Lord of Takatsuki Castle in Settsu, Christian daimyo
Takayama Ukon
高山右近
1552 – 1615
Born in 1552 in Takayama, Toyono District of Settsu Province, Takayama Ukon became lord of Takatsuki Castle around age 21 alongside his father Hidarikami and constructed over 20 churches in the castle town. In 1578, when his overlord Araki Murashige rebelled against Oda Nobunaga, Ukon came under attack but surrendered and was pardoned, retaining his position at Takatsuki. In the 1585 Settsu District reorganization, he was transferred to Akashi in Harima where he built Senjoō Castle, but in 1587, when Hideyoshi issued an expulsion decree for Christian missionaries, he was stripped of his domain due to his faith. He subsequently joined Maeda Toshie and Toshinaga as a guest general in Kanazawa and served the Maeda clan for 26 years using his expertise in castle fortification and design to rebuild Kanazawa Castle and plan Takaoka Castle. In 1614, due to the Tokugawa shogunate's Christian persecution decree, he was exiled and sent from Nagasaki to Manila, where he died in February 1615.
Sources 高槻市「北摂唯一の近世城郭 高槻城」／豊能町「郷土の偉人 戦国大名 高山右近」／石川県「石川県立美術館『福者認定記念 高山右近』」／金沢市「高山右近自筆書状」
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Related events
7
1573
Takayama Ukon Becomes Lord of Takatsuki Castle
Principal partyTakayama Ukon became lord of Takatsuki Castle together with his father Hidakami. He undertook the expansion of the castle and development of the castle town, establishing it as a center of Christianity through the construction of over twenty churches.
1578
Takayama Ukon Submits to Oda Nobunaga
Principal partyWhen Araki Murashige defected from Oda Nobunaga, Takayama came under attack from the Oda forces but surrendered and was pardoned, retaining his position as lord of Takatsuki Castle.
1582
7/2
Battle of Yamazaki
Vanguard of the Hideyoshi sideEleven days after the Honnoji Incident, Hashiba Hideyoshi returned from Bitchu and defeated Akechi Mitsuhide at Yamazaki. Mitsuhide’s regime collapsed after little more than ten days, and Hideyoshi rose above his peers in the Oda house.
1585
Takayama Ukon Transferred to Akashi, Harima
Principal partyUnder Toyotomi Hideyoshi's settlement of Settsu, Takayama was transferred from Takatsuki to Akashi in Harima and undertook construction of Funage Castle and development of the castle town.
1587
Month 6
Takayama Ukon Stripped of Domain and Title
Principal partyDue to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's edict banishing Westerners (Bateren), Takayama Ukon, who refused to abandon his Christian faith, lost his domain in Akashi and his status as daimyo.
1588
Autumn
Takayama Ukon Moves to Kanazawa
Principal partyAfter being stripped of his domain by the Bateren edict, Takayama moved to Kanazawa at the invitation of Maeda Toshiie, where he served as a guest general of the Maeda clan, utilizing his castle-building expertise.
1614
1/17
Takayama Ukon Exiled from Japan
Principal partyDue to Tokugawa Ieyasu's anti-Christian policy, Takayama Ukon was exiled from Japan and left Kanazawa. He subsequently died in Manila.
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