Harukata Sue

Harukata Sue (陶 晴賢, Sue Harukata) is a vassal of the Ōuchi who took over the clan by force until his defeat at the hands of the Mōri.

Role in Games
Harukata's appearance in Samurai Warriors is limited to battles involving the Mōri clan characters. Sengoku Musou 3: Empires depicts him as an ambitious man whose disregard for the past contrasts with Motonari's fascination with history. Displeased by the Ōuchi's lack of concern for their men, he stages a revolt against the clan and alienates their allies including the Mōri. The ensuing conflict leads to his downfall at Itsukushima as well as the death of Takakane Hironaka who came to sympathize with Harukata's cause.

In the Nobunaga's Ambition series, he mostly appears during scenarios that take place before Nobunaga's rise to power. Sphere of Influence re-enacts his betrayal of the Ōuchi clan if they stop attacking in the year 1550.

Quotes

 * "These are the days of chaos and anarchy! What was common sense yesterday is thought of as ridiculous - nay, as evil today! There is no future for those who cannot adapt!"
 * "There is no meaning to the past! We need to get rid of the old-timers who cling to the past. We will create new waves and a new order!"

Historical Information
Sue Harukata (陶 晴賢)

Born as the second son of Sue Okifusa, the young Goro became Ōuchi Yoshitaka's retainer due to their clans' close ties. At some point, he changed his name to Takafusa and became leader of the Sue after his father succumbed to illness in 1539. His efforts on the battlefield and in governing Suo Province earned him the moniker "Samurai Daisho Unrivaled in Saigoku".

Takafusa was active during the Ōuchi's war with the Amago clan, helping defend Koriyama Castle by bringing 10,000 men to reinforce their allies. His success, however, gave Yoshitaka an excuse to cease their attack on Gassan-Toda and instead focus on artistic leisures. Fearing that the other warlords would take advantage of their inaction, Takafusa urged his lord to resume the war effort only to be constantly ignored.

This drove a wedge between the two men, leading to Takafusa's eventual rebellion in August 28, 1551. His coup resulted in Yoshitaka committing suicide at Tainei-ji and the Ōuchi falling into disarray. Now called Harutaka, he sought to control the clan by executing disobedient subordinates and turning Yoshitaka's adopted son Yoshinaga into a puppet figurehead. However, the remaining Ōuchi vassals as well as the Mōri turned against him in 1554.

After losing to Mōri Motonari's forces at Oshikihata, Harutaka tried to recoup his losses by leading an army of 30,000 men at Itsukushima the next year. He soon fell prey to the enemy's surprise attack and lost the battle, causing him to kill himself during his retreat. As a result, Yoshinaga and the Ōuchi clan were easily wiped out and had their territories taken by the Mōri.

Etymology

 * The name Harukata means "clear weather" (晴) (haru) and "wise" (賢) (kata).
 * Harukata's surname Sue means "pottery" (陶).