Changes

Yoshitaka became a close associate of Hideyoshi, who considered him as close to his heart as his half-brother, Hidenaga. Yoshitaka proved himself worthy of Hideyoshi’s friendship in the campaigns on Shikoku ([[1585]]) and Kyushu ([[1587]]), after which he was rewarded for his services with a 120,000-koku fief in [[Buzen province|Buzen]]. In the [[Second Korean Campaign]] Hideyoshi entrusted Yoshitaka to act as chief advisor to the leader of the invasion force, the young [[Kobayakawa Hideaki]].  

Yoshitaka became a close associate of Hideyoshi, who considered him as close to his heart as his half-brother, Hidenaga. Yoshitaka proved himself worthy of Hideyoshi’s friendship in the campaigns on Shikoku ([[1585]]) and Kyushu ([[1587]]), after which he was rewarded for his services with a 120,000-koku fief in [[Buzen province|Buzen]]. In the [[Second Korean Campaign]] Hideyoshi entrusted Yoshitaka to act as chief advisor to the leader of the invasion force, the young [[Kobayakawa Hideaki]].  

Following Hideyoshi’s death in [[1598]], Yoshitaka drifted into [[Tokugawa Ieyasu|Tokugawa Ieyasu’s]] camp due in large measure to a dislike of the alternative – [[Ishida Mitsunari]]. In the [[Korean Campaign]] of [[1597]]-[[1598|98]], progress had been marginal, prompting Hideyoshi to dispatch Ishida Mitsunari to inspect the expeditionary forces. Ishida had accused Kobayakawa Hideaki of incompetence, a charge that saw Hideaki brought home and indirectly besmirched Yoshitaka’s honor. In addition, Mitsunari had dropped a few disparaging comments about both Yoshitaka and his son Nagamasa. In [[1600]], therefore, the Kuroda threw in their lot with Tokugawa; Nagamasa went to serve in Ieyasu’s army while Yoshitaka scrounged together a force to fight on Kyushu. Yoshitaka managed to link hands with [[Kato Kiyomasa]] (who held considerable land in [[Higo province|Higo]]) and together the two of them brought down a number of castles affiliated with the ‘western’ forces in Bungo and Chikuzen. They were preparing to invade the Shimazu’s lands when the war came to an end.  

Following Hideyoshi’s death in [[1598]], Yoshitaka drifted into [[Tokugawa Ieyasu|Tokugawa Ieyasu’s]] camp due in large measure to a dislike of the alternative – [[Ishida Mitsunari]]. In the [[Korean Invasions|Korean Campaign]] of [[1597]]-[[1598|98]], progress had been marginal, prompting Hideyoshi to dispatch Ishida Mitsunari to inspect the expeditionary forces. Ishida had accused Kobayakawa Hideaki of incompetence, a charge that saw Hideaki brought home and indirectly besmirched Yoshitaka’s honor. In addition, Mitsunari had dropped a few disparaging comments about both Yoshitaka and his son Nagamasa. In [[1600]], therefore, the Kuroda threw in their lot with Tokugawa; Nagamasa went to serve in Ieyasu’s army while Yoshitaka scrounged together a force to fight on Kyushu. Yoshitaka managed to link hands with [[Kato Kiyomasa]] (who held considerable land in [[Higo province|Higo]]) and together the two of them brought down a number of castles affiliated with the ‘western’ forces in Bungo and Chikuzen. They were preparing to invade the Shimazu’s lands when the war came to an end.  

After [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]] Yoshitaka essentially retired, though he used his political influence afterwards to arrange for the life of [[Otomo Yoshimune]] to be spared, and helped the Shimazu keep their domain.

After [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]] Yoshitaka essentially retired, though he used his political influence afterwards to arrange for the life of [[Otomo Yoshimune]] to be spared, and helped the Shimazu keep their domain.