Kyōgoku Takatsugu

Who was Kyōgoku Takatsugu?

Kyōgoku Takatsugu was a daimyo of Omi Province and Wakasa Province during the late-Sengoku Period of Japan's history.

Takatsugu is recognized as the founder of the modern Kyōgoku clan. His forebears had been powerful since the 13th century, but their fortunes had waned after the Ōnin War. Takatsugu is credited with restoring his family's lost prominence and position.

Takatsugu allied himself with Oda Nobunaga; and after Nobunaga's death, Takatsugu became a fudai daimyo of the Toyotomi. Hideyoshi installed Takatsugu at Ōtsu castle in Omi province.

In 1600, he sided with the Tokugawa. On the same day as the Battle of Sekigahara, failed in his efforts at the Siege of Ōtsu, but Tokugawa Ieyasu's victory at Sekigahara marginalized the consequences of that loss. In that same year, Takatsugu was rewarded with the fief of Obama in Wakasa province.

Under the Tokugawa shogunate, the Kyōgoku were identified as tozama or outsiders, in contrast with the fudai daimyo who were hereditary vassals of the Tokugawa. Despite this, Takatsugu prospered.