Kyogoku Tatsuko (京極竜子)
Tatsuko KYOGOKU (date of birth unknown - October 22, 1634) was a woman who lived during the Sengoku period (period of warring states) (Japan) and early Edo period. She was Motoaki TAKEDA's principal wife, but later became one of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI's concubines and was called Lady Matsu no maru, Lady Kyogoku, or Lady Nishi no maru.
Her father was Takayoshi KYOGOKU and his mother, Maria KYOGOKU, was a daughter of Hisamasa AZAI. Takatsugu KYOGOKU was her elder brother (some argue that he was her younger brother). Nagamasa AZAI was her uncle and Lady Yodo (or Chacha, Hideyoshi's concubine), Jokoin (Takatsugu KYOGOKU's principal wife), and Oeyo (Hidetada TOKUGAWA's principal wife) were her cousins.
Being a descendant of the Kyogoku clan, which is the main lineage of the Azai clan, she had a more prestigious background in terms of ancestry than Lady Yodo, who was also Hideyoshi's concubine.
Tatsuko first married Motoaki TAKEDA, the Shugo (Military Governor) of Wakasa Province, and gave birth to two sons. However, her brother Takatsugu and her husband Motoaki joined the army of Mitsuhide AKECHI after Nobunaga ODA was killed in the Honnoji Incident, and Motoaki was killed by Hideyoshi's army. Tatsuko was captured and was made Hideyoshi's concubine. She was escorted by Hideyoshi in person to Odawara-jo Castle and Nagoya-jo Castle and was allowed to use the third best palanquin during the cherry blossom viewing party at Daigo, and these facts indicate that she was one of Hideyoshi's favorite concubines. Her portraits suggest that she was a very attractive woman.
After Hideyoshi's death, Tatsuko took refuge at Otsu-jo Castle, where her brother, Takatsugu, lived. She became a nun after the Battle of Sekigahara and lived in Nishinotoin. Even after becoming a Buddhist nun, she often sent presents to Osaka-jo Castle and visited the castle to see Hideyori TOYOTOMI (according to "Jishoin Monjo"). According to "Shunkyuki," even after Hideyoshi's death, she continued to have friendly relationships with Kodaiin and Lady Yodo as a member of the Toyotomi family.
After the Siege of Osaka, Tatsuko offered refuge to Lady Yodo's maid, Kiku, and took charge of the body of Hideyori's son, Kunimatsu TOYOTOMI, who was executed at Rokujo-gawara, in order to bury it in Seigan-ji Temple. She died on October 22, 1634. Her posthumous Buddhist name was Juhoin dono Gekko Morihisa (寿芳院殿月晃盛久).
Takatsugu KYOGOKU is presumed to have owed a great deal to his sister Tatsuko and his primary wife Hatsu for his successful career.