Kuki Takatsune (九鬼隆常)
Takatsune KUKI (1646 - May 10, 1698) was the second lord of Ayabe Domain in Tanba Province.
He was the eldest son of Takasue KUKI, who was the first lord of the domain. His lawful wife was a daughter of Kadokatsu ISHIKAWA. His second wives were a daughter of Masakage HOSHINA and an adopted daughter of Tomishige MAKINO (a daughter of Masaaki TATEBE). He had a son, Takayuki KUKI (first son) and a daughter (a lawful wife of Nagatsuna KUTSUKI). His official court rank was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) and his duty was Osumi no kuni no kami (Governor of Osumi Province).
On December 13, 1674, he succeeded his father upon his retirement. Even after a flood disaster which had occurred in that year, a deluge and two conflagrations broke out in 1680. Due to these and other natural disasters, his reign was full of difficulties. On May 10, 1698, he died at Chiryu-juku in Mikawa Province (present-day Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture) on his way to go up to Edo for an alternate-year attendance called Sankinkotai (a system under which feudal lords in the Edo period were required to spend every other year in residence in Edo). He died at the age of 53. He was succeeded by Takanao KUKI, who was his adopted heir. His hogo (a Buddhist name) was Jingakuryoken Kentokuin.