The Sagara Clan and their Smuggling (2)

     Sagara Nagatsugu (1411-1468) had 3 sons, Yorikane (?-?), Yoriakira (?-?), and Tametsugu (1447-1500).  Yorikane was the eldest, but was handicapped.  Yoriakira died young.  Tametsugu succeeded Nagatsugu, although Yorikane had a son Nagasada (?-1531).

     In 1467, the Onin War broke out, and Nagatsune was invited to Kyoto by Hosokawa Katsumoto (1430-1473), Shogun’s Deputy.  Nagatsugu went to Kyoto with his army, but got sick the following year, came back to Hitoyoshi, and died there.  Katsumoto, then, requested Tametsugu to come to the front.  Tametsugu answered that he would consult Kikuchi Tamekuni (1430-1488), the provincial guardian samurai in Higo Province, and Shimazu Tadakuni (1403-1470), the provincial guardian samurai in Satsuma, Osumi, and Hyuga Provinces, but was demanded forcibly.  Tametsugu went to Kyoto with his army in 1468.

     Meanwhile, however, Ashikaga Yoshimi (1446-1495), a would-be shogun, or a shogun, or a false shogun, went over from the East Army to the West army.  Tametsugu followed Yoshimi, and left Katsumoto.  There, in the West Army, he met Ouchi Masahiro (1446-1495), and probably might have had his eyes opened to the sea.