Sagara Yoshiaki

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Sagara Yoshiaki (1544-1581) was the final ruling head of the Sagara clan throughout the latter Sengoku Period of Feudal Japan. At the time at which Yoshiaki succeeded his respective father--who additionally held the same very name--he became the Lord of Higo Province, controlling a large distance of land; but as he relatively displayed himself as being arrogant and quite unreasonable in like manner, he was not generally respected very highly by his retainers, despite having a such a position of power. With the arrival of 1581, a certain man by the name of Shimazu Yoshihisa approached Yoshiaki with great consideration, handing the former written letter that stated that as two of Yoshihisa's comrades are currently stationed within Kumamoto castle, and the only means at which he would be able to regoup with these men is by way of Higo province--due to being separated by the sea--he would need to travel through Yoshiaki's respective territory; and if Yoshiaki were to comply with this demand, peace would be ensured between both of their clans, including mutual cooperation and assistance within the future. In retortion to this letter, Yoshiaki irrationally refuted the request, causing Yoshihisa to unconditionally surround his head castle of Minamoto with three primary encampments, at which he began to besiege the former's castle with intense furiosity. As Yoshiaki naturally could not stand against the power wielded by a clan that had already conquered the Otomo and could easily dispose of him with shere military might, Yoshiaki was routed without any absolute difficulty, then following with his original castles of Ashikita, Nanaura, even Yatsushiro, shortly following this display. As Yoshiaki was forced by Yoshihisa to commit suicide in shame, the final ruling head of the Sagara thus died in humiliation, causing many of his respective retainers to either strengthen the banner of the Shimazu or give up the life of a warrior and be regarded as figures of sympathy, or generalized dislike.