Shimizu Muneharu

Shimizu Muneharu (清水 宗治; 1537 – June 23, 1582) was a military commander in the Azuchi-Momoyama period.

Related Topics:
1537 - June 23 - 1582 - Azuchi-Momoyama period

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He was a retainer of the Mori clan and the lord of the Bitchu Takamatsu Castle.

Related Topics:
Mori clan - Bitchu Takamatsu Castle

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He was also known as Shimizu Chōzaemon (清水 長左衛門). His father was Shimuzu Munenori.

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The Shimizu clan was a retainer of one of the powerful clans in Bitchu Province.

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He had been the lord of Shimizu castle at Bitchu Province.

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Muneharu became the lord of the Bitchu Takamatsu Castle after he captured it in 1565.

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After that, he served the Mori clan and belonged to Kobayakawa Takakage and took part in the expedition to unify the Chugoku region.

Related Topics:
Kobayakawa Takakage - Chugoku region

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The head of the Mori clan including Takakage quite relied on Muneharu since he was capable and had strong loyalty to the Mori clan.

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In 1582, Hashiba Hideyohi (later Toyotomi Hideyoshi) who was a retainer of Oda Nobunaga, went on an expedition to the Chugoku region to reunify Japan.

Related Topics:
Hashiba Hideyohi - Oda Nobunaga - Chugoku region

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Muneharu locked himself in Bitchu Takamatsu Castle and resisted Hideyoshi.

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Hideyoshi advised Muneharu to surrender on the condition that he was given Bitchu Province, but Muneharu rejected.

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Takamatsu Castle was flooded by Hideyoshi and became close to falling. (This strategy was worked out by Kuroda Yoshitaka who was on the staff of Hideyoshi.)

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In the middle of flooding in June, Nobunaga died in the Incident at Honnoji in Kyoto.

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Hearing about Nobunaga, Hideyoshi made peace overtures on the condition that Hideyoshi helped Muneharu's soldiers defending the castle if Muneharu committed suicide (seppuku).

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Muneharu didn't know of the death of Nobunaga and committed suicide after a few days.

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He was 45.

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His grave is at Seikyō-ji, Hikari, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Related Topics:
Hikari - Yamaguchi Prefecture

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