Although the Oda and Tokugawa allied forces captured various castles of the Asakura clan one after another, when they advanced to Kanegasaki they were attacked from behind by the Azai clan who was their sworn ally in Kita-Omi Province.
織田・徳川連合軍は朝倉氏の諸城を次々と攻略していくが、金ヶ崎へ進軍したところで北近江国の盟友であった浅井氏に背後を突かれるかたちとなった。