuge to Nobunaga's enemies.[2] This perceived transgression, coupled with Nobunaga's dislike of the idea that Buddhist sects would interfere in the running of the country, prompted his incursion up the mountain.[1]
In the fall of 1571,[2] Nobunaga and his troops attacked Mount Hiei, where according to eyewitness accounts, they massacred anything living on the mountain, including both people unrelated to the Tendai sect,[1] and even animals.[2]
In addition to the human toll, there was a massive loss of history and culture, as the Oda troops also burned down almost every building of the temple complex,[2][1][3] with the exception of one small building that got overlooked.[2]
A number of the buildings on Mount Hiei were rebuilt through the first half of the 17th century,[4] and still stand today.[3]
Appearances
- Echoes of History (mentioned only)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Echoes of History – Shadows – Episode 1: Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Echoes of History – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Echoes of History – Shadows – Episode 7: Kyoto: Japan's Imperial City
- ↑
Enryaku-ji on Wikipedia