Ouchi Yoshitaka (December 18, 1507 – Committed Seppuku September 30, 1551)

 

Ouchi Yoshitaka was daimyo of Suo Province (Modern-day eastern Yamaguchi Prefecture) ruling from his castle at Yamaguchi. He was 21 when his father, Ouchi Yoshioki died, and the domain was passed to his hands. Yoshitaka’s father was famous for having restored the overthrown Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshitane to power in 1508, and for building Saijo Castle.

Having already defeated the Amago clan to win Aki Province, Ouchi Yoshitaka continued to expand his territories, taking northern Kyushu and bringing down the ancient Shoni clan. In 1542, Ouchi Yoshitaka lost his adopted son, Haruhisa, and a great many of his samurai during an ill-fated invasion of Izumo (now eastern Shimane Prefecture). Through the bitter defeat, Yoshitaka seems to have lost his nerve, refraining from warfare and all desire to increase his land holdings. He instead devoted his time not to war, but to pursuing the arts and culture. Yoshitaka promoted foreign trade and the arts, and his lands at Yamaguchi flourished. As a close advisor to the Emperor, he was appointed as Acting Governor of Yamashiro (Kyoto) and protector of the Imperial Court. Under this title, he proposed a plan to have the Imperial court, Emperor and all, relocated to Yamaguchi to free them from the overbearing clutches of the Miyoshi clan who had vast political power over the Emperor and the Shogun. By the summer of 1551, most of the court, except for the Emperor and the palace ladies, were in Yamaguchi preparing for the shift.