Iga 伊賀光季Mitsusue (伊賀光季)
Mitsusue IGA (date of birth unknown -June 13, 1221; his first name 光季 (Mitsusue) is also written as 光末) was a busho (Japanese military commander), who lived during the early Kamakura Period. He was the first son of Asamitsu IGA (Fujiwara no Asamitsu) of FUJIWARA no Hidesato line. His mother was a daughter of Yukimasa NIKAIDO. His younger sister was IGA no Kata (Yoshitoki HOJO's second wife), and his younger brother was Mitsumune IGA.
Personal Profile
As he was a brother-in-law of Yoshitoki HOJO and his father was a chief retainer in the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), he was treated preferentially as a shogun's retainer. In 1212, he was given a post of Jito (manager and lord of manor) in Hitachi Province. In February 1219, together with OE no Chikahiro, he was assigned to Kyoto as Kyoto shugo (Military governor of Kyoto), however, in the Jokyu War he did not respond to the invitation by Emperor (Retired Emperor) Gotoba to participate the war.
Mitsusue responded in stead, '[as] I am in charge of guarding, if it is an emergency, I should have been informed, however, now that I haven't been received any imperial order so far, I can't help being confused by such an abrupt invitation at the last minute.'
And when the emperor gave an official order to participate, he responded, 'he should give me the command in person, he should come.'
In the end, he did not set out for the front, saying '[a]lthough proceeding for the enemy on the lord's order is my duty as a retainer, entering under the command of an imperial regent is not my duty.'
Consequently, he was attacked by the imperial forces on May 15 of the same year (1221), while he was at his residence, and he was forced to kill himself, together with his son Mitsutsuna IGA. Afterwards, Yasutoki HOJO granted the territory that once was in Mitsusue's possession to his posthumous son Suemura IGA.