Kudō Suketsune

Kudō Suketsune (Japanese: 工藤 祐経; 1147 – June 28, 1193) was a Japanese samurai and gokenin in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He was assassinated during the Revenge of the Soga Brothers incident.

Life Kudō Suketsune's grave in Kamiide, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka PrefectureSuketsune was born in 1147 as the son of Kudō Suketsugu.

According to the Azuma Kagami, when Suketsune had his coming-of-age ceremony (genpuku), his father promised that Suketsune would marry Mangō Gozen, the daughter of Itō Sukechika, and Sukechika would become Suketsune's guardian. However, Sukechika did not accept the fact that Suketsune, who was not the eldest son, would inherit the manor, and invaded Suketsune's territory following his father's death. Sukechika also made Mangō Gozen divorce Suketsune.

Suketsune was deeply angered over these events and ordered the assassination of Sukechika. In October 1176, a group of thugs attacked Sukechika, who was hunting in Okuno, Izu Province with his son Kawazu Sukeyasu. The arrow shot at Sukechika missed, and hit Sukeyasu instead, killing him. This incident came to be known as the Revenge of the Soga Brothers.