Ashina Moritaka

Ashina Moritaka (蘆名 盛隆, 1561 – November 8, 1584) was a Japanese samurai and lord of Kurokawa Castle (Aizu Castle) in the early Sengoku period. He was the lord of the Ashina (Sawara) family.[1] He is also known as Heitarō (平太郎).[1]

Moritaka was born as Nikaido Heishiro, the son of Nikaidō Moriyoshi (二階堂 盛義) and Onamihime.[1] He was adopted by Ashina Morioki to continue the family line, and as per that arrangement, married Morioki's daughter and had a son, Kiōmaru. After Moritaka's succession, he, became very unpopular among his retainers. This led to his assassination at the hands of Ōba Sanzaemon (大庭 三左衛門) in Kurokawa Castle.[1] Ashina Yoshihiro would become Moritaka's successor because his own son, Kiōmaru, had died at the age of 2.