Sue Harukata

A military commander in the Sengoku period. A senior vassal of Yoshitaka Ouchi. The second son of Okifusa. His original name was Takafusa. He lived in Wakayama Castle (Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) in Tonda, Tsuno County, the capital of Suo Province. The Sue clan was a branch of the Ouchi clan, and from the mid-Muromachi period, they held the position of Shugodai of Suo Province as their hereditary position, and were the top vassal of the Ouchi clan. Takafusa succeeded to the family headship in 1539 (Tenbun 8). In 1540-41, he defeated Amago Haruhisa, who was besieging Mori Motonari's Koriyama Castle (Yoshida-cho, Akitakata City, Hiroshima Prefecture), to rescue Motonari, and in 1542-43 he led a campaign to Izumo (Shimane Prefecture) to defeat Amago, making him a brave general. However, he deepened his conflict with Yoshitaka's close aide Sagara Taketoshi, and gradually fell out of accord with Yoshitaka as well. As Yoshitaka's imposition of heavy taxes and extravagant lifestyle drew resentment from within his domain, he won over senior vassals of the Ouchi clan, the Naito and Sugi clans, and began planning a rebellion to force Yoshitaka into retirement and install his eldest son, Yoshitaka, in 1550, even asking for assistance from Mori Motonari. Later, he changed his plans and killed Yoshitaka and his son in 1551, then welcomed Harufusa (Yoshinaga), the younger brother of Otomo Yoshishige from Bungo (Oita Prefecture), to inherit the Ouchi clan, seizing real power and changing his name to Harukata, taking Haruhide's given name. He also controlled Itsukushima, a strategic point in the Seto Inland Sea, and sought to prosper in commerce, but in 54 he was betrayed by Mori Motonari, who occupied Itsukushima. In October 55 (Koji 1), he fought Motonari at Itsukushima, was defeated, and committed suicide. Two years later, Motonari also pacified the Ouchi domain. His grave is located at Toun-ji Temple in Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture.

[Makoto Tatehana]

"Ouchi Yoshitaka" by Fukuo Takeichiro (1959, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "Ouchi Yoshitaka" by Yonehara Masayoshi (1967, Jinbutsu Oraisha)" ▽ "The Battle of Itsukushima in the History of the Seto Inland Sea" by Kawai Masaharu (included in "Research on Medieval Samurai Society", 1973, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "The True Records of the Ouchi Clan" by Kondo Seiseki (1974, Matsuno Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦国時代の武将。大内義隆(よしたか)の重臣。興房(おきふさ)の次男。初名は隆房(たかふさ)。周防(すおう)国都濃(つの)郡富田(とんだ)の若山(わかやま)城（山口県周南(しゅうなん)市）に居城。陶氏は大内氏の一族で、室町中期から周防国守護代を世襲し、大内家重臣の筆頭に位置した。1539年（天文8）家督を相続した隆房は、40～41年毛利元就(もうりもとなり)の郡山(こおりやま)城（広島県安芸高田(あきたかた)市吉田町）を包囲した尼子晴久(あまごはるひさ)を撃破して元就を救援、42～43年には尼子討伐のため出雲(いずも)（島根県）に出陣するなど勇将として活躍したが、義隆側近の相良武任(さがらたけとう)と対立を深め、しだいに義隆とも不和となった。やがて重税を課し奢侈(しゃし)にふける義隆に領国内の反感が集まると、大内家重臣の内藤(ないとう)・杉(すぎ)氏らを味方に引き入れて、義隆を隠居させ嫡子義尊(よしたか)を擁立する謀反の計画を進め、50年毛利元就にも援助を求めた。その後計画を変更し、51年義隆父子を殺害すると、豊後(ぶんご)（大分県）の大友義鎮(おおともよししげ)の弟晴英(はるふさ)（義長(よしなが)）を迎えて大内家を相続させ、実権を掌握し、晴英の諱(いみな)を受けて名を晴賢と改めた。また瀬戸内海の要衝厳島(いつくしま)を統制下に置き商業の繁栄を図ったが、54年毛利元就に背かれて厳島を占領され、55年（弘治1）10月厳島で元就と戦い、敗れて自刃した。この2年後、大内領国も元就に平定された。広島県廿日市(はつかいち)市の洞雲(とううん)寺に首塚がある。

［舘鼻　誠］

『福尾猛市郎著『大内義隆』（1959・吉川弘文館）』▽『米原正義著『大内義隆』（1967・人物往来社）』▽『河合正治著『瀬戸内海史上における厳島合戦』（『中世武家社会の研究』所収・1973・吉川弘文館）』▽『近藤清石著『大内氏実録』（1974・マツノ書店）』

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