Nobusada ODA of the Oda Danjo no jo family, which was one of three Karo (chief retainers) of the Kiyosu Oda clan and his son Nobuhide ODA got stronger than the main family due to their wisdom and economic power, Nobuhide stepped up his military operations and struggled for unification of Owari Province, and contended with the Saito clan in Mino Province, the Matsudaira clan in Mikawa Province and the Imagawa clan in Suruga Province to raise military prestige.
清洲織田氏の三家老の一人であった弾正忠家の織田信定とその子の織田信秀はその才智と経済力を背景に主家を凌ぐ力をつけ、信秀の代には活発に軍事行動を展開し尾張統一を進めるとともに、美濃国の斎藤氏や三河国の松平氏、駿河国の今川氏と抗争し、武威を示した。