Background
Harukata Sue was born in 1521 in Japan. He was the second son of Sue Okifusa, senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan. His childhood name was Goro.
Sue Harukata's grave in the grounds of Tōun-ji, Hatsukaichi, Japan
晴賢 陶
Harukata Sue was born in 1521 in Japan. He was the second son of Sue Okifusa, senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan. His childhood name was Goro.
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).
Sue Harukata was influential as a chief retainer of Yoshitaka Ouchi, who ruled over the provinces of Suo, Nagato, Aki, Bingo, Iwami, Buzen and Chikuzen (western part of the Chugoku District and Northern Kyushu) . Yoshi taka became slack in his rule and the defenses of his domain weakened.
Harukata then revolted against his lord (1551) with Haruhide, the younger brother of Yoshishige (Sorin) Otomo, Lord of Bungo Province (Oita Prefecture) as the figurehead of the rebel army. Yoshitaka, who was attacked by the rebel forces in Yamaguchi, killed himself.
Harukata made Haruhide lord of the domam of Yoshitaka and wielded great power. Masayori Yoshimi, of Iwami Province (Shimane Prefecture), who hated Harukatakata, attacked him together with Motonari Mori. Motonari's forces defeated Harukata's at Itsukushima (Hiroshima Prefecture).
Although Harukata tried to flee, he was overtaken by Mori forces and killed himself.