Takagi Taneyoshi (高城胤吉)
Taneyoshi TAKAGI (1484 or 1501? - March 24, 1565) was a vassal of the Chiba clan during the (Japanese) Warring States period. He was the lord of Kogane-jo Castle in Shimosa Province (currently Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture). His father was believed to be Tanetada TAKAGI. His wife was a daughter of Katsutane Chiba, who was the 23rd head of the Chiba clan.
There are different theories about his identity, but it is generally believed that he was the senior retainer for a Hara clan branch family member that served the Chiba clan as their chief retainer. Supposedly, he built Nekiuchi-jo Castle in the Kogane region when he was 25 years old.
In 1517, when the Hara clan lost Oyumi-jo Castle as a result of losing a battle against Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, Taneyoshi relocated himself to Koganekurigasawa-jo Castle, which was under the Hara clan's power, to provide Tanekiyo HARA with formal protection. It is believed that he was originally the Daikan (local governor) for the Hara clan, but he later used the Kogane region as his own base and built Otanikuchi-jo Castle (as known as Kogane-jo Castle). He then won the trust of Masatane Chiba and accepted Chiba's younger sister as his legal wife, strengthened the relationship with Muneie Chiba and the Gohojo clan, fought against Yoshiaki and the Satomi clan, and took the Hojo side and contributed to their victory in both of the two battles of Konodai.
As a result, he had the eastern part of the Katsushika district under his control, and in 1548, he issued a deed to 'prohibit Shugo (governors) to enter (his) territory' to Nakayama Hokekyo-ji Temple to strengthen his foundation as the local feudal lord. The fact that the black-inked impressions (used in official documents) of the seals used by generations of the head of the Takagi clan included the name 'Taneyoshi' has supported the historical fact that it was he who built the foundation for the Takagi clan to grow. Meanwhile, he also served the Hojo clan and was given a territory in the Kozono District in Sagami Province (currently Atsugi City in Kanagawa Prefecture) by Ujiyasu HOJO, and the order of this granting of the territory was issued through Tsunekage TOYAMA who was the castellan of Edo-jo Castle.
His children were Tanetoki TAKAGI who took over the Takagi clan and Ryogaku SHOYO who became the seventeenth head of Zojo-ji Temple.