Hatakeyama Takamasa (畠山高政)
Takamasa HATAKEYAMA was a Shugo Daimyo (provincial military governor) and Sengoku Daimyo (warlord) of Kawachi and Kii provinces during the Sengoku Period. He was head of the Hatakeyama Bishu family (Masanaga HATAKEYAMA's branch).
Biography
Takamasa was born in 1527 as the eldest legitimate son and heir of Masakuni HATAKEYAMA.
Takamasa was a name given to him by Shogun Yoshizumi ASHIKAGA (Yoshitaka at the time). Takamasa was appointed as Shugo (military governor) of Kii and Kawachi provinces.
In 1546 Takamasa was victorious against Masanaga MIYOSHI in the Battle of Shari-ji temple (Settsu Province) thanks to reinforcements from his father. However, in 1548, he was defeated in a counter offensive by Nagayoshi MIYOSHI and had to conclude a peace arrangement. Takamasa became head of his family following his father's death in 1550.
Following the assassination of Kawachi Province acting governor Naganori YUSA in 1551, Munefusa YASUMI became acting governor. Subsequently, for a period of time he was subservient to Nagayoshi MIYOSHI who held a grasp on the hegemony over the Kinai region (provinces surrounding Kyoto and Nara) however, confrontation again erupted in 1553 and Takamasa having lost, decamped to Kii Province.
He returned to Kawachi Province, where he formed an alliance with Yoshikata ROKKAKU and continued his feud with the Miyoshi clan however, on Nov 30, 1558 he was banished from the castle of Takaya KAWACHI and escaped to Sakai City following a falling-out with Shugodai (deputy military governor) Munefusa YASUMI. It was there that Nagayoshi MIYOSHI and Takamasa reconciled and on Aug 2, 1559 with the backing of the Miyoshi Clan he evicted Yasumi and returned to Kawachi-jo Castle.
However, in 1560, Takamasa restored Yasumi to the position of Shugodai (deputy military governor) and once again antagonized Nagayoshi. For that reason, on Nov 13 that year, Miyoshi's army laid siege to and took Kawachi-jo Castle, whereupon Takamasa and Yasumi were both once again banished.
In 1561 Haruno HOSOKAWA (Harumoto HOSOKAWA`s second son), Yoshikata ROKKAKU advanced together on Kyoto and succeeded in temporarily banishing Nagayoshi MIYOSHI from Kyoto.
At the battle of Kumeda on Mar 5, 1562, Nagayoshi`s younger brother Yoshikata MIYOSHI was killed (a major military result) and Takaya-jo castle was retaken. However, they lost their hold on Kawachi and retreated to Kii Province following their loss at the Battle of Kyoko-ji Temple on May 20th.
Following Nagayoshi`s death in May 1566, Takamasa reconciled with his heir, Yoshitsugu MIYOSHI and returned to Takaya-jo Castle. With the defeat of Yoshiteru ASHIKAGA, he assisted Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA (Yoshiteru`s true younger brother) and supported his attempt to become Shogun.
In 1568 returning to the capital, Takamasa secured, by order of either Yoshiaki or ODA Nobunaga, the return of his old domain that had been seized by the Miyoshi clan, and worked to bring prosperity to the Hatakeyama clan. However, he was exiled from Kawachi in 1569, due to the scheming of Nobuyori YUSA, a chief retainer who plotted to use the family as a puppethead.
In 1573, Takamasa`s younger brother Akitaka HATAKEYAMA was killed by Nobuyori, whereupon Takamasa raised an army and marced on Kawachi Province, but he was defeated and was forced to retreat back to Kii Province.
In 1575 Takaya Castle was completely destroyed at the order of Nobunaga,
Subsequently, Takamasa wandered about Kawachi and Kii Provinces and died in despair on Oct 15, 1576 (age 50). He is said to have converted to Christianity in his latter years.