Moritaka was a son of Nikaidô Moriyoshi, the lord of Sukagawa Castle, and 18th lord of the Ashina in Mutsu. He sent as a hostage to the Ashina clan, but was later adopted to succeed Ashina Moriuji in 1575, after his eldest son had died of illness. He was a skilled warrior, however vassals of the Nikaido clan and others started a rebellion, and he was assassinated by one of his own retainers (Ôba Sanzaemon). His son had died at the age of 2 and so Moritaka was succeeded by Morishige, a son of Satake Yoshishige.
References
- Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005