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Kuroda Yoshitaka | |
|---|---|
黒田 孝高 | |
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| Head ofKuroda clan | |
| In office 1567–1604 | |
| Preceded by | Kuroda Mototaka |
| Succeeded by | Kuroda Nagamasa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 22, 1546 |
| Died | March 20, 1604(1604-03-20) (aged 57) |
| Spouse | Kushihashi Teru |
| Parent |
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| Nickname | "Kambē" |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Oda clan Toyotomi clan Eastern Army Tokugawa shogunate |
| Rank | Daimyo |
| Unit | .svg) Kuroda clan |
| Battles/wars | Siege of Inabayama Chūgoku Campaign Siege of Miki Siege of Tottori Siege of Takamatsu Battle of Yamazaki Battle of Shizugatake Battle of Komaki-Nagakute Invasion of Shikoku Kyushu Campaign Battle of Ishigakibaru Siege of Yanagawa |
Kuroda Yoshitaka[1] (黒田 孝高; December 22, 1546 – March 20, 1604), also known asKuroda Kanbei (黒田 官兵衛; orKuroda Kambē), was a Japanesedaimyō of the lateSengoku through the earlyEdo period. Renowned as a man of great ambition, he succeededTakenaka Hanbei as a chief strategist and adviser toToyotomi Hideyoshi. Kuroda became a Christian when he was 38, and received "Simeon Josui" as a baptismal name (rekishijin). His quick wit, bravery, and loyalty were respected by his warriors.[2]
Kuroda Yoshitaka was born inHimeji (姫路) on December 22, 1546, as Mankichi (万吉), the son ofKuroda Mototaka. It is believed that the Kuroda originated fromŌmi Province. Yoshitaka's grandfatherShigetaka brought the family to Himeji and resided in Gochaku Castle (御着城), east ofHimeji Castle.
Shigetaka served as a senior retainer ofKodera Masamoto, the lord of Himeji, and was so well thought of that Shigetaka's son Mototaka was allowed to marry Masamoto's adopted daughter (Akashi Masakaze's daughter) and use the Kodera name. Yoshitaka became the head of the Kuroda family at the age of 21 when his father, Mototaka, retired.[3][4]
In 1577, whenToyotomi Hideyoshi was spearheading the Oda clan's advance into theChūgoku region, he pledged loyalty to the Oda. Yoshitaka, together with the sicklyTakenaka Hanbei, served as Hideyoshi's strategist and assisted in theChugoku campaign against theMōri clan.
In 1578, the lord of Arioka/Itami Castle,Araki Murashige, concluded an alliance with the Mōri to revolt against the Oda. Kodera Masamoto also hatched a plot to cooperate with Araki. Yoshitaka went to Arioka castle to prevail on Araki not to defect,[5] but Araki chose to imprison Yoshitaka instead. As a result, Nobunaga believed that Yoshitaka had defected to Araki's side and was furious, and Yoshitaka's son, Shōjumaru (laterKuroda Nagamasa), was sentenced to death by Nobunaga. However, he was saved byTakenaka Hanbei.
Araki's revolt eventually concluded in 1579 at theSiege of Itami, which resulted in Yoshitaka's rescue. Due to his long imprisonment (with lack of space for sleeping and sitting), Yoshitaka suffered a leg disorder and lost the eyesight in one eye for the rest of his life.[citation needed]
In 1582, he fought in theSiege of Takamatsu against the Mōri clan.
Yoshitaka fought at theBattle of Yamazaki in 1582 under Hideyoshi, avenging the death ofOda Nobunaga.[6]
He participated in theBattle of Shizugatake in 1583 and theBattle of Komaki-Nagakute in 1584. He also led Toyotomi forces in the campaign toconquer Shikoku in 1585.
Shortly before 1587, Yoshitaka was ordered by Hideyoshi to lead an attack on theSiege of Kagoshima atKyushu.[7] Along with him was the ChristiandaimyōTakayama Ukon. After seeing the thriving Christian population of Kyushu, under Ukon's influence, Yoshitaka chose to covert, and was baptized with the name ドン・シメオン (Dom Simeão = Don Simeon). Later, after a visit to the Jesuit-controlled port of Nagasaki, Hideyoshi became fearful of the powerful influence that Jesuits and the Christiandaimyōs wielded.
In 1587, Hideyoshi made his famous edict expelling foreign missionaries and ordering all Christian samurai under his rule to abandon their faith. While Ukon resisted the edict and lost his status, Yoshitaka gave up his new religion and adopted a monk's habit, calling himselfJosui (如水).[8] LikeNaitō Joan (who took his name from Portuguese João), it is believed that Yoshitaka chose his new name from "Josué", the Portuguese version of "Joshua".
Yoshitaka’s most prominent act during his short time as a Christian was his arrangement to save a Jesuit mission fromBungo when the Christiandaimyō of that province,Ōtomo Sōrin, was under attack from theShimazu clan.
Before the outbreak of the Sekigahara conflict betweenTokugawa Ieyasu withIshida Mitsunari, Yoshitaka and his son,Kuroda Nagamasa, made contact withIi Naomasa, a Tokugawa general, and formed a pact of alliance. Through the Kuroda clan, Naomasa successfully swayed the other military commanders to support the Tokugawa clan.[9] It was recorded that Yoshitaka and his son, Nagamasa, bore grudge towards Mitsunari due to their personal conflict with him over alleged mismanagements during theJapanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598).[10]
In 1600, Yoshitaka was seemingly on the Tokugawa side during the Sekigahara campaign, having clashed againstŌtomo Yoshimune at theBattle of Ishigakibaru and also, having participated at theSiege of Yanagawa.[citation needed] It was recorded that the legendary swordsmanMiyamoto Musashi participated in Ishigakibaru battle under the command of Yoshitaka.[11][12][13]
There is theory that Yoshitaka instead aimed to conquer the entire region ofKyūshū for himself during the major commotion of the Sekigahara campaign, and he momentarily conquered seven of the island's provinces. However, despite the feat, he had to give up his plans due to Tokugawa Ieyasu's victory in theBattle of Sekigahara.[citation needed]
After moving to Chikuzen Province (today is part of Fukuoka Prefecture), the Kuroda built a new castle near Hakata-ku, and named it Fukuoka Castle (also known as Maizuru Castle or Seki Castle) which was completed in the early Edo period fortozama [jp] daimyōKuroda Nagamasa.
After his sonKuroda Nagamasa succeeded him, Yoshitaka died on April 19, 1604. His grave is in the Namazuta area ofIizuka, Fukuoka, near the original site of Namazuta Castle.
As depicted in historical writings and contemporary television, it is suggested that Yoshitaka was feared by Hideyoshi, despite his attempts to hide his intelligence and influence.[14] It is alleged that Hideyoshi's fear was due to his overwhelming debt to Yoshitaka, with Yoshitaka having helped him reign over the whole country as his shadow strategist. Hideyoshi even believed that Yoshitaka might overthrow him eventually. In addition, Yoshitaka had a close friendship withSen no Rikyū - known as the founder of the Japanese tea ceremony "wabi-cha", who was later put to death by Hideyoshi himself.
Yoshitaka was a frugal person, who sold used military equipment and personal belongings to his vassals. He saved enough money to pay mercenaries in the Sekigahara War due to his thrifty mind. His last words were, "Do not try to gain other people's favor and do not wish for wealth."[15] He was also involved in the project to build principal castles:Himeji Castle,Nagoya Castle,Osaka Castle, andHiroshima Castle under the reign of the Toyotomi lords.
Yumekashi Harada, "The True Story of Miyamoto Musashi" (Ashi Shobo, 1984); Masahide Fukuda "Miyamoto Musashi's Summer Siege" ("Rekishi Kenkyu" No. 400, 1994); Masahide Fukuda, "Proof of Musashi's Sekigahara Eastern Army" (Miyamoto Musashi Research Paper Collection, Rekiken, 2003); Eiji Yoshikawa, "Miyamoto Musashi, 6 volumes" (Dainippon Yubenkai Kodansha, 1936-39)
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