Yoshitaka was the son of [[Kuroda Mototaka]], a samurai originally from [[Bizen province|Bizen]] who ended up in the service of the [[Odera clan|Odera]] of [[Harima province|Harima]]. The Odera were in fact nominally vassals of the [[Akamatsu clan|Akamatsu]], whose power by [[1570]] had ebbed to such an extent that [[Akamatsu Yoshisuke]] was essentially living under the protection of the Odera at Himeji. | Yoshitaka was the son of [[Kuroda Mototaka]], a samurai originally from [[Bizen province|Bizen]] who ended up in the service of the [[Odera clan|Odera]] of [[Harima province|Harima]]. The Odera were in fact nominally vassals of the [[Akamatsu clan|Akamatsu]], whose power by [[1570]] had ebbed to such an extent that [[Akamatsu Yoshisuke]] was essentially living under the protection of the Odera at Himeji. |