Amago Katsuhisa (尼子勝久)
Katsuhisa AMAGO was a Japanese military commander in the Sengoku period (period of warring states). He was a grandson of Kunihisa AMAGO, who was the second son of Tsunehisa AMAGO, and the fifth son of Sanehisa AMAGO.
Childhood
He was born as the fifth son of Sanehisa AMAGO in 1553.
His life was saved by Shigeto OGAWA when Haruhisa AMAGO killed members of Shingu-to, including his grandfather, Kunihisa AMAGO and his father, Sanehisa for a purge in 1554. Later, he went to Kyoto to become a priest of Tofukuji-Temple with a guarantee by Haruhisa.
A way to revival
The Amago clan was extinguished by Motonari MORI's invasion in 1566. However, in 1568 Katsuhisa AMAGO was backed up by Shikanosuke YAMANAKA, Hisatsuna TACHIHARA and others, who attempted the Amago clan's revival, to return to secular life and watched his opportunity in Oki Province.
He went to Izumo Province from Oki Province to enter Shinyama-jo Castle in Izumo with support of old vassals of the Amago clan in 1569. Then he attempted to recapture Gassantoda-jo Castle but failed because of hard resistance from Motoaki MORI and Takashige AMANO. In March, 1570, he fought against the Mori forces in the Battle of Fubeyama, but was defeated and escaped to Kyoto.
In 1574, he attempted to invade Izumo Province via Inaba Province with the support of a Japanese feudal lord in Inaba Province, Toyokuni YAMANA, but the invasion ended in failure.
Later, he came under the umbrella of Nobunaga ODA and was allotted to Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI's forces for attacking Chugoku. In 1577, he captured Kozuki-jo Castle in Harima Province, which was a branch castle of Naoie UKITA, and was then ordered to defend the castle.
Demise
In 1578, the Mori clan, who was vengeful to defeat Katsuhisa AMAGO and Yukimori YAMANAKA, and Ukita's forces led by Naoie UKITA approached Kozuki-jo Castle. The forces had thirty thousand in all. Following Nobunaga ODA's order, Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI concentrated on an attack against Miki-jo Castle where Nagaharu BESSHO was besieged (the Battle of Miki), so Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI requested Katsuhisa AMAGO and his vassals to withdraw from Kozuki-jo Castle.
However, they did not accept the request and held the castle, then ended up surrendering because of a violent attack of the Mori's forces (the Battle of Kozuki-jo Castle). Katsuhisa AMAGO killed himself together with his legitimate son, Toyowakamaru; his younger brother, Michihisa AMAGO; the head of his vassals, Motomichi JINZAI; and others. He was 26 years old.
Yukimori YAMANAKA was taken prisoner and was later killed with a sword while being transferred. This collapsed the movement for revival of the Amago clan as a Japanese feudal lord.
Personal Profile
According to the Intoku-taiheiki (old chronicle), Katsuhisa AMAGO said to his vassals including Yukimori YAMANAKA, who were taken prisoner, when he surrendered to the Mori forces.
I appreciate that you made me a head of Amago once, otherwise I would have spent my whole life being wrapped in a clerical garment.'
From now on, live long lives and value your lives.'
Thus, he had an aspect of being considerate to his vassals, but it seems he was not suitable as a military commander in the Sengoku period.