Kujo Kanetaka (九条兼孝)

Kanetaka KUJO (January 4, 1554 - February 23, 1636) was a kanpaku in the era from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period. He was the seventeenth head of the Kujo family. His father was Haruyoshi NIJO. His mother was Princess Ishi, a daughter of Imperial Prince Fushiminomiya Sadaatsu. Akizane NIJO, Nobufusa TAKATSUKASA, and Gien were his brothers. He was adopted by Tanemichi KUJO. Kishi TAKAKURA at Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) (a daughter of Nagaie TAKAKURA) was his wife. Yukiie KUJO, Zoko (the head priest of To-ji temple) and a wife of Imperial Prince Hachijonomiya Toshihito were his children. Later, he called himself Gatsurin.

In 1560, he was awarded Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) at the age of eight. After that, he became kanpaku and Toshi choja (head of the Fujiwara clan) in 1578 after assuming Sadaijin (minister of the left), but he resigned the post in 1581. In 1582, he was promoted to Juichii (Junior First Rank), and in 1598, the rank of Jusangu (honorary rank next to the three Empresses: Great Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager, and Empress). In 1600, he was appointed to kanpaku again. In 1604, he resigned the post, became a priest and called himself Ensho as a priest. He died on February 23, 1636, at the age of 84.

[Original Japanese]