Kuki Takasue (九鬼隆季)
Takasue KUKI (1608 - Jul.18, 1678) was the first lord of Ayabe Domain in Tanba Province.
He was the third son of Moritaka KUKI, who was the lord of Toba domain of the Province of Shima. He was also a grandson of Yoshitaka KUKI, who was famous for serving Nobunaga ODA as a commander of his Suigun (warriors battle in the sea). His lawful wife was a daughter of Katsushige HIJIKATA. His second wife was a daughter of Masanari INOUE. He had a son, Takatsune KUKI (the eldest child), and two daughters (one was later to become a lawful wife of Moriteru SAEGUSA and the other was later to become a lawful wife of Suehisa AKITA). His official court rank was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade). His duty was Shikibu shoyu (Junior Assistant of the Ministry of Ceremonial).
After his father's death, he disputed with his brother, Hisataka KUKI, over the succession of the Toba Domain in the Shima Province. As a result, he was transferred to Ayabe in the Tanba Province where he founded the Ayabe Domain. On February 18, 1643, he was appointed as Shikibu shoyu. On April 27, 1661, he apportioned his fief yielding 500 koku (a unit of volume: rice 1-koku is 180.39 liter) to his younger brother, Takashige KUKI. As a result, the fief yielding 19,500 koku was left to him. In his administration of the domain, he devoted himself to such things as building the castle town.
On December 13, 1674, he retired, entrusting the family estate to his son, Takatsune. On July 18, 1678, he died at the age of 71. His hogo (a Buddhist name) was Kuzan Yohon Taikyokuin.