Hosokawa Takakuni

Hosokawa Takakuni was a warrior of the late Muromachi period and head of the Hosokawa Keichō line. He was born in 1484 (Bunmei 16) and died on 21 July 1531 (8th day of the 6th month, Kyōroku 4), aged 48. He was a son of Hosokawa Masaharu and was adopted by Hosokawa Masamoto. He received the character 高 from Ashikaga Yoshitaka (later Yoshizumi).

Installing a Shogun and Becoming Deputy

After Masamoto was killed (the Eishō Disturbance), he went up to Kyoto with Ōuchi Yoshioki, supporting Ashikaga Yoshitane. On the 18th day of the 7th month of Eishō 5 (1508) he was appointed Deputy Shogun (kanrei) and Governor of the Western Capital (Ukyō-daibu).

The War of the Two Hosokawa Houses

He fought Hosokawa Sumimoto's faction and won a series of engagements, including the Battle of Funaokayama in 1511 (Eishō 8). In the Battle of Tōgin-in in 1520 (Eishō 17) he regained power, and Sumimoto died of illness the same year.

Changes of Shogun and Downfall

When Yoshitane fled to Awa in 1521 (Taiei 1), Takakuni set up Ashikaga Yoshiharu, the surviving son of Yoshizumi (then Kameōmaru). In 1526 (Taiei 6) he assassinated Kōzai Motomori, which brought about the defection of the Tamba forces and the rising of the Awa army. He was defeated at Katsuragawara in the 2nd month of Taiei 7 (1527) and fled to Sakamoto in Ōmi.

Ōmono Kuzure

In 1530 (Kyōroku 3), after Yanagimoto Katsuji was assassinated, he allied with Urakami Murakage and advanced on Kyoto. On 17 July 1531 (4th day of the 6th month, Kyōroku 4), Takakuni's forces collapsed completely after the betrayal of Akamatsu Masasuke; this is known as the Ōmono Kuzure. Takakuni fled to Amagasaki and was discovered at dawn on 21 July (8th day of the 6th month), hiding in a dyer's vat. He took his own life at Kōtoku-ji in Amagasaki. His death poem is said to be "Painted in a picture, stones shaped into the sea and mountains, will not my eyes stay on them into the later ages?"

After His Death

His younger brother Harukuni was set up by the remnants of his forces but was defeated and killed in 1536. His adopted son Ujitsuna rose in 1542 and later became Deputy Shogun.