Kira Chikazane


Chikazane was a son of Kira Chikasada and a nephew of Chosokabe Motochika. He was married to a cousin, the daughter of Chosokabe Motochika. He showed much promise from an early age but was hot-tempered and combative. In 1586 he protested the demands placed on him as part of the building of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Great Buddha (which called for lumber from Tosa). When Chosokabe Nobuchika was killed (1587), Motochika named his 4th son Chosokabe Morichika as his heir. Chikazane protested this decision and demanded that Kagawa Chikazane be chosen instead. He had by this time made enemies with Hisatake Chikanao, a leading Chosokabe retainer, and this most probably worked against him. Motochika responded to his vocal complaints by having him placed under confinement. Chikazane was then ordered to commit suicide.

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