Kuroda Yoshitaka


Kuroda Yoshitaka, also known as Kuroda Kanbei, was a Japanese samurai and daimyō of the late Sengoku through the early Edo period. Renowned as a man of great ambition, he succeeded Takenaka Hanbei as a chief strategist and adviser to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Kuroda became a Christian when he was 38, and received "Simeon Josui" as a baptismal name. His quick wit, bravery, and loyalty were respected by his warriors.

Early life

Kuroda Yoshitaka was born in Himeji on December 22, 1546, as Mankichi, the son of Kuroda Mototaka. It is believed that the Kuroda originated from Ōmi Province. Yoshitaka's grandfather Shigetaka brought the family to Himeji and resided in Gochaku Castle, east of Himeji Castle.
Shigetaka served as a senior retainer of Kodera Masamoto, the lord of Himeji, and was so well thought of that Shigetaka's son Mototaka was allowed to marry Masamoto's adopted daughter and use the Kodera name. Yoshitaka became the head of the Kuroda family at the age of 21 when his father, Mototaka, retired.

Military life

Service under Nobunaga

In 1577, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi was spearheading the Oda clan's advance into the Chūgoku region, he pledged loyalty to the Oda. Yoshitaka, together with the sickly Takenaka Hanbei, served as Hideyoshi's strategist and assisted in the Chugoku campaign against the Mōri 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, 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, was sentenced to death by Nobunaga. However, he was saved by Takenaka Hanbei.
Araki's revolt eventually concluded in 1579 at the Siege of Itami, which resulted in Yoshitaka's rescue. Due to his long imprisonment, Yoshitaka suffered a leg disorder and lost the eyesight in one eye for the rest of his life.
In 1582, he fought in the Siege of Takamatsu against the Mōri clan.

Service under Hideyoshi

Yoshitaka fought at the Battle of Yamazaki in 1582 under Hideyoshi, avenging the death of Oda Nobunaga.
He participated in the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583 and the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute in 1584. He also led Toyotomi forces in the campaign to conquer Shikoku in 1585.
Shortly before 1587, Yoshitaka was ordered by Hideyoshi to lead an attack on the Siege of Kagoshima at Kyushu. Along with him was the Christian daimyō Takayama 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. Later, after a visit to the Jesuit-controlled port of Nagasaki, Hideyoshi became fearful of the powerful influence that Jesuits and the Christian daimyōs 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 himself Josui. Like Naitō Joan, 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 from Bungo when the Christian daimyō of that province, Ōtomo Sōrin, was under attack from the Shimazu clan.

Sekigahara campaign

Before the outbreak of the Sekigahara conflict between Tokugawa Ieyasu with Ishida Mitsunari, Yoshitaka and his son, Kuroda Nagamasa, made contact with Ii 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. It was recorded that Yoshitaka and his son, Nagamasa, bore grudge towards Mitsunari due to their personal conflict with him over alleged mismanagements during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598).
In 1600, Yoshitaka was seemingly on the Tokugawa side during the Sekigahara campaign, having clashed against Ōtomo Yoshimune at the Battle of Ishigakibaru and also, having participated at the Siege of Yanagawa. It was recorded that the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi participated in Ishigakibaru battle under the command of Yoshitaka.
There is theory that Yoshitaka instead aimed to conquer the entire region of Kyūshū 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 the Battle of Sekigahara.

Death

After moving to Chikuzen Province, the Kuroda built a new castle near Hakata-ku, and named it Fukuoka Castle which was completed in the early Edo period for daimyō Kuroda Nagamasa.
After his son Kuroda Nagamasa succeeded him, Yoshitaka died on April 19, 1604. His grave is in the Namazuta area of Iizuka, Fukuoka, near the original site of Namazuta Castle.

Family

Relationship with Hideyoshi

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. 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 with Sen no Rikyū - known as the founder of the Japanese tea ceremony "wabi-cha", who was later put to death by Hideyoshi himself.

Personality

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." He was also involved in the project to build principal castles: Himeji Castle, Nagoya Castle, Osaka Castle, and Hiroshima Castle under the reign of the Toyotomi lords.

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