Amago Haruhisa

Who was 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.

After his father, Amago Masahisa, died early in battle, he became the head of Amago clan in 1537 after his grandfather stepped down. He launched a series of invasions to expand his domain, going as far as Harima. But in 1540, the Siege of Koriyama against Mōri Motonari ended in a humiliating defeat, and many of his retainers defected believing that Haruhisa's days were numbered. His grandfather Amago Tsunehisa died the next year and Ōuchi Yoshitaka launched a counterattack to finish the Amago clan. Haruhisa managed to stave off the invasion, encouraging those retainers who had defected earlier, and after gathering enough troops, managed to repel it. From this point, Haruhisa worked to secure his footing and control of such domains as Izumo, Hoki, Mimasaka, and Oki. When on 1551, Ōuchi Yoshitaka was killed by Sue Harukata's rebellion, in 1552, the Muromachi shogunate offered Haruhisa lordship over eight domains including those four domains he already fully controlled.