Nakahata Harutsune served as a bushō during the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods.  He was a member of the Shirakawa-Yūki clan serving as a retainer.

Origins

The Nakahata were members of the Mutsu-Ishikawa clan from the Yamato-Genji.  Kurō 光幹, the son of Ishikawa Arimitsu (the second head of the Mutsu-Ishikawa in the eleventh century), made contributions during the Zenkunen Campaign in Mutsu during the late Heian period and then built Kunigami Castle and adopted the Nakahata surname.  As the authority of the Ishikawa clan waned, the Nakahata came under the governance of the Shirakawa clan.

Profile

Harutsune was born as the eldest son of Yūki Harutsuna.  He was an illegitimate son so inherited his mother’s family, the Nakahata, and entered Kunigami Castle.  In 1575, Komine Yoshichika banished Yūki Yoshiaki (Harutsune’s younger brother and the head of the Shirakawa-Yūki clan) and took over Shirakawa Castle.  Harutsune was also qualified to become the successor to Harutsuna so many retainers supported him as the successor, deepening a conflict with the band of retainers backing Yoshichika.

Satake Yoshishige took advantage of the chaos to attack Shirakawa Castle, capturing Yoshichika.  Thereafter, the Shirakawa-Yūki clan became subordinate to the Satake.  Nevertheless, the Shirakawa continued to resist.  In 1579, Yoshishige’s second son, Yoshihiro, was adopted by Yoshichika and conflict in the territory of Shirakawa subsided.  Harutsune’s whereabouts thereafter are unknown.