Born at Himeji in Harima (Hyōgo), a son of Kuroda Mototaka, a retainer of the Kodera family.
Around this time he succeeded his father in charge of Himeji castle and married Teru. He reportedly took no concubines and kept her as his only wife for life.
Judging the balance of power, he urged his lord Kodera to side with Oda Nobunaga. He met Nobunaga and went on to assist Hideyoshi's campaign in the Chūgoku region.
He handed Himeji castle to Hashiba Hideyoshi as a base for the Chūgoku campaign, and sent his son Shōjumaru (later Nagamasa) to Nobunaga as a hostage.
He went to Arioka castle to persuade the rebel Araki Murashige but was seized and jailed for about a year, leaving him lame. Nobunaga, suspecting betrayal, ordered Shōjumaru killed, but Takenaka Hanbei hid and saved the boy.
He assisted Hideyoshi's flooding siege of Takamatsu castle in Bitchū. When news of the Honnō-ji Incident came, he reportedly urged Hideyoshi to make peace with the Mōri at once and race back to Kyoto.
Around this time he was baptized, taking the name Simeão, reportedly influenced by Takayama Ukon and others.
After distinguished service in the Kyushu campaign, he was granted lands in Buzen (Fukuoka-Ōita) and built Nakatsu castle.
He passed headship to his son Nagamasa, took the tonsure and the name Josui, yet continued to advise Hideyoshi.
During the Odawara campaign he is said to have helped persuade the Hōjō to surrender their castle.
At the time of Sekigahara he raised troops in Kyushu, fought Western Army lords and defeated the Ōtomo at Ishigakibaru, while Nagamasa fought for the Eastern Army at Sekigahara.
He died of illness at Fushimi in Kyoto (place debated). Nagamasa became lord of Chikuzen (Fukuoka), and the Kuroda continued as rulers of the Fukuoka domain.
Oda NobunagaTakayama UkonHachisuka MasakatsuKuroda Nagamasa
Kanō EitokuFuruta OribeTakenaka Shigeharu (Hanbei)Azai NagamasaTakeda KatsuyoriMogami YoshiakiOichiSanada Masayuki
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.