Let’s rewind to the mid-1500s—when samurai were everywhere, loyalty was negotiable, and pirates were somehow strategic consultants.
Enter the Sué family, ambitious middle managers of the feudal world who decided to overthrow their employer and take over his land in western Japan. Totally treacherous. Very on-brand for the Sengoku era.
But not everyone was impressed.
The Mōri clan, related to the ousted lord, did not appreciate this career move. Fueled by revenge and family pride (and maybe some weekend sake-fueled plotting), they decided: “Let’s end them.”
Now, let’s talk odds.
The Sué family had 20,000 soldiers and 500 warships.
The Mōris? Barely 3,500 men, defending a tiny, hastily built fort on Miyajima Island.
This was supposed to be a total blowout—the Sué victory written in the stars, like a championship game with mismatched teams.
But then… the Murakami Pirates showed up.
Both sides had approached these notorious naval warriors.
Here’s how that played out:
- The Mōris: “We’re small but scrappy; please help us.”
- The Sués: “You will, of course, support us. As expected.”
Guess which side the pirates favored?
When the Mōri fort was on the brink of collapse, 200 pirate ships rolled up like the final act of a samurai Avengers movie—except they weren’t there to save the day for the Sués. They utterly demolished them.
In a flash, ships were sunk, the army scattered, and reputations were ruined—all because someone didn’t know how to say “please.”
Two years later, the Sué family was wiped from the history books, while the Mōris went on to rule western Japan as the respectful, pirate-endorsed clan they became.
Moral of the story:
Don’t be the person who demands loyalty from pirates. Be the one who asks nicely.
Woodblock print by Okazaki Shintaro (1886 – 1957)
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