Sue Haruken (1/2)The man who was called "The unparalleled samurai general of the West"

The Onin War occurred in the late Muromachi period. During the Onin War, the main force of the Western army was the Ouchi family, a feudal lord from Suo Province. Mr. Sue has supported the Ouchi family since ancient times. The Sue clan was established as a branch of the Ouchi clan and served as the Shugodai of Suo Province. And the person who came out from Mr. Sue was Sue Haruken. Harukata served Yoshitaka Ouchi, but later started a rebellion and took control of the Ouchi family. This time, we will look at Sue Harukata, who rebelled against the Ouchi family and was defeated by Mori Motonari.

Mr. Ouchi and Mr. Sue

Sue, who produced Sue Haruken. The Sue clan was a descendant of the Ouchi clan, the shugo daimyo who ruled mainly in Suo Province (present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture). The Ouchi clan, which is the main branch of the clan, arose from the Tatara clan, an immigrant clan from the Korean peninsula whose ancestor was Seio-o of Baekje (Seimei-o). In the late Heian period, the Migita clan split from the Ouchi family. Furthermore, the Sue clan separated from the Migita clan.

From the Nanbokucho period to the Muromachi period, the Sue clan succeeded the Shugodai of Suo Province from generation to generation and participated in the management of the territory as a senior vassal of the Ouchi clan. During the Onin War, the Ouchi clan was divided into the eastern and western armies, but the Sue clan gained power by trying to control the civil war.

As a senior vassal of Yoshioki Ouchi and his son Yoshitaka Ouchi, Sue Harukata's father, Sue Kobo, fought with the Amago family in the San'in region and the Shoni clan in Kitakyushu, establishing a firm position within the Ouchi family. In the middle of the Muromachi period, the Ouchi family became a major force in the Chugoku region. Harukata Sue was born to a member of the Sue family who became a senior vassal of the Ouchi family.

Birth of Sue Haruken

Sue Harukata was born in 1521 as the second son of Sue Kobo, a senior vassal of the Ouchi family, the daimyo of Suo Province. Harukata had an older brother, Okumasa, who was older than him, but he died at the age of 25 in 1529, when Harukata was 8 years old. In this way, even though Sue Haruken was the second son, he was considered to be the heir to the potter's family from an early age.

As a boy, Sue Harukata was known as a handsome man and was highly valued by his master, Yoshitaka Ouchi. When he was young, he served close to his lord Yoshitaka Ouchi. On the occasion of Genpuku, he received a compliment from his lord, Yoshitaka Ouchi.

It is customary for the Sue family to be given a letter by the head of the Ouchi family for generations. Harukata received the title of Yoshitaka Ouchi and took the name Takafusa Sue (hereinafter known as ``Harukata'').
After his Genpuku (genpuku), Sue Harukata became a senior vassal of the Ouchi family, and in 1537, he was promoted to the rank of Junior Fifth Rank (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade).

Then, when Sue Haruken was 18 years old, Tenbun 8 (1539). After his father, Sue Kobo, passed away, Sue Harukata took over as head of the potter family. However, it is said that right before his death, Tokobo was concerned about the personality of his son, Sue Harukata. Perhaps Kofusa was able to see through Harukata's brave but direct personality. And my father's unfounded fears will become reality in the future.

As a senior vassal of the Ouchi clan

Now, the Ouchi clan was the Shugo daimyo of Suo Province. The Ouchi clan, which was the main family of potters, had already come to rule Suo Province during the Kamakura period. In the Muromachi period, he became close to Yamana Sozen, and during the Onin War, Yoshitaka Ouchi's grandfather, Masahiro Ouchi, acted as the main force of the Western army. Furthermore, during the reign of Yoshitaka's father, Yoshioki Ouchi, the company solidified its foothold from Kitakyushu to the Chugoku region and established a firm position. In contrast, the newly emerging Amago family rose to prominence in the San'in region.

The year after Sue Harukata took over as head of the family. In 1540, Amago Haruhisa of San'in Izumo Province (present-day Shimane Prefecture) attacked Yoshida Koriyama Castle in Aki Province (present-day Hiroshima Prefecture). Mori Motonari, who ruled Yoshida Koriyama Castle, belonged to the Amago family. However, Tsunehisa Amago, who had made the Amago family the largest daimyo in the San'in region in his first generation, retired, and when his grandson Haruhisa became the head of the Amago family, he switched to the Ouchi family. Naturally, the Amago family, who had been turned over, would take revenge against the Mori family. After preparing his army, he invaded Aki Province from Izumo Province. Mori Motonari requests reinforcements from the Ouchi family. Yoshitaka Ouchi, who was relied on, gave Su Harukatsu the authority of the commander-in-chief and provided support. Then, the following year, in 1541, Sue Harukata successfully repulsed the Amago clan that invaded Aki Province (1st Battle of Yoshida-Koriyama Castle). Sue Haruken was so skilled that he was called ``the unparalleled samurai general in the Western countries.''

and the following year, Tenbun 11 (1542). This time, the Ouchi family launched a counter-invasion against the Amago family. The Ouchi clan invaded Izumo Province from Suo Province and attacked Gassan-Tomida Castle (the First Battle of Gassan-Tomida Castle), but many people were killed and injured, including Yoshitaka Ouchi's adopted son Harumochi Ouchi. I was defeated and defeated.

Depressed by this crushing defeat, Yoshitaka Ouchi lost interest in the military, neglecting the administration of his territory and focusing on cultural activities. When it came to governing the territory, Taketo Sagara, a member of the Bunji school, came to be used heavily. The Sagara clan, whose head family was the Sagara family in Higo Province (present-day Kumamoto Prefecture), migrated to Yamaguchi. Taketo Sagara started serving Yoshitaka Ouchi as a secretary. Furthermore, when he was selected as magistrate, he worked to control the territory and strengthen authority over Yoshitaka Ouchi. Yoshitaka Ouchi had great trust in Taketo, as the head family was the Sagara family in Higo and had a strong connection to the outside world. Sue Harukata, who was a military advocate, weakened his influence within the Ouchi family and was no longer on good terms with his master, Yoshitaka Ouchi.

Conflict with lord Yoshitaka Ouchi

In 1545, the son Yoshitaka Ouchi was born to his lord Yoshitaka Ouchi. Taking the birth of Yoshison as an opportunity, Sue Harukata forced Taketo Sagara, who was a Bunji faction, into retirement and restored his power. Taketo Sagara fled to Higo Province.
In Tenbun 17 (1548), Yoshitaka Ouchi was given the rank of Junior Second Rank by the Imperial Court, and Sue Harukata was also promoted to Junior Fifth Rank, Kami-Owari no Kami. Also, under the orders of Yoshitaka Ouchi, he went to Bizen Province (present-day eastern Hiroshima Prefecture) with Motonari Mori and attacked Kannabe Castle where Rioki Yamana was holed up (Kannabe Battle).

However, in the same year, Yoshitaka Ouchi recalled Taketo Sagara from Higo Province. Sue Harukata, who had become powerful in the Ouchi family, had a direct and opinionated personality, which made his master, Yoshitaka Ouchi, feel uneasy. Taketo Sagara, who was recalled from Kyushu, was assigned to the Hyojoshu and returned to administration of the territory. Once again, Tao Qingxian weakened his influence.

Sue Haruken's rebellion

In 1550, Sue Harukata, who had weakened his power, talked with Naito Okimori and others and tried to assassinate Taketo Sagara. However, this assassination was known in advance and Yoshitaka Ouchi scolded him, causing him to lose his position in the Ouchi family.

By the way, the same year, Tenbun 19 (1550). The Otomo family in Bungo Province (present-day Oita Prefecture) was divided into two. There is a group of vassals centered around the lord Yoshikazu Otomo and his third son Ichimaru Shio, and a group of vassals who support Yoshika's eldest son Sorin Otomo (Yoshishige). As a result, Sourin Otomo became the ruler (Nikaizare no Incident).

Sue Harukata turned his attention to Otomo Sorin, who had become the new feudal lord of Bungo Province. Harukata had the secret intention to oust Yoshitaka Ōuchi from his position as ruler and to appoint Haruhide Ōtomo, Sorin's younger brother, as the new lord. Haruhide Otomo's older brother Sorin Otomo was his half-brother, and Haruhide's mother was Yoshitaka Ouchi's older sister. In other words, Haruhide Otomo is descended from the Ouchi family. At first, Sourin was reluctant to talk about this, but Haruhide convinced him to talk about it.

In the 20th year of Tenbun (1551), Taketo Sagara presented Yoshitaka Ouchi with the ``Taketo Sagara Letter''. It was written that Harukata Sue and Nokimori Naito were planning a rebellion. This was a turning point, and the conflict between Yoshitaka Ouchi, who defended the Bunji school, and the Budan faction, centered around Sue Harukata, became decisive.

On August 28, 1551, Sue Harukata raised an army, and in September he forced Yoshitaka Ouchi to commit suicide (Daineiji Incident). Furthermore, the Bunji faction such as Taketo Sagara and Yoshitaka Ouchi's eldest son Yoshitaka were wiped out.

Support of Yoshinaga Ouchi

Haruken Sue who defeated Yoshitaka Ouchi.
Just before Harukata defeated Yoshitaka Ouchi, he made a secret pact with Sorin Otomo of Bungo Province. After driving Yoshitaka Ouchi to suicide, he appointed Haruhide Ouchi, Yoshitaka's nephew and Sorin's younger brother, as the head of the Ouchi family.