After his biological father, Nobunaga ODA, died in the Honnoji Incident in June, Hidekatsu, 'the fourth son of Nobunaga', was often used by Hideyoshi politically; in the Battle of Yamazaki, Hidekatsu and his biological older brother, Nobutaka, were used as a banner of a battle of revenge, and also in the funeral ceremony of Nobunaga initiated by Hideyoshi, Hidekatsu took the role of the chief mourner.
6月、父の織田信長が本能寺の変で死去してからは「信長の四男」としての名分を秀吉に政治的に利用され、山崎の戦いでは実兄信孝と共に弔い合戦の旗印とされ、秀吉が主導して行った信長の葬儀では喪主を務めた。