It made Nobunaga angry, and so in November 1573, he was attacked by the Oda army headed by Nobumori SAKUMA under Nobunaga's command in the Wakae-jo Castle, and besides betrayed by his senior vassals called Wakae Triumvirate; thus the Wakae-jo Castle fell, and he killed himself and so did his wife and children.
このため、信長の怒りを買い、天正元年（1573年）11月、信長の命を受けた佐久間信盛率いる織田軍に若江城を攻められ（義昭は直前に堺へ脱出）、若江三人衆と呼ばれた重臣らの裏切りにもあって若江城は落城し、妻子とともに自害して果てた。