Toyotomi Hideyoshi—The Third Pirate King of Japan (0-13)

     Nomi Munekatsu (1527-1592), a vassal of Kobayakawa Takakage (1533-1597), had been trying to lure Murakami Michiyasu (1519-1567), the head of Kuru-shima Murakami Family, into Mori’s side.  On the 28th, Mori Motonari (1497-1571) got scared that Miya-no-o Castle would fall to Sue Harukata(1521-1555), and sent out his forces from Kusatsu Port.  On the very day, as if they had been timing the moment, Kuru-shima Murakami Pirates appeared with a couple of hundreds of fighting boats.  On the 29th, Mori’s landed Itsuki-shima Island.  On the 30th, on the last day of the month, the two clashed against each other.  Murakami Pirates set fire to many of Harukata’s boats, and cut off land samurais’ retreat.  At that moment, supposedly 8000 out of 20000 of Harukata’s forces were on the island.  On October the 1st, Harukata was maneuvered into getting isolated from his still active and fighting forces, and was cornered into committing suicide, with his head cut, buried, and hidden somewhere in the island all by only 3 out of 8000 vassals left around him, Ikaga Fusaaki (?-1555), Kakinami Takamasa (?-1555), and Yamazaki Takakata (?-1555).  After the concealment of their lord’s head, the three, as the matter of course, killed themselves with their own swords.  3000 of Harukata’s had been captured.  Unknowingly or knowingly that Harukata had died, his last force led by Hironaka Takasuke (?-1555) was finally destroyed 2 days later, on the 3rd day of October.  In total, 4700 of Harukata’s were killed on the holly island where people had never been allowed even to reside. 

     We should notice that the pirates did not make the-last-moment entrance of the hero like Superman.  They just raised their market price, as was often the case.  Unlike the Kawa-no-uchi and Tada-no-umi Sea Guards, the Mori Clan always had to try to lure Murakami Pirates.