Hosokawa Takakuni

Hosokawa Takakuni (細川 高国, 1484 – July 17, 1531) was the most powerful military commander in the Muromachi period under Ashikaga Yoshiharu, the twelfth shogun. His father was Hosokawa Masaharu, who was the branch of the Hosokawa clan.

In 1507, Hosokawa Masamoto was killed by the foster son, Hosokawa Sumiyuki who was cut off by Masamoto. Takakuni supported Hosokawa Sumimoto and got the credit for putting down Sumiyuki. Because of that, he came to participate in the Muromachi shogunate in depth.

In 1508, when Ōuchi Yoshioki marched his armies into Kyoto having Ashikaga Yoshiki (Ashikaga Yoshitane) who was the former shogun and had escaped to Suo Province as his boss, Takakuni conspired with them and purged the shogun, Ashikaga Yoshizumi and Sumimoto to Ōmi Province.

Takakuni and Yoshioki took hold of the Muromachi shogunate. Takakuni took over as head of the Hosokawa clan and took up the post of Kanrei. In addition, he also held the post of Shugo of Settsu Province, Tamba Province, Sanuki Province and Tosa Province. In 1518, he monopolized powers of the shogunate after Yoshioki went back to his domain. In 1521, Yoshiki hated to be a puppet shogun, and escaped to Awa Province (Tokushima). Takakuni made Ashikaga Yoshiharu who was the son of Yoshizumi take up the post of shogun.

Takakuni took Yanagimoto Kenji, the younger brother of Kanishi Motomori, chief vassal of the Hosokawa clan, as his wakashu and the two swore eternal love to each other. Kenji, even after reaching adulthood, remained a favorite vassal. However, as a result of a calumny by his own cousin, Takakuni felt obliged to have Motomori killed. Though initially appeased by his lord, Yanagimoto shortly joined with another brother against the cousin to avenge Motomori's death. ("The Love of the Samurai: A Thousand Years of Japanese Homosexuality" by Tsuneo Watanabe and Jun'ichi Iwata; p. 51)

In 1527, he was purged from Kyoto by Miyoshi Motonaga and Hosokawa Harumoto. In 1531, hiding in a store room for alcoholic beverages at Amagasaki, Settsu Province, he was detected and committed suicide.