Ouchi Yoshitaka
Encyclopedia
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
, defeating Shoni clan
to win control of the area. With his back then secure, in 1540 he again started combatting the Amago clan and by 1541, managed to completely control the Aki province.
However, in 1542, an invasion into Izumo province
ended in a disaster, with Yoshitaka losing his adopted son Ōuchi Harumochi along with large number of troops against Amago Haruhisa
. He completely lost his ambitions of expanding his domains and devoted his energy to the arts and culture. His retainers split into two factions. Those led by Sagara Taketō
wanted the Ōuchi clan to simply do nothing more than maintain the control of their current domains, while those led by Sue Harukata
wanted to continue expanding. Yoshitaka chose former as his advisors and on 1551, the faction led by Sue Harukata revolted and attempted to take over the Ōuchi clan. With the control of troops in Harukata's hand, it was over in few days and Yoshitaka was forced to commit seppuku
, after composing his death poem
:
Both the victor
and the vanquished are
but drops of dew,
but bolts of lightning -
thus should we view the world.
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...
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....
and a son of Ōuchi Yoshioki
Ouchi Yoshioki
was a samurai of the Ōuchi family who lived during Japan's early Sengoku period. He is famous for his role in restoring the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshitane to power in 1508, and in building Saijō castle....
.
In 1522, he fought 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...
along with his father, Yoshioki, to win the control 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...
. 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
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, defeating Shoni clan
Shoni clan
was a family of Japanese nobles descended from the Fujiwara family, many of whom held high government offices in Kyūshū. Prior to the Kamakura period , "Shōni" was originally a title and post within the Kyūshū government, roughly translating to "Junior Counselor", and working under a Daini...
to win control of the area. With his back then secure, in 1540 he again started combatting the Amago clan and by 1541, managed to completely control the Aki province.
However, in 1542, an invasion into Izumo province
Izumo Province
was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku Region.- History :It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose...
ended in a disaster, with Yoshitaka losing his adopted son Ōuchi Harumochi along with large number of troops against Amago Haruhisa
Amago Haruhisa
was a powerful warlord in Chūgoku region, Japan. He is the second son of Amago Masahisa. Initially named Akihisa , he changed his name to Haruhisa in 1541 after Ashikaga Yoshiharu offered to let him use a kanji from his name....
. He completely lost his ambitions of expanding his domains and devoted his energy to the arts and culture. His retainers split into two factions. Those led by Sagara Taketō
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...
wanted the Ōuchi clan to simply do nothing more than maintain the control of their current domains, while those led by Sue Harukata
Sue Harukata
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...
wanted to continue expanding. Yoshitaka chose former as his advisors and on 1551, the faction led by Sue Harukata revolted and attempted to take over the Ōuchi clan. With the control of troops in Harukata's hand, it was over in few days and Yoshitaka was forced to commit seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...
, after composing his death poem
Death poem
A death poem is a poem written near the time of one's own death. It is a tradition for literate people to write one in a number of different cultures, especially in Joseon Korea and Japan.-History:...
:
Both the victor
and the vanquished are
but drops of dew,
but bolts of lightning -
thus should we view the world.