Hatano Hideharu

Hatano Hideharu (波多野 秀治 "Hatano Hideharu", 1541-June 25, 1579) is the eldest son of Hatano Harumichi and the head of Hatano clan.

He was a son of Harumichi but for some unknown reason, he was adopted as a son by Hatano Motohide. Hatano clan had, from Hideharu's grandfather Hatano Tanemichi, a retainer of the powerful Miyoshi clan and Miyoshi Nagayoshi and Hideharu had been Miyoshi's retainer as well. The reason that such a minor clan as his had attended the Emperor Ogimachi's coronation was believed to be because he had been under Nagayoshi.

Hideharu became independent on 1565 after Nagayoshi died capturing Yagami Castle which he took as the place of residence.

The Hatano clan, however, was situated in the pass of Oda Nobunaga to Kyoto and after several battles, Hideharu surrendered to Akechi Mitsuhide. On 1576, Hideharu declared independence and turned against Nobunaga. Infuriated Nobunaga again ordered Mitsuhide to invade Tamba Province but Hideharu took stand in the castle and held together for three years.

It is written in a record kept by Oda clan that Mitsuhide then offered his aunt as a hostage to let Hideharu surrender with dignity and Hideharu complied knowing that he could not hold out indefinitely. However, after arriving at Azuchi Castle to offer an apology, Hideharu was executed by Nobunaga. Troop in Yagami Castle after hearing that Hideharu had been executed killed Mitsuhide's aunt. This incident strained the relationship between Nobunaga and Mitsuhide to eventually culminating in Mitsuhide killing Nobunaga at Honnō-ji in 1582. However, there is a little evidence that such events had happened and it is questionable that Mitsuhide would offer such questionable truce. Yet with Hideharu's death, no one rose to hold together Hatano clan and it disappeared completely.