Ogimachi Suehide (正親町季秀)
Suehide OGIMACHI (1548-July 28, 1612) was a kuge from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early part of the Edo period. He mainly served the two emperors of the Emperor Ogimachi (106th) and the Emperor Goyozei (107th). His first name was Sanehiko.
He was born as the second son of Shigeyasu NIWATA (Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state)), a kuge. His mother was a daughter of Kanehide HIROHASHI. He was adopted by Kinnobu OGIMACHI as a son in 1549 and was raised to the peerage in Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade). After celebrating the attainment of his manhood in 1559, he continued to be promoted ranging from Ukone no shosho (Minor Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Ukone no chujo (Middle Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), and Kurodo no to (Head Chamberlain) to Sakone no chujo (Middle Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards) in Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) and Sangi (Royal Advisor) in 1576, and was promoted to be among Kugyo (the top court officials). He changed the name to Suehide in 1579 and was promoted to Gon Chunagon (provisional vice-councilor of state) in Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank), but resigned Gon Chunagon in 1581.
At the time of the Honnoji Incident on June 1582, he stayed at Nijo-gosho Palace (built by an order of Nobunaga ODA and given to Imperial Prince Sanehito) with the prince, and soon told by Nobutada ODA who escaped from the Honno-ji Temple to go back to the Imperial Palace immediately to avoid danger. Suehide soon went out from the Nijo-gosho with the Imperial Prince who put on the official cloths of the Imperial court in order to prove his existence, the surrounding Akechi force allowed them to pass and they escaped safely.
In 1583 he was assigned to Gon Chunagon again in Junii (Junior Second Rank). He was promoted to Shonii (Senior Second Rank) in 1587, Gon Dainagon in 1611 and Juichii (Junior First Rank) in the following year, but died soon after that. He was 65 years old.
Sueyasu OGIMACHI, Suetoshi OGIMACHI, Suefuku URATSUJI, Jitsue OGURA and Motohisa JIMYOIN were his sons.