The Kuki Sea Forces (1)

     The Kuki Clan’s origin is not so clear.  Its families used to live in and be based in Kuki Bay in Kii Province.  It means that they used to be one of Kumano Sea Forces.

     Kuki Takayoshi (?-?) was the second son of Takamasa (?-?), and became an adopted son-in-law in the Kawamo Family in Namikiri Village, Shima Province, supposedly in the late 14th century.

     Kuki Yasutaka (?-?) was Takayoshi’s great grandson, and Yasutaka’s eldest son was Sadataka (?-1551).  Kuki Yoshitaka was born as Sadataka’s third son while Yasutaka was still the head of the family.

     Sadataka died in 1551, and his eldest son, Kiyotaka (?-1560), succeeded the family headship.  At the time, 13 local samurai families were fighting one another, and 7 of them allied to fight against the Kuki Family, supported by Kitabatake Tomonori (1528-1576), the ruler of Ise Province.

     As Kiyotaka was based in Tashiro Castle, Yoshitaka defended the castle with him.  The fight dragged on for years, and Kiyotaka died of an illness in 1560.  His son, Sumitaka (?-1584), succeeded the family headship, but was still just 8 years old.  Yoshitaka assisted Sumitaka, but lost to the 7 families, and escaped into Mt. Asakuma, a sacred mountain in the province.  Later, Yoshitaka is said to have crossed Ise Bay to Mikawa Province and contacted Takigawa Kazumasu (1525-1586), one of the vassals of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), who was gaining momentum after his victory over the Imagawa Clan in the Battle of Okehazama in 1560.

     In 1568, Nobunaga started invading Ise Province, fighting against its ruler, Kitabatake Tomonori.  During the invasion, Yoshitaka headed sea forces, attacked Oyodo Fortress in Taki County along Ise Bay, and occupied it.

     In 1569, the peace talk between Oda and Kitabatake were concluded, and Tomonari adopted Nobunaga’s second son, Nobukatsu (1558-1630), marrying Tomonari’s daughter, Yukihime (?-?), to Nobukatsu.