Sue Harukata
Encyclopedia
was a retainer of the Ōuchi clan in the Sengoku period
in Japan
. Harukata would later become a daimyo
. He was the second son of Sue Okifusa, senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan. His childhood name was Goro. Before Harukata he had the name of Takafusa. He is also erroneously known as Harutaka.
Harukata was born to the Sue clan, which was related to the Ōuchi clan, and served as shugodai
of Suo Province
. As a boy, he served Ōuchi Yoshitaka
, a childhood friend. After genpuku
, he was given the name Takafusa after Ōuchi Yoshitaka. In 1539, after his father Okifusa died of illness, he became the head of the Sue clan. Being an able retainer, he became known as the Samurai General Without Peer in the Western Provinces (Saigoku-musō no Samuraidaishō).
From 1540 to 1542, he worked as the general, replacing Ōuchi Yoshitaka, in the war with the Amago clan
. However, when Ōuchi's troops lost heavily in 1542, Yoshitaka's interest in war faded, and he began to incline to cultural activities. Because of this, the civil official Sagara Taketo
became close to Yoshitaka, and Harukata's relationship with Yoshitaka declined.
In 1551, Harukata succeeded in the coup against Ōuchi Yoshitaka, killing Sagara Taketo and leading Yoshitaka to commit suicide. The next year Harukata secured the control of the Ōuchi clan by making the adopted son of Yoshitaka, Ōuchi Yoshinaga
(who was Ōtomo Haruhide, the half-brother of Ōtomo Sōrin
), the head of the clan. At this time he changed his name from Takafusa to Harutaka, as his master changed from Yoshitaka to Haruhide. Subsequently, he conducted a large military expansion, but this led to discontent among the retainers of the Ōuchi clan. In 1554 Yoshimi Masayori of Iwami Province
, Yoshitaka's brother-in-law, and Mōri Motonari
of Aki Province
rebelled against the Ōuchi clan.
In 1555 Harukata lost the Battle of Itsukushima to Mōri Motonari
, and committed suicide. After the loss, the Ōuchi clan declined considerably and, two years later, Mōri Motonari annihilated the clan.
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Harukata would later become a daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
. He was the second son of Sue Okifusa, senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan. His childhood name was Goro. Before Harukata he had the name of Takafusa. He is also erroneously known as Harutaka.
Harukata was born to the Sue clan, which was related to the Ōuchi clan, and served as shugodai
Shugodai
were officials during feudal Japan.Shugodai were representatives of provincial shugo when the shugo could not exercise his power, being often away from his province. Unlike shugo, who were appointed from the central power, shugodai were locally appointed....
of Suo Province
Suo Province
was a province of Japan in the area that is today the eastern part of Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suō bordered on Aki, Iwami, and Nagato Provinces....
. As a boy, he served Ōuchi Yoshitaka
Ouchi Yoshitaka
was a daimyo of Suo province and a son of Ōuchi Yoshioki.In 1522, he fought the Amago clan along with his father, Yoshioki, to win the control of Aki province. Upon Yoshioki's death in 1528, Yoshitaka became the head of Ōuchi clan. In the 1530s, he led a military actions in the northern Kyūshū,...
, a childhood friend. After genpuku
Genpuku
or genbuku was an historical Japanese coming-of-age ceremony. The etymology is atypical; in this case means "head" and means "wearing". The ceremony is also known as , , , , and ....
, he was given the name Takafusa after Ōuchi Yoshitaka. In 1539, after his father Okifusa died of illness, he became the head of the Sue clan. Being an able retainer, he became known as the Samurai General Without Peer in the Western Provinces (Saigoku-musō no Samuraidaishō).
From 1540 to 1542, he worked as the general, replacing Ōuchi Yoshitaka, in the war with the Amago clan
Amago clan
The , descended from the Emperor Uda by the Sasaki clan .Sasaki Takahisa in the 14th century, having lost his parents at the age of three years, he was brought up by a nun...
. However, when Ōuchi's troops lost heavily in 1542, Yoshitaka's interest in war faded, and he began to incline to cultural activities. Because of this, the civil official Sagara Taketo
Sagara Taketo
was a samurai and retainer of the Ōuchi clan and a son of Sagara Masato.Originally from Higo province, he served the Ōuchi clan as his father had become a retainer of the clan. From around 1543 with the support of Ōuchi Yoshitaka, he led a faction of retainers who preached a softer approach, as...
became close to Yoshitaka, and Harukata's relationship with Yoshitaka declined.
In 1551, Harukata succeeded in the coup against Ōuchi Yoshitaka, killing Sagara Taketo and leading Yoshitaka to commit suicide. The next year Harukata secured the control of the Ōuchi clan by making the adopted son of Yoshitaka, Ōuchi Yoshinaga
Ouchi Yoshinaga
was a 16th century Kyushu warrior who was invited by Sue Harukata, who had just taken control of the Ōuchi clan, to serve as the official head of the Ōuchi while Sue pulled the strings from behind. Yoshinaga was the younger brother of Ōtomo Yoshishige. Following Mōri Motonari's victory over Sue in...
(who was Ōtomo Haruhide, the half-brother of Ōtomo Sōrin
Otomo Sorin
, also known as Fujiwara no Yoshishige and Ōtomo Yoshishige , was a Japanese feudal lord of the Ōtomo clan, one of the few to have converted to Christianity. The eldest son of Ōtomo Yoshiaki, he inherited the domain of Funai, on Kyūshū, Japan's southernmost main island, from his father...
), the head of the clan. At this time he changed his name from Takafusa to Harutaka, as his master changed from Yoshitaka to Haruhide. Subsequently, he conducted a large military expansion, but this led to discontent among the retainers of the Ōuchi clan. In 1554 Yoshimi Masayori of Iwami Province
Iwami Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iwami bordered Aki, Bingo, Izumo, Nagato, and Suō provinces.In the Heian era the capital was at modern-day Hamada....
, Yoshitaka's brother-in-law, and Mōri Motonari
Mori Motonari
was a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
of Aki Province
Aki Province
or Geishū was a province in the Chūgoku Region of western Honshū, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture.When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province , two temples were founded in Aki Province...
rebelled against the Ōuchi clan.
In 1555 Harukata lost the Battle of Itsukushima to Mōri Motonari
Mori Motonari
was a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
, and committed suicide. After the loss, the Ōuchi clan declined considerably and, two years later, Mōri Motonari annihilated the clan.
External links
- Profile of Hiroshima Prefecture
- 歴史街道 毛利家物語～武将たちが夢を追った戦国浪漫の道をたどろう～ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and TransportMinistry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Japan)The , abbreviated MLIT, is a ministry of the Japanese government. It is responsible for one-third of all the laws and orders in Japan and the largest Japanese ministry in terms of employees, as well as the second-largest organ of the Japanese government after the Ministry of Defense...
(in Japanese) - 益田氏・吉見氏ゆかりの城館群 Shimane Prefecture web site (in Japanese)
- Mori Clan Timeline at Samurai Archives
- 新井政義（編集者）『日本史事典』。東京：旺文社１９８７(p. 221)
- 竹内理三Takeuchi Rizōis a Japanese historian. His is best known for his work on historical records pertaining to the ancient and Middle Ages of Japanese history.-Background:Takeuchi was born in Aichi Prefecture on December 20, 1907...
（編）『日本史小辞典』。東京：角川書店１９８５(p. 206)