When Nagataka SAGARA's younger brother, Nagamasa was attacked by Nagasada SAGARA in 1524 and Nagamasa killed himself the next year, Nagataka gathered up monk soldiers and, with them, beat down Nagasada in 1526, after which he returned to the secular life naming himself Taro-Nagataka and tried to succeed to the headship of the Sagara family, however, the whole Sagara family and their vassal groups would not obey Nagataka who had been a priest, and Nagataka could not formally succeed to the headship of the family, thus he ran away from Hitoyoshi-jo Castle, and went to Nagasato-jo Castle.
1524年、弟の長祗が相良長定に攻められて翌年に自殺すると、1526年に僧兵をかき集めて長定を破り、還俗して太郎長隆と名乗って相良氏の家督を継ごうとしたが、僧上がりの長隆に対して相良一族や家臣団は従おうとせず、長隆は正式に家督を継ぐこともできず、人吉城から逃亡し、永里城に入った。