In 1534, Nobunaga was born to regional daimyo Oda Nobuhide in Shobata Castle in Owari Province. He was Nobuhide's third son; however, he was the first son not born to a concubine and so was the heir to the Oda clan and their domains in Owari province. He was made the master of Nagoya Castle at a young age, and was brought up under the tutelage of senior Oda retainer Hirate Masahide, apart from his brother Nobuyuki. As a youth, Nobunaga was known for his eccentric behavior and lack of restraint. He was even openly ridiculed as "Owari's Great Fool" by some people.
In the year 1546, Nobunaga went through his coming of age ceremony, and the next year, Nobunaga saw his first, though short, military action in Mikawa province.In a political manoeuvre, Hirate Masahide sent a proposal to the Oda clan's rival daimyo in Mino province, Saito Dosan, to have Nobunaga marry Dosan's daughter, Nôhime. This marriage forged an alliance between the two formerly hostile clans.
