Nakamura Harutsugu (中村春続)
Harutsugu NAKAMURA (year of birth unknown - November 30, 1581) was a person who lived in the Sengoku period (period of warring states) (Japan) and the Azuchi Momoyama period, and he served as Oinosuke (vice-minister of Bureau of Palace Kitchens under the Ministry of the Imperial Household) in early times, and later, he served as the Governor of Tsushima Province.
Career
Harutsugu was known as a vassal of Toyokuni YAMANA, and it is said that he was a member of the Nakamura clan who served the Yamana clan.
He first appeared in the historical document, 'Yamana Toyoyoshi no Shojo Utsushi' which is thought to have been written in about 1564 to 1565, as a hikan (low-level bureaucrat) of Toyoyoshi YAMANA 'Nakamura Oinosuke.'
In 1574, he was dispatched to Motoharu KIKKAWA as a hikan of Toyokuni YAMANA. At the time of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI's Siege of Tottori-jo Castle in 1580, he expelled his lord, Toyokuni YAMANA, who surrendered to the Oda clan, from Tottori-jo Castle with Doyo MORISHITA, and welcomed Tsuneie KIKKAWA as a new castellan. The following year, in 1581, he holed up in Tottori-jo Castle with Tsuneie KIKKAWA and other members during the second Siege of Tottori-jo Castle and resisted Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI army, however, many died of historic renowned Hideyoshi's starvation policy. In November in the same year, he surrendered Tottori-jo Castle to the enemy because of Tuneie KIKKAWA's seppuku. Although Tuneie begged for Harutsugu and Doyo MORISHITA's lives before his death, his plead was refused and they were commanded to commit seppuku on charges that 'bringing the war in Inaba Province' and 'betrayal of their lord,' then they committed suicide with their swords on the evening of November 30, at the same jinsho (camp) where Tsuneie YOSHIKAWA died. His age at death is unknown. It is said that Harutsugu's children who stayed inside of Tottori-jo Castle were given protection after their father's seppuku, and became vassals of the Kikkawa clan.
Different opinion concerning Harutsugu NAKAMURA's origin. In a common view, Harutsugu NAKAMURA was a member of the Nakamura clan in Inaba, however, different view existed. According to a theory, it is also said that Harutsugu was from the Kusakari clan in Chizu County, Inaba Province, and his name was recorded in a family tree of the Nakamura clan in Harima Province, which was found in recent years. Just for your information, in "The Nakamura Family Genealogy" (the title inside the book: the origins of the Nakamura clan in Inshu [Inaba Province]) it is recorded that Harutsugu and his younger brother Harukuni (春国) succeeded to the Nakamura clan. It is also recorded that after Harukuni (春国) studied medical science, he served the Yoshikawa clan and employed by 50 koku.