Mōri Motonari
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was a prominent ''
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...
'' (feudal lord) in the western
Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...
of
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
during the
Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...
of the 16th century. The
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to
Minamoto no Yoritomo was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, ruling from 1192 until 1199, also the first ruling shogun in the history of Japan.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Minamoto no Yoriie" in . He was the husband of Hōjō Masako ...
. Motonari was called the "Beggar Prince". He was known as a great strategist who began as a small local warlord (''
jizamurai The were lower-ranking provincial samurai that emerged in 15th-century Japan Muromachi period. The definition was rather broad and the term ''jizamurai'' included landholding military aristocracy as well as independent peasant farmers. They alt ...
'') of
Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...
and extended his clan's power to nearly all of the
Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...
through war, marriage, adoption and assassination. Sandwiched between the powerful Amago and
Ōuchi clan was one of the most powerful and important families in Western Japan during the reign of the Ashikaga shogunate in the 14th to 16th centuries. Their domains, ruled from the castle town of Yamaguchi in the western tip of Honshu island, compris ...
s, Motonari led his clan by carefully balancing actions and diplomacy. Eventually, Motonari succeeded in defeating both and controlled the entire
Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...
. In his later years, he crushed the
Ōtomo clan The was a Japanese samurai family whose power stretched from the Kamakura period through the Sengoku period, spanning over 400 years. The clan's hereditary lands lay in Kyūshū. Origins The first family head, Ōtomo Yoshinao (1172–1223), ...
of
Bungo Province was a province of Japan in the area of eastern Kyūshū, corresponding to most of modern Ōita Prefecture, except what is now the cities of Nakatsu and Usa. Bungo bordered on Hyūga to the south, Higo and Chikugo to the west, and Chikuze ...
in
Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...
. Motonari ruled from
Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle was a Japanese castle located in Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture. It was also called from its location in former Aki Province. Its ruins have been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1940. History Yoshida- ...
, the clan's main bastion since the early 14th century. His descendants became lords of the
Chōshū Domain The , also known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871.Deal, William E. (2005) ''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan,'' p. 81 The Chōshū Domain was based ...
.


Early life

Mōri Motonari was born on April 16, 1497, under the childhood name Shōjumaru (松寿丸) in a small domain of
Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...
. He was the second son of his father, Mōri Hiromoto. His mother was a daughter of
Fukubara Hirotoshi was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Mōri clan. He was the eighth head of the Fukubara clan, the daughter of Hirotoshi, married Mōri Hiromoto from Mōri clan and gave birth to Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''d ...
(福原広俊), but her name is unknown. His birthplace is said to be Suzuo Castle (鈴尾城), the base of the Fukubara clan and his mother's home. Today, there are stone monuments at the ruins of Suzuo Castle to commemorate the birthplace of Motonari at the castle. In 1500, his father was involved in a power dispute with the Ashikaga shogunate and the
Ōuchi clan was one of the most powerful and important families in Western Japan during the reign of the Ashikaga shogunate in the 14th to 16th centuries. Their domains, ruled from the castle town of Yamaguchi in the western tip of Honshu island, compris ...
and decided to retire. He handed over the head position of the clan to his eldest son, Mōri Okimoto and moved to
Tajihi-Sarugake Castle was a Japanese castle located in Akitakata, Hiroshima, Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture. Its ruins have been protected by the central government as a Historic Sites of Japan, National Historic Site together with Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle since 19 ...
(多治比猿掛城) with his son Shōjumaru. Okimoto then took over
Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle was a Japanese castle located in Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture. It was also called from its location in former Aki Province. Its ruins have been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1940. History Yoshida- ...
, the main stronghold of the clan. History remembers the young Mōri Shōjumaru as a fearless daredevil. It is said he escaped by night with some other children from his father's castle and met lord
Amago Tsunehisa was a powerful warlord who gained the hegemony in Chūgoku region, Japan starting as a vassal of the Rokkaku clan. He ruled the domains of Aki. Tsunehisa was the eldest son of Amago Kiyosada">Bizen Province">Bizen, Bitchū Province">Bitchū, B ...
and his troops. Shōjumaru thought they were the ghosts of the Heike clan
samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
, and so tried to become famous with a ghost hunt, a practice favored for the education of the youth of '' buke'' families. And so, Shōjumaru came openly to challenge the mounted warrior who looked to him like the general of the troops. It was Tsunehisa. The other children were trembling in fear, but not Shōjumaru. The young lord shot an arrow at the veteran lord. Tsunehisa swiftly caught it with his bare hand. Impressed by the bravery of his young opponent, Tsunehisa spared the boys, looking forward to battle against an adult Motonari. The following year in 1501 his mother died and in 1506 his father died due to
alcohol poisoning Alcohol intoxication, commonly described in higher doses as drunkenness or inebriation, and known in overdose as alcohol poisoning, is the behavior and physical effects caused by recent consumption of alcohol. The technical term ''intoxication ...
. Shōjumaru stayed at Tajihi-Sarugake Castle but his vassal Inoue Motomori (井上元盛) began embezzling land and was turned out of the castle. Because he was now both impoverished and from a powerful family he was called the "Beggar Prince" (乞食若殿) by the common people. The young Shōjumaru was raised by a foster mother Sugi no Ōkata (杉大方), who was a great influence on him; they grew very close. She got him in the habit facing the sun and saying a Buddhist prayer every morning. In 1511, Shōjumaru officially became an adult and had his ''
genpuku is a public holiday in Japan held annually on the second Monday of January under the Happy Monday System. It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have already reached the age of maturity between April 2 of the previou ...
'' ceremony. He received the name Mōri Motonari (毛利元就). In 1516, his brother Okimoto died suddenly like their father due to alcohol poisoning. Okimoto's infant son, Kōmatsumaru (幸松丸) succeeded as head of the clan and Motonari became his regent. After the sudden deaths of his father and brother the Mōri clan was left weak and vulnerable. The most powerful lord of the region, Takeda Motoshige (武田元繁) of Satoukanayama Castle (佐東銀山城), took advantage of the situation and gathered an army of 5,000 and in October, 1517 advanced into the territory of the Mōri's
Kikkawa clan The was a prominent samurai clan of Japan's Sengoku period. The most famous member of the clan is likely Kikkawa Motoharu (1530-1586), one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's generals, who was adopted into the family. Along with the Kobayakawa clan, the ...
allies surrounding Arita Castle (有田城). A few weeks later, Motoshige dispatched a raid into the Mōri clan's territory and set fire to houses in Tajihi (多治比). Motonari went in place of his nephew Kōmatsumaru to relieve Arita Castle from the advancing Takeda forces. This was Motonari's first battle that would decide the fate of the Mōri clan and would become known as the Battle of Arita-Nakaide.


Battle of Arita-Nakaide

With most of the Ōuchi clan forces preoccupied in Kyoto with
Ōuchi Yoshioki became a ''sengoku daimyō'' of Suō Province and served as the 15th head of the Ōuchi clan. Yoshioki was born early in the Sengoku period, the son of Ōuchi Masahiro, ''shugo'' of Suō Province and the 14th head of the Ōuchi clan. The firs ...
, the Mōri were unable to call on them for assistance, and Motonari instead mobilized his clan and called on their supporters. Motonari was also aided by his younger brother, Aiō Mototsuna. In total the Mōri strength comprised around 850 men, reinforced by 300 from the Kikkawa clan, for a total of around 1,000. This force marched towards Arita Castle and on the way encountered the Takeda vanguard, commanded by Kumagai Motonao (熊谷元直), commanding about 500 men. The Mōri and their allies stood off and engaged the Takeda with archery fire. Kumagai Motonao was in the front ranks and was encouraging his men when he was struck and killed by an arrow. Takeda Motoshige was meanwhile with the main army at Arita Castle. Learning of Motonao's demise, he drew up his forces and marched to engage the smaller Mōri resistance. The Takeda encountered the Mōri and Kikkawa occupying the opposite bank of the Uchikawa River (又打川) and a bitter struggle ensued. Heavily outnumbered, the Mōri-led forces began to falter and fall back, rallying only when Motonari pleaded with them to stand their ground. Takeda Motoshige himself advanced across the river on horseback but was struck by an arrow and killed. The Takeda broke and retreated, leaving Mōri Motonari the victor. The battle was the start of the decline of the Aki-Takeda clan and the start of the military expansion of the Mōri. Mōri Motonari's name finally became known in the country.


Service under Amago clan

In 1518 Amago Tsunehisa made a series of raids into the Ōuchi clan's lands, falling back with the return of
Ōuchi Yoshioki became a ''sengoku daimyō'' of Suō Province and served as the 15th head of the Ōuchi clan. Yoshioki was born early in the Sengoku period, the son of Ōuchi Masahiro, ''shugo'' of Suō Province and the 14th head of the Ōuchi clan. The firs ...
from
Kyōto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it the ninth-most pop ...
. In 1521 a formal peace treaty was signed between the two clans but it lasted but one year. Also sometime around 1522, Motonari married the daughter of Kikkawa Kunitsune (吉川国経) the lord of Ogurayama Castle; this match would not only secure the friendship of the Kikkawa clan but would in time produce three fine sons. This was an important alliance as the Kikkawa were powerful in Aki Province and their land lay directly to the north of Yoshida, the Mōri heartland on the border with
Iwami Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iwami bordered Aki, Bingo, Izumo, Nagato, and Suō provinces. In the Heian period (794–1192) the capital was at moder ...
. Motonari had thus already extended his influence north in the direction of the silver-rich
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
and south towards the
Inland Sea An inland sea (also known as an epeiric sea or an epicontinental sea) is a continental body of water which is very large in area and is either completely surrounded by dry land (landlocked), or connected to an ocean by a river, strait or " arm of ...
. In 1522, Tsunehisa marched into Aki Province, forcing Motonari, whose lands sat directly in the Amago's path, to submit. Motonari was immediately dispatched against Kagamiyama Castle (鏡山城) while Tsunehisa himself struck at Kanayama Castle (金山城). Tsunehisa made no progress against Kanayama and retreated, but Motonari was eventually successful at the Battle of Kagamiyama Castle (鏡山城の戦) in 1523. Motonari had problems taking the castle because the lord of Kagamiyama Castle, Kurata Fusanobu (蔵田房信), put up a strong fight, so Motonari persuaded his uncle Kurata Naonobu (蔵田直信) to betray the castle. After the battle Motonari tried to save Naonobu but Amago Tsunehisa executed him for his shameful and disloyal act. It may be that Tsunehisa became aware of Motonari's talent and wary of his expansion, for from then on a rift would grow between Tsunehisa and Motonari.


Early Rise


Leadership of the Mōri clan

In July 1523, Motonari's nephew Kōmatsumaru, the titular head of the clan, died suddenly at the age of nine. The senior Mōri vassals met and decided to offer the leadership to Motonari and on August 10 he entered Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle as its new lord. However, some among the senior vassals dissented from the decision and in 1524 any sense of security was broken when Mōri suffered the defection of his vassal Katsura Hirozumi (桂広澄), and was forced to defeat the traitor in open battle not far from Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle. Also in 1524, Motonari learned of a conspiracy led by a vassal, Sakagami Sosuke, to murder him and elevate his half-brother Aiō Mototsuna to the leadership. The rebellion was crushed at Funayama Castle in April.


Service under Ōuchi clan

Along with the family troubles concerning succession, Motonari and Amago Tsunehisa gradually grew hostile towards one another. In March, 1525 Motonari and several other local lords decided to change allegiance to Ōuchi Yoshioki. In June, Yoshioki sent his army to Kagamiyama Castle and took it from the Amago clan. Considering Kagamiyama's weak defenses on a low hill, Yoshioki built a new castle called Tsuchiyama Castle at the western edge of Saijo Basin on a high mountain and demolished Kagamiyama. In 1529 Yoshioki died and was succeeded by his son
Ōuchi Yoshitaka was the ''daimyō'' of Suō Province and the head of the Ōuchi clan, succeeding Ōuchi Yoshioki. In 1522, he fought the Amago clan along with his father, Yoshioki, to win the control of Aki Province. Upon Yoshioki's death in 1528, Yoshit ...
. Amago Tsunehisa began negotiating with Takahashi Okimitsu (高橋興光), a maternal relative of the late Mōri Kōmatsumaru who had earlier schemed to place Motonari's brother, Aiō Mototsuna, as head of the Mōri clan. Motonari acted quickly and crushed the Takahashi clan, taking their vast territory from Aki Province to Iwami Province. He paid a high price for the conquest, however, because Motonari's eldest daughter had been a political hostage of the Takahashi clan and was murdered by them in revenge. A rebellion broke out against the Ōuchi clan in 1532; in response, thirty-two vassals presented Motonari with an oath in which they sought a guarantee that he would not require them to give up their status as small-scale lords, in return for which they promised to jointly undertake the repair of walls and irrigation ditches and the disciplining of traitorous vassals. On September 25, 1533, Motonari was granted the imperial court rank of the Junior Fifth, Lower Grade in remembrance of his ancestor Ōe no Hiromoto's title.
Ōuchi Yoshitaka was the ''daimyō'' of Suō Province and the head of the Ōuchi clan, succeeding Ōuchi Yoshioki. In 1522, he fought the Amago clan along with his father, Yoshioki, to win the control of Aki Province. Upon Yoshioki's death in 1528, Yoshit ...
approved of this and paid the stipend for the position. Although this place at court had become only a sinecure, Motonari nevertheless demonstrated to the other lords in Aki Province that he had the backing of both the imperial court and the Ōuchi clan.


Consolidation of Mōri's holdings

In 1534, Motonari began consolidating the Mōri's holdings in Aki, gathering local allies, chief among these being the Shishido, Kumagai, and Amano. He also married one of his daughters to Shishido Takaie (宍戸隆家). In 1535, Tagayama Castle (多賀山城) surrendered to Motonari. Over the next twelve months Motonari defeated the Miya and Tagayama clans. Motonari also made ties with his former enemies, the Aki-Takeda clan and Kumagai clan, creating a strong network of power. By the end of the decade the Ōuchi and Amago families began to see the Mōri with new respect and suspicion. The Amago clearly would not have any faith in Motonari as he had betrayed them and defeated their allies. The Ōuchi were also growing suspicious of the Mōri's growing power, so in 1537, Motonari's eldest son
Mōri Takamoto was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Aki Province during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the eldest legitimate son of Mōri Motonari. Biography Born in the Tajihi-Sarugake Castle in 1523. Takamoto was sent to Suō Province as a hostage of Ōuchi ...
was given as a political hostage to the Ōuchi clan to strengthen their relationship. He would stay until 1540. In 1539 Ōuchi Yoshitaka fought the
Ōtomo clan The was a Japanese samurai family whose power stretched from the Kamakura period through the Sengoku period, spanning over 400 years. The clan's hereditary lands lay in Kyūshū. Origins The first family head, Ōtomo Yoshinao (1172–1223), ...
and
Shōni clan was a family of Japanese nobles descended from the Fujiwara family, many of whom held high government offices in Kyūshū. Prior to the Kamakura period (1185–1333), "Shōni" was originally a title and post within the Kyūshū ( Dazaifu) gover ...
of northern
Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...
, defeating the Shōni clan to win control of the area. In the same year, Sato-Kanayama Castle (佐東銀山城) owned by the Takeda clan on the Amago side fell to the Ōuchi clan despite reinforcements from the Amago clan. The family head Takeda Nobuzane (武田信実) escaped to Wakasa (若狭) where the Takeda had a branch family and later took refuge with the Amago clan.


Siege of Koriyama

Amago Tsunehisa had nominally retired and turned over the leadership of the clan to his grandson, Haruhisa (also known as Akihisa). Amago Haruhisa conceived of a plan to destroy Mōri Motonari and bring Aki province under the sway of the Amago. When a council of the Amago retainers was called to discuss the planned campaign, almost all spoke in favor of the attack. Amago Hisayuki, however, considered the risks to be too great and spoke out against it, but was derided by Amago Tsunehisa as a coward and publicly humiliated. Amago Hisayuki was given the task of harrying the Mōri's ally, the Shishido clan in Aki, as part of an initial and concurrent operation of the larger Amago campaign into Aki. Amago Haruhisa, with 30,000 men, attacked Motonari's main base, Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle, which was defended by 8,000 men. The initial phase of the campaign began in June 1540. Amago Hisayuki, his son Amago Masahisa and his nephew Kunihisa led their troops to attack the domain of Motonari's ally, the Shishido clan. This foray had little effect except to deny Haruhisa of some of his most capable generals and soldiers for the attack on Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle. In August, Amago Haruhisa gathered a force of 30,000 and departed
Izumo Province was an Old provinces of Japan, old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku region. History During the early Kofun period (3rd century) this reg ...
, moving into the vicinity of Motonari's Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle and establishing a headquarters nearby. Meanwhile, Motonari had evacuated over 5,000 of Yoshida's citizens inside the walls of Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle, which was defended by around 3,000 soldiers. By this time urgent requests for aid had been dispatched to the Ōuchi in Suo Province. Two days after arriving, the Amago launched an attack on Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle, which continued for several months. The Ōuchi relief army, consisting of 10,000 men led by
Sue Takafusa was a samurai who served as a senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan in the Sengoku period in Japan. He was the second son of Sue Okifusa, a senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan. His childhood name was Goro, and he previously had the name Takafusa () ...
, finally departed
Suō Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of ancient Japan in the area that is today the eastern part of Yamaguchi Prefecture. Suō bordered on Aki Province, Aki, Iwami Province, Iwami, and Nagato Province, Nagato Provinces. Its abbreviated form na ...
in November, pausing on Miyajima to offer prayers for victory at the Itskushima Shrine before landing in Aki and marching towards Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle. They arrived outside Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle in December 1540, four months after the siege had begun. A series of skirmishes ensued between the opposing armies into the following month (January, 1541), which was largely to the detriment of the Amago. Motonari successfully defended his castle from an attack by Amago Haruhisa in the 1540–41
Siege of Koriyama The took place from 5 October 1540 (6th day of 9th month of Tenbun 9) until 8 February 1541 (13th day of 1st month of Tenbun 10) in Yoshida, Aki Province, Japan during the Sengoku period. Amago Haruhisa, with 30,000 men, attacked Kōriyama Ca ...
. In the meantime, the other Amago force under Amago Hisayuki that had been dispatched to threaten the Shishido arrived. Its headquarters on Tenjinyama (天神山) were attacked by the Mōri and Ōuchi. In the ensuing action Amago Hisayuki was killed by an arrow and the Amago suffered heavy losses. In the wake of this fight, the Amago retainers, noting the army's dwindling supplies and poor morale, elected to retreat. The Mōri and Ōuchi duly pursued but were hindered by snow. The same year (1540), they attacked the Amago retainer Takeda Nobuzane (武田信実) who had been hiding with the Amago clan at Sato-Ginzan Castle. Nobuzane fled to
Izumo Province was an Old provinces of Japan, old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku region. History During the early Kofun period (3rd century) this reg ...
and the Aki-Takeda clan was utterly annihilated. In addition, Motonari took over the Kawachi Keigoshu (川内警固衆), a pirate organization owned by the Aki-Takeda clan, which would become a large part of the Mōri navy later.


First Siege of Toda castle

From 1542 to 1543 Motonari followed Ōuchi Yoshitaka in the First Siege of Toda Castle. In this battle they penetrated deep into the Amago clan territory but their supply line was broken and Kikkawa Okitsune (吉川興経) betrayed them. Motonari surrounded Gassantoda Castle (富田城) but the Ōuchi troops retreated. During the retreat Motonari almost lost his life but his general Watanabe Hajime covered Motonari's escape with a heroic rearguard action. Motonari returned safely to Aki Province. As a result of the battle the power of the Ōuchi clan weakened.


Extended Mōri clan power

In 1544 Motonari gave his third son, Tokujumaru (徳寿丸), for adoption to the Numata branch of the
Kobayakawa clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Taira clan. Their holdings were in the Chūgoku region. They were a powerful clan during the Sengoku period but were disbanded during the Edo period after the Battle of Sekigahara. H ...
(沼田小早川氏) who were famous for their naval forces. Tokujumaru later became known as
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
. This same year Amago Haruhisa's expeditionary force attacked the
Miyoshi clan is a Japanese family descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and the Minamoto clan (Seiwa-Genji). They are a cadet branch of the Ogasawara clan and the Takeda clan. At the beginning of the 14th century AD, settled in Shikoku. His eighth ge ...
in
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
. Motonari dispatched generals Kodama Naritada and Fukubara Sadatoshi against Haruhisa but they were forced to retreat. Motonari lost his wife Myōkyū in 1545 and, crying, he did not emerge from his room for three days. Motonari then announced that he intended to enter retirement in 1546 and hand over the leadership of the Mōri to his son
Mōri Takamoto was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Aki Province during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the eldest legitimate son of Mōri Motonari. Biography Born in the Tajihi-Sarugake Castle in 1523. Takamoto was sent to Suō Province as a hostage of Ōuchi ...
. However, it was understood by all that Motonari was still the true head of the clan wielding all the power. In 1547 Motonari sent his second son, Shōnojirō (少輔次郎), to be adopted by the
Kikkawa clan The was a prominent samurai clan of Japan's Sengoku period. The most famous member of the clan is likely Kikkawa Motoharu (1530-1586), one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's generals, who was adopted into the family. Along with the Kobayakawa clan, the ...
which was his deceased wife Myōkyū's family. Shōnojirō would become known as Kikkawa Motoharu. The head of the clan, Kikkawa Okitsune (吉川興経), was a rival of Motonari who had allied himself with the Amago clan in the 1540s. Motonari responded by pressuring Okitsune to adopt his son Motoharu and in 1550 Okitsune was compelled to retire, later being killed on Motonari's orders by Kumagai Nobunao (熊谷信直). Kikkawa Tsuneyo (吉川経世), who was the uncle of Okitsune stayed on as a retainer of the Mōri. In 1550 Motoharu entered the Kikkawa clan's main castle as its lord. Motonari also intervened in the succession of the
Kobayakawa clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Taira clan. Their holdings were in the Chūgoku region. They were a powerful clan during the Sengoku period but were disbanded during the Edo period after the Battle of Sekigahara. H ...
. His son,
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
was already head of one branch of the clan, the Numata. The other branch, the Takehara, had lost their clan head Kobayakawa Masahira (小早川正平) at the Siege of Toda Castle and the new head of the clan, Kobayakawa Shigehira (小早川繁平) was young and blind from an eye illness. In 1550, with the backing of Motonari, Takakage also became head of the Takehara branch, merging the two branches of the clan. With this action the armed retainers of both branches became Motonari's to command. In 1549 Motonari went down to Yamaguchi with his sons Motoharu and Takakage. Ōuchi Yoshitaka's vassals Sagara Taketō and
Sue Takafusa was a samurai who served as a senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan in the Sengoku period in Japan. He was the second son of Sue Okifusa, a senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan. His childhood name was Goro, and he previously had the name Takafusa () ...
were engaged in a dispute over the future of the Ōuchi clan. After his defeat at the Siege of Toda Castle, Ōuchi Yoshitaka had grown tired of fighting battles and had retreated to work with literature and the arts. Motonari was sick during his stay in Yamaguchi and it took him three months to return to Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle. His caretaker while he was sick was Inoue Mitsutoshi (井上光俊). Inoue Motokane (井上元兼) was the son of Inoue Mitsukane (井上光兼) and the de facto head of a notable Aki family that nominally served the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
. He held Tenjinyama (天神山), which was just to the south of Motonari's Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle. As Motokane grew more powerful militarily and economically, he began to test the leadership of Motonari, who he became openly critical of. In 1550 Motonari forced Motokane and many members of his household to commit suicide on the grounds of treasonous behavior, an act that secured the Mōri as Aki's most powerful family. The Inoue family were afterwards allowed to continue on as Mōri retainers. Motonari's previous caretaker in Yamaguchi, Inoue Mitsutoshi, escaped the purge. At this point Motonari now had
Iwami Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iwami bordered Aki, Bingo, Izumo, Nagato, and Suō provinces. In the Heian period (794–1192) the capital was at moder ...
with the Kikkawa clan,
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
,
Seto Inland Sea The , sometimes shortened to the Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, three of the four main islands of Japan. It serves as a waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to Osaka Ba ...
with the Kobayakawa clan and with the two forces nearly dominated the whole of
Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...
.


Conflict with Ouchi


Tainei-ji incident

In 1551, Sue Takafusa revolted against his lord Ōuchi Yoshitaka in the
Tainei-ji incident The was a '' coup d'etat'' in September 1551 led by Sue Takafusa (later known as Sue Harukata) against Ōuchi Yoshitaka, hegemon and ''shugo'' ''daimyō'' of western Japan, which ended in the latter's forced suicide in Tainei-ji, a temple in Na ...
, forcing him to commit ''
seppuku , also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near ...
''. Takafusa changed his name to Harukata on this occasion and installed the next lord of the clan, Ōuchi Yoshinaga, but effectively led the Ōuchi clan and its armies, intent on military expansion. In 1554, Mōri Motonari became the leader of the Mōri clan. As a vassal of the Ōuchi clan, he wanted to avenge the betrayed Yoshitaka, and so he rebelled against Sue, whose territorial ambitions were depleting clan resources. The Sue gathered a large army of as many as 30,000 men. Motonari, while stronger than ever, could scarcely muster half that. Nonetheless, he fared well in the early stages of their conflict, defeating Sue troops at the
Battle of Oshikibata The was a preliminary round of the battle of Miyajima which was to follow. Mōri Motonari sought to avenge Sue Harukata's coup against their lord, Ōuchi Yoshitaka, and succeeded. Following the battle of Miyajima, the Mōri clan The was ...
in June. By using what had already become hallmark Mōri trickery and by bribing a number of Sue's men, Motonari managed to balance out the odds somewhat. For his part, Sue made no major moves against Koriyama, and with the end of the year's campaigning season, Motonari was allowed some breathing space.


Battle of Miyajima

In the early summer of 1555, Sue was again threatening, and Motonari was hard-pressed. Harukata was by no means a poor fighter, and the danger of Motonari's retainers and allies deserting the Mōri led him to adopt a bold and unorthodox scheme. His plan involved Miyajima, home to the
Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima), best known for its "floating" ''torii''.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005)"''Itsukushima-jinja''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 407. It is in the cit ...
and a place combatants had traditionally avoided on religious grounds. Mōri's generals had suggested the occupation of Miyajima, which was strategically located just off the Aki coast in the Inland Sea, but Motonari had refused the idea on tactical grounds. For Miyajima to be a viable base of operations, Sakurao Castle – the nearest fort on the mainland to Miyajima – would also have to be held. Should Sakurao fall, any army on Miyajima risked being isolated. Yet Mōri's own insight into the weakness of the Miyajima position led him to form a plan in which he would lure Sue into this exact trap. Naturally, such a tactic would require Sue's unwitting cooperation, and for inducement, Motonari immediately gave orders that Miyajima was to be occupied. A fort, Miyao Castle, was thrown up quite near the Itsukushima shrine and Motonari proclaimed publicly his woe that it would not hold out long against an attack. In September, Sue fell into the trap. He landed with the bulk of his army on Miyajima and assaulted the (intentionally) thin defenses of Miyao Castle. When the island had been secured (including the capture of Sakurao), Sue threw up a few fortifications on To-no-oka (Pagoda Hill) and sat down to plot strategy. From his point of view the capture of Miyajima was a strategic boon. From this secure springboard he could embark to almost any point along the Aki coast, as well as Bingo Province. Since the following autumn, Mōri had assumed a largely defensive posture, and Sue had some reason to feel comfortable in his new forward headquarters. Sue thus made his second great mistake – he became complacent. Mōri put his strategy into effect. Within a week he retook Sakurao Castle and played his trump card – the Murakami pirates. Gathering the pirates' naval strength, he set out to surprise Sue on Miyajima, and picked a perfect night on which to do so. On October 1, after dark and in a driving thunderstorm, Motonari and his sons put to sea. So the
Battle of Miyajima The 1555 was the only battle to be fought on the sacred island of Miyajima; the entire island is considered to be a Shinto shrine, and no birth or death is allowed on the island. Extensive purification rituals took place after the battle, to cl ...
began. As a diversion, Kobayakawa Takakage sailed straight past the Sue positions on To-no-oka while Motonari, Mōri Takamoto, and Kikkawa Motoharu landed just to the east and out of sight. Takakage doubled back and landed at dawn, attacking the Sue forces practically in the shadow of Miyajima's great ''
torii A is a traditional culture of Japan, Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred, and a spot where kami are welcomed and thought to ...
'' gate. Motonari then assaulted the confused Sue troops from behind, and the result was a rout for
Sue Harukata was a samurai who served as a senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan in the Sengoku period in Japan. He was the second son of Sue Okifusa, a senior retainer of the Ōuchi clan. His childhood name was Goro, and he previously had the name Takafusa ...
, who committed suicide at Oenoura, a small island inlet. Many of his troops followed suit, and for Motonari, the battle was utterly decisive. Motonari had annihilated the Sue who had aspired to take the place of the Ōuchi clan. While it would take the Mōri until 1557 to force Ōuchi Yoshinaga to commit suicide and years longer to completely bring Suo province and
Nagato province , often called , was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces. History Although the ancient capital of the province was Shimono ...
under Mōri's control, Motonari was now the most powerful lord in western Japan. In the same year 1557, Motonari once again announced his retirement and Takamoto inherited the formal leadership of the clan. Even after Motonari's retirement, he continued to wield actual control over the clan's affairs.


Conflict with Amago

In 1554, Motonari's intrigues led to the death of Amago Kunihisa in battle with Amago Haruhisa. Kunihisa, the son of Amago Tsunehisa, led a faction named the Shingūtō (新宮党) after the town, Shingu, where it was based. He had been trusted with military matters by his father Tsunehisa but he often looked down upon those who did not do well on the battlefield and was obnoxious from time to time. Supposedly, Motonari tricked Haruhisa into believing that Kunihisa and Era Fusahide (江良房栄) intended to take over the Amago clan. The circumstances may have been aggravated by Kunihisa's arrogance towards young Haruhisa. The death of Kunihisa and the purge of the Shingūtō weakened the Amago clan considerably. In 1556, Yamabuki Castle (山吹城) was captured by the leader of the Amago clan, Amago Haruhisa, and Motonari lost control of the
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
. When Haruhisa died in 1560, his son, Amago Yoshihisa, succeeded as head of the Amago. The shōgun,
Ashikaga Yoshiteru , also known as Yoshifushi or Yoshifuji, was the 13th ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1546 to 1565 during the late Muromachi period of Japan. He was the eldest son of the 12th ''shōgun'', Ashikaga Yoshiharu, and his moth ...
wished for peace between the Amago and Mōri clans, but Motonari ignored his plea and invaded
Izumo Province was an Old provinces of Japan, old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku region. History During the early Kofun period (3rd century) this reg ...
in 1562. So began the Second Siege of Toda Castle.


Second Siege of Toda castle

The Second Siege of Toda Castle lasted from 1562 to 1563. When Motonari attacked Amago Yoshihisa at Toda Castle, Yoshihisa executed his retainer, Moriyama Hisakane (宇山久兼), whom Yoshihisa feared would betray him. This caused most of his remaining troops to desert, and later Amago surrendered to Motonari. Yoshihisa was permitted to become a monk and was held captive at Enmei-ji. With the head of the Amago clan gone, the clan members were forced to serve as retainers to other daimyo. As a monk, Yoshihisa changed his name to Yurin (友林). After
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
became the head of Mōri clan, he became a retainer under Terumoto. After defeating the Amago clan in
Izumo Province was an Old provinces of Japan, old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku region. History During the early Kofun period (3rd century) this reg ...
, Motonari had become lord of eight provinces of the
Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...
. However,
Amago Katsuhisa was a remnant of the Amago clan, a powerful feudal clan in the Chūgoku region of Japan, backed up by Yamanaka Yukimori, a vassal of the clan. He was born to Amago Masahisa in 1553. In the following year, Katsuhisa's father and grandfather were ...
, son of Amago Masahisa (尼子誠久), led a remnant of the clan in rebellion with support from
Yamanaka Yukimori , also known as Yamanaka Shikanosuke (山中 鹿の介) or Shikasuke (鹿の介), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He served the Amago clan of Izumo Province. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Yamanaka Shikanosuke"in ''Japan Encyc ...
. Motonari's eldest son,
Mōri Takamoto was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Aki Province during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the eldest legitimate son of Mōri Motonari. Biography Born in the Tajihi-Sarugake Castle in 1523. Takamoto was sent to Suō Province as a hostage of Ōuchi ...
, while ''en route'' to attack the Amago clan in 1563, died of a sudden disease, though assassination by poison was suspected. Saddened and angered by his death, Motonari ordered all those whom he thought responsible to be punished. In 1566, Takamoto's son and Motonari's grandson
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
was selected as Motonari's heir, but Motonari continued to wield the true power over the Mōri clan. In 1570, Terumoto defeated Amago Katsuhisa at the Battle of Nunobeyama. Katsuhisa then fled to the
Oki Islands The is an archipelago in the Sea of Japan, the islands of which are administratively part of Oki District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. The islands have a total area of . Only four of the around 180 islands are permanently inhabited. Much of the ...
. In 1578, Katsuhisa returned from the Oki Islands and captured Tajima and
Inaba Province was a Provinces of Japan, former province in the area that is today the eastern half of Tottori Prefecture in the San'in region of Japan. Inaba was bordered by Hōki Province, Hōki, Mimasaka Province, Mimasaka, Harima Province, Harima and Tajim ...
s. He then occupied Kozuki Castle for
Oda clan The is a Japanese samurai family who were daimyo and an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they reached the peak of their power under Oda Nobunaga and fell soon after, several branches of the ...
under
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
, and defended it against the Mōri clan. Later, he was attacked by
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
and Kikkawa Motoharu, defeated and forced to commit suicide.


Conflict with Ōtomo

After Ōuchi Yoshinaga, Otomo Sorin's younger brother, was forced to commit suicide by the advance of Mōri forces in 1557, Mōri Motonari captured Yoshinaga's Moji fortress in 1558. In response, Otomo Sorin recaptured the castle in September 1559, but the Mōri, led by
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
and Ura Munekatsu, quickly took the castle back. In 1561, forces under Ōtomo Sōrin attacked the Moji castle in alliance with the Portuguese trader, but the assault failed, and the castle finally remained in Mōri possession. However, Motonari's advance against the Ōtomo was checked by the 1568 alliance between the Amago and Ōtomo clans. In 1569, Mōri Motonari led the assault on the Ōtomo clan's Tachibana castle which was held by Tachibana Dosetsu. Motonari won and captured the castle, but was driven back by Otomo Sorin in the Battle of Tatarahama that followed the siege. The battle of the Mōri clan with this larger allied force was part of
Yamanaka Yukimori , also known as Yamanaka Shikanosuke (山中 鹿の介) or Shikasuke (鹿の介), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He served the Amago clan of Izumo Province. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Yamanaka Shikanosuke"in ''Japan Encyc ...
and
Amago Katsuhisa was a remnant of the Amago clan, a powerful feudal clan in the Chūgoku region of Japan, backed up by Yamanaka Yukimori, a vassal of the clan. He was born to Amago Masahisa in 1553. In the following year, Katsuhisa's father and grandfather were ...
's arrangement with Ōtomo. Motonari was distracted from his designs against the Ōtomo in Kyushu by his inability to defeat the Amago in Izumo province, some distance away in Honshu. As a result, he abandoned Tachibana castle and withdrew from his campaign against the Ōtomo.


Death

Motonari had been suffering from illness during the first half of the 1560s so the shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, sent him his doctor, Manase Dōsan (曲直瀬道三), to treat him. It seems that his physical condition improved temporarily and in 1567 his last son, Kadokikumaru (才菊丸) was born, later known as
Kobayakawa Hidekane was a Japanese people, Japanese samurai, the ninth son of Mōri Motonari. His mother was Motonari's concubine, Nomi no Ōkata . Originally he was named Mototsuna and given to Ōta Hidetsuna but later his childless half-brother Kobayakawa Taka ...
. Mōri Motonari died on June 14, 1571, at Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle at the age of 74. The cause of death is said to be both
esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer (American English) or oesophageal cancer (British English) is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include dysphagia, difficulty in swallowing and weigh ...
and
old age Old age is the range of ages for people nearing and surpassing life expectancy. People who are of old age are also referred to as: old people, elderly, elders, senior citizens, seniors or older adults. Old age is not a definite biological sta ...
.


Legacy

Motonari is remembered as one of the greatest Japanese warlords of the mid-16th century. Under his leadership the Mōri expanded from a few districts in
Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...
to rule over ten of the
Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...
's eleven provinces, and Motonari was known even in his day as a master of wiles and trickery, a warlord whose schemes won as many battles as his soldiers. He is best remembered for an event that probably never took place – the "lesson of the three arrows". In this
parable A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whe ...
, Motonari gives each of his sons an arrow to break. He then gives them three arrows bundled, and points out that while one may be broken easily, not so three united as one. The three sons were of course Takamoto, Motoharu, and Takakage, and the lesson is one that Japanese children still learn in school today. It is not known for certain if this actually happened or if it is an apocryphal legend. Motonari in fact had six other sons, two of whom appear to have died in childhood. The others included Motoaki, Motokiyo, Motomasa and (Kobayakawa) Hidekane. Shiji Hiroyoshi, Kuchiba Michiyoshi, Kumagai Nobunao, Fukubara Sadatoshi, Katsura Motozumi, Kodama Naritada, Kokushi Motosuke, Hiraga Hirosuke, and Ichikawa Tsuneyoshi assisted Mōri Motonari in his rule. His greatest generals, however, were his own sons Kobayakawa Takakage and Kikkawa Motoharu, the 'Two Rivers' (a play on the 'kawa' characters in their names). The well known "one line, three stars" emblem of the Mōri was inherited from the family's ancestor, Ōe no Hiromoto. In addition to being a gifted general Motonari was also a noted poet and patron of the arts. Surviving letters written by his grandson
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
describe Motonari as a strict and demanding man with a sharp eye. He was succeeded by his grandson Terumoto, who was the son of the late Takamoto.


Family

In all, Motonari had nine sons and three daughters; five children were by his wife, three by a consort from the Nomi clan, and four by a consort from the
Miyoshi clan is a Japanese family descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and the Minamoto clan (Seiwa-Genji). They are a cadet branch of the Ogasawara clan and the Takeda clan. At the beginning of the 14th century AD, settled in Shikoku. His eighth ge ...
. There is also speculation that Ninomiya Naritoki (二宮就辰, 1546–1607) was Motonari's son with a woman from the Yada clan (矢田氏). *Father: Mōri Hiromoto (毛利弘元, 1466–1506) *Mother: name unknown, daughter of
Fukubara Hirotoshi was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Mōri clan. He was the eighth head of the Fukubara clan, the daughter of Hirotoshi, married Mōri Hiromoto from Mōri clan and gave birth to Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''d ...
(福原広俊). **Brother: Mōri Okimoto (毛利興元, 1492–1516) **Brother: Aiō Mototsuna (相合元綱, d. 1524) **Brother: Kita Narikatsu (北就勝, d. 1557) **Brother: Mitsuke Motouji (見付元氏) ***Wife: Lady Myōkyū (妙玖夫人, 1499–1546), daughter of Kikkawa Kunitsune (吉川国経). ****1st son:
Mōri Takamoto was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Aki Province during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the eldest legitimate son of Mōri Motonari. Biography Born in the Tajihi-Sarugake Castle in 1523. Takamoto was sent to Suō Province as a hostage of Ōuchi ...
(毛利隆元, 1523–1563) *****Grandson:
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
(毛利輝元, 1553–1625) ****2nd son: Kikkawa Motoharu (吉川元春, 1530–1586) ****3rd son:
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
(小早川隆景, 1533–1597) ****1st daughter: name unknown, died young, taken hostage by the Takahashi clan (高橋氏) and later killed. ****2nd daughter: Goryū no Tsubone (五龍局, d.1574), wife of Shishido Takaie (宍戸隆家). ***Concubine: Nomi no Ōkata (乃美大方, d. 1601), daughter of Nomi Takaoki (乃美隆興). ****4th son: Hoida Motokiyo (穂井田元清, 1551–1597) ****7th son: Amano Motomasa (天野元政, 1559–1609) ****9th son:
Kobayakawa Hidekane was a Japanese people, Japanese samurai, the ninth son of Mōri Motonari. His mother was Motonari's concubine, Nomi no Ōkata . Originally he was named Mototsuna and given to Ōta Hidetsuna but later his childless half-brother Kobayakawa Taka ...
(小早川秀包, 1567–1601) ***Concubine: name unknown, daughter of Miyoshi Masataka (三吉致高) of the
Miyoshi clan is a Japanese family descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and the Minamoto clan (Seiwa-Genji). They are a cadet branch of the Ogasawara clan and the Takeda clan. At the beginning of the 14th century AD, settled in Shikoku. His eighth ge ...
. ****5th son: Suginomori Motoaki (椙杜元秋, 1552–1585) ****6th son: Izuha Mototomo (出羽元倶, 1555–1571) ****8th son: Suetsugu Motoyasu (末次元康, 1560–1601) ****3rd daughter: name unknown, wife of Uehara Motomasa (上原元将).


Honours

* Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade (''Ju go-i-no-ge'', 従五位下), Aryō (右馬頭) * Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade (''Ju shi-i-no-jō'', 従四位上), Aryō (右馬頭) *
Jibu-shō The (lit. the department of governance affairs) was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto), and it is sometimes identified as the "Ministry of the Interior".
(治部少輔) - Second assistant to the Minister of Ceremonies * Mutsu-no-kami (陸奥守) *
Junior Third Rank The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese language, Japanese as ''ikai'' (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the Nation, state. ''Ikai'' as a system was the indication of the rank of burea ...
(''ju san-mi'', 従三位) *
Senior First Rank The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese language, Japanese as ''ikai'' (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the Nation, state. ''Ikai'' as a system was the indication of the rank of burea ...
(''shō ichi-i'', 正一位) - April 2, 1908; posthumous


The 18 Generals of Mōri (毛利十八将)

* Kikkawa Motoharu (吉川元春, 1530–1586), second son of Motonari, with his brother they were known as "''Mōri Ryōsen''", or "''Mōri's Two Rivers''" (毛利両川). *
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
(小早川隆景, 1533–1597), third son of Motonari, with his brother they were known as "''Mōri Ryōsen''", or "''Mōri's Two Rivers''" (毛利両川). * Shishido Takaie (宍戸隆家, 1518–1592), married to one of Motonari's daughters, Goryū no Tsubone. * Kuchiba Michiyoshi (口羽通良, 1513–1582), responsible for fighting in the
San'in region The is an area in the southwest of Honshū, the main island of Japan. It consists of the northern part of the Chūgoku region, facing the Sea of Japan. Specifically, it is the two prefectures of Shimane Prefecture, Shimane and Tottori Prefecture ...
and as an assistant to Kikkawa Motoharu. * Fukubara Sadatoshi (福原貞俊, 1512–1593), maternal uncle of Motonari, son of Motonari's maternal grandfather,
Fukubara Hirotoshi was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Mōri clan. He was the eighth head of the Fukubara clan, the daughter of Hirotoshi, married Mōri Hiromoto from Mōri clan and gave birth to Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''d ...
. * Amano Takashige (天野隆重, 1503–1584), originally a vassal of the
Ōuchi clan was one of the most powerful and important families in Western Japan during the reign of the Ashikaga shogunate in the 14th to 16th centuries. Their domains, ruled from the castle town of Yamaguchi in the western tip of Honshu island, compris ...
, switched to Motonari after the death of
Ōuchi Yoshitaka was the ''daimyō'' of Suō Province and the head of the Ōuchi clan, succeeding Ōuchi Yoshioki. In 1522, he fought the Amago clan along with his father, Yoshioki, to win the control of Aki Province. Upon Yoshioki's death in 1528, Yoshit ...
. His wife was the sister of Fukubara Sadatoshi. * Kumagai Nobunao (熊谷信直, 1507–1593), fought in nearly all of Motonari's battles. * Kunishi Motosuke (国司元相, 1492–1592), fought with distinction at the
Siege of Koriyama The took place from 5 October 1540 (6th day of 9th month of Tenbun 9) until 8 February 1541 (13th day of 1st month of Tenbun 10) in Yoshida, Aki Province, Japan during the Sengoku period. Amago Haruhisa, with 30,000 men, attacked Kōriyama Ca ...
. Later, he was chosen as one of the five ''bugyō'' of the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
. * Katsura Motozumi (桂元澄, 1500–1569) * Kodama Naritada (児玉就忠, 1506–1562), Motonari valued his administrative skill. Motonari's ''
bugyō was a title assigned to ''samurai'' officials in feudal Japan. ''Bugyō'' is often translated as commissioner, magistrate, or governor, and other terms would be added to the title to describe more specifically a given official's tasks or jurisdi ...
'' along with Katsura Mototada (桂元忠). Under
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
he became one of the five ''bugyō''. * Yoshimi Masayori (吉見正頼, 1513–1588), originally a vassal of the
Ōuchi clan was one of the most powerful and important families in Western Japan during the reign of the Ashikaga shogunate in the 14th to 16th centuries. Their domains, ruled from the castle town of Yamaguchi in the western tip of Honshu island, compris ...
, switched to Motonari after the death of
Ōuchi Yoshitaka was the ''daimyō'' of Suō Province and the head of the Ōuchi clan, succeeding Ōuchi Yoshioki. In 1522, he fought the Amago clan along with his father, Yoshioki, to win the control of Aki Province. Upon Yoshioki's death in 1528, Yoshit ...
. * Shiji Hiroyoshi (志道広良, 1467–1557), close with Motonari early when his brother Okimoto was clan head. Supported Motonari as successor to the leadership of the clan. Served as guardian of Motonari's first son, Takamoto. * Awaya Motohide (粟屋元秀), was prized after the Battle of Arita-Nakaide by Motonari for his achievements. * Awaya Motochika (粟屋元親, d. 1561), Motonari prized his skills with domestic affairs. Under
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
he became one of the five ''bugyō''. * Akagawa Motoyasu (赤川元保, d. 1567), imprisoned in his home under suspicion of the sudden death of
Mōri Takamoto was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Aki Province during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the eldest legitimate son of Mōri Motonari. Biography Born in the Tajihi-Sarugake Castle in 1523. Takamoto was sent to Suō Province as a hostage of Ōuchi ...
and later forced to commit suicide with his adopted son Akagawa Matasaburō. * Watanabe Hajime (渡辺長, 1534–1612), saved Motonari's life at the First Siege of Toda Castle. * Iida Motochika (飯田元親, d. 1535), second son of Kodama Motoyoshi (児玉元良), supported the succession of Motonari as clan head. * Inoue Motokane (井上元兼, 1486–1550), escaped Motonari's purge of the Inoue clan because of his loyalty.


Other notable retainers

* Hayashi Narinaga (林就長, 1517–1605), ''
karō were top-ranking samurai officials and advisors in service to the ''daimyōs'' of feudal Japan. Overview In the Edo period, the policy of ''sankin-kōtai'' (alternate attendance) required each ''daimyō'' to place a ''karō'' in Edo and anothe ...
'' (clan elder) of Motonari and ''
bugyō was a title assigned to ''samurai'' officials in feudal Japan. ''Bugyō'' is often translated as commissioner, magistrate, or governor, and other terms would be added to the title to describe more specifically a given official's tasks or jurisdi ...
'' under
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
. ''Ginzan-bugyō'' (mining official) at the
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
. Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade (Ju go-i-no-ge, 従五位下), Hizen-no-kami (肥前守). Diplomat of the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
along with
Ankokuji Ekei was a military monk and descendant of the Takeda clan of Aki province. He served the Mōri clan and later the Toyotomi clan. Biography Although it is certain that he was from the Aki Takeda clan, there are various theories about his birth yea ...
. *
Ankokuji Ekei was a military monk and descendant of the Takeda clan of Aki province. He served the Mōri clan and later the Toyotomi clan. Biography Although it is certain that he was from the Aki Takeda clan, there are various theories about his birth yea ...
(安国寺恵瓊), diplomat of the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
along with Hayashi Narinaga. He was a
Rinzai The Rinzai school (, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng), named after Linji Yixuan (Romaji: Rinzai Gigen, died 866 CE) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism, along with Sōtō and Ōbaku. The Chinese Linji school of ...
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
. Executed by
Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...
for fighting on the side of
Ishida Mitsunari was a Japanese samurai and military commander of the late Sengoku period of Japan. He is probably best remembered as the commander of the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi–Momoyama period of the 16th century. He ...
at the
Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...
. * Kikkawa Kunitsune, father-in-law of Motonari. * Kikkawa Hiroie (吉川広家), son of Kikkawa Motoharu, grandson of Motonari. His mother was daughter of Kumagai Nobunao * Kikkawa Motomune (吉川元棟), son of Kikkawa Motoharu, grandson of Motonari. His mother was daughter of Kumagai Nobunao * Katsura Mototada (桂元忠), was a ''bugyō'' of Motonari. * Hironaka Kataaki (弘中方明), also (弘中就慰) * Fukubara Mototoshi (福原元俊), Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade (Ju go-i-no-ge, 従五位下), Dewa-no-kami (出羽守). * Nomi Takaoki (乃美隆興), father of one of Motonari's concubines, Nomi no Ōkata. * Nomi Munekatsu (乃美宗勝) * Hiraga Hirosuke (平賀広相) * Hiraga Motosuke (平賀元相) * Sugihara Morishige (杉原盛重) * Miura Mototada (三浦元忠) * Sugi Motosuke (杉元相) * Hirasa Nariyuki (平佐就之), ''Ginzan-bugyō'' (mining official) at the
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
. * Ōhashi Hachizō (大橋八蔵), ''Ginzan-bugyō'' (mining official) at the
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
. * Awaya Motomichi (粟屋元通), Bizen-no-kami (備前守). *
Murakami Takeyoshi was a Japanese samurai, pirate leader and naval commander of Mōri clan in the Sengoku period. He was head of the Noshima Murakami pirates. In 1555, "Noshima Murakami" navy helped the Mōri clan and played an important role during the Battle ...
(村上武吉), captain of the Murakami Navy (能島村上水軍). * Murakami Motoyoshi (村上元吉), son of Murakami Takayoshi, captain of the Murakami Navy (能島村上水軍). * Miyoshi Masataka (三吉致高), father of one of Motonari's concubines. * Miyoshi Takasuke (三吉隆亮), brother of one of Motonari's concubines. * Masuda Motonaga (益田元祥), married to the daughter of Kikkawa Motoharu. * Uehara Motomasa (上原元将), married to Motonari's third daughter. *
Wachi Masaharu was a Japanese samurai who served the Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, gr ...
(和智誠春), was under suspicion of the sudden death of
Mōri Takamoto was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Aki Province during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the eldest legitimate son of Mōri Motonari. Biography Born in the Tajihi-Sarugake Castle in 1523. Takamoto was sent to Suō Province as a hostage of Ōuchi ...
. * Hayashi Motoyoshi, (林元善, 1558–1609), first son of Hayashi Narinaga. Shima-no-kami (志摩守). * Hayashi Nagayoshi (林長由), second son of Hayashi Narinaga. Jirōuemon (次郎右エ門). Retainer of
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
, moved to Nuta and changed his name to Ishibashi.


Motonari's castles


Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...

*
Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle was a Japanese castle located in Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture. It was also called from its location in former Aki Province. Its ruins have been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1940. History Yoshida- ...
(吉田郡山城), main castle of the Mōri clan and residence of Motonari. *
Tajihi-Sarugake Castle was a Japanese castle located in Akitakata, Hiroshima, Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture. Its ruins have been protected by the central government as a Historic Sites of Japan, National Historic Site together with Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle since 19 ...
(多治比猿掛城), Motonari spent his youth in the castle. * Suzuo Castle (鈴尾城), main castle of the Fukuhara clan, Motonari's birthplace. * Miiri-Takamatsu Castle (三入高松城), main castle of the Kumagai clan * Goryu Castle (五龍城), main castle of the Shishido clan * Katsura Castle (桂城), main castle of the Katsura clan * Hinoyama Castle (日野山城), main castle of the
Kikkawa clan The was a prominent samurai clan of Japan's Sengoku period. The most famous member of the clan is likely Kikkawa Motoharu (1530-1586), one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's generals, who was adopted into the family. Along with the Kobayakawa clan, the ...
* Biwakō Castle (琵琶甲城), main castle of the Kuchiba clan * Mibu Castle (壬生城) * Funayama Castle (船山城) * Nagamiyama Castle (長見山城) * Toko no Yama Castle (鳥籠山城) * Yagi Castle (八木城) * Koi Castle (己斐城) * Sato-Ginzan Castle (佐東銀山城) * Sakurao Castle (桜尾城) * Miyao Castle (宮尾城) * Kusatsu Castle (草津城), main castle of the Kodama clan


Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...

* Takayama Castle (高山城) main castle of the Kobayakawa clan until
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
moved their main castle to Niitakayama Castle * Niitakayama Castle (新高山城) main castle of the
Kobayakawa clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Taira clan. Their holdings were in the Chūgoku region. They were a powerful clan during the Sengoku period but were disbanded during the Edo period after the Battle of Sekigahara. H ...
* Mihara Castle (三原城) main castle of the
Kobayakawa clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Taira clan. Their holdings were in the Chūgoku region. They were a powerful clan during the Sengoku period but were disbanded during the Edo period after the Battle of Sekigahara. H ...
* Hatagaeshiyama Castle (旗返城) * Kannabe Castle (神辺城), main castle of the Sugihara clan * Kashirazaki Castle (頭崎城), main castle of the Hiraga clan * Kagi Castle (賀儀城), main castle of Ura clan Nomi Munekatsu


Other provinces

* Kōnomine Castle * Gassantoda Castle * Shikano Castle * Odaka Castle : Sugihara Morishige * Yamabuki Castle * Kumano Castle : Amano Takashige * Noshima Castle, main castle of the Noshima Murakami clan


Popular culture

''See People of the Sengoku period in popular culture.'' Motonari often lives far beyond his means in popular culture, acting as the representative of his clan in affairs that take place far after his death (encountering
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He was the and regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. He is sometimes referred as the "Demon Daimyō" and "Demo ...
in the Mōri's later battles against him for just one instance). * Portrayed by Nakamura Hashinosuke III in the 1997
NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...
Taiga drama is the name NHK gives to the annual year-long historical drama television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white ''Hana no Shōgai'', starring kabuki actor Onoe Shoroku II and Awashima Chikage, the network regul ...
TV series '. It was a year-long broadcast that retold the story of how Motonari rose from the leader of an insignificant military clan to become one of the most powerful warlords of the Sengoku period. * He is represented as a playable character in the video game
Sengoku Basara is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, and a bigger media franchise based on it, including three anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, and numerous drama CDs, light novels, manga, and stage plays. Its story ...
and all its sequels. In the game, he was described as an uncaring leader ambitious to conquer all of Japan. He was first armed with a
saihai A was a baton carried by samurai commanders in feudal Japan, now used by Kannushi in formal settings. The saihai or sai-hai was a sign of rank and a signal device. Appearance and use A saihai usually consisted of a lacquered wood stick with m ...
, then with a circular blade. * He is represented as a playable character in the video game
Samurai Warriors is the first title in the series of hack and slash video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based closely around the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of Japanese history and is a sister series of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' series, releas ...
series. * He is represented as a character in '' Pokémon Conquest'' as the warlord of the Greenleaf Kingdom, with his partner Pokémon being Servine and Serperior. * The parable regarding Motonari, his three sons, and the lesson of the three arrows is believed have been a source of inspiration for
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker who List of works by Akira Kurosawa, directed 30 feature films in a career spanning six decades. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers in the History of film, history of cinema ...
when he was writing his
epic film Epic films have large scale, sweeping scope, and spectacle. The term is slightly ambiguous, sometimes designating a film genre and at other times simply big-budget films. Like epics in the classical literary sense, it is often focused on a her ...
'' Ran''. The name of the local
J League The , commonly a.k.a. shortened to the , and officially known as the for sponsorship with Meiji Yasuda Life, is the men's association football league in Japan. It is responsible for organizing Japan's major professional football tournaments, in ...
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
team,
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Sanfrecce Hiroshima () is a Japanese professional association football, football club based in Hiroshima. The club competes in the J1 League, top flight of the Japanese football league system. Sanfrecce is one of the most successful clubs in Ja ...
, was also inspired by this story. "San" means three in Japanese, and "frecce" means arrows in Italian.


See also

*
Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...
*
List of daimyōs from the Sengoku period A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
*
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
*
Kobayakawa Hidekane was a Japanese people, Japanese samurai, the ninth son of Mōri Motonari. His mother was Motonari's concubine, Nomi no Ōkata . Originally he was named Mototsuna and given to Ōta Hidetsuna but later his childless half-brother Kobayakawa Taka ...
* Amago Yoshihisa * Kikkawa Motoharu *
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
*
Battle of Miyajima The 1555 was the only battle to be fought on the sacred island of Miyajima; the entire island is considered to be a Shinto shrine, and no birth or death is allowed on the island. Extensive purification rituals took place after the battle, to cl ...
* Miyao Castle


References

*


External links


Môri Motonari: The Lord of Koriyama (The Samurai Archives)Mori Motonari (The Samurai Wiki)

The Legend of the Three Arrows (Get Hiroshima)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mori, Motonari 1497 births 1571 deaths Mōri clan Daimyo People from Aki Province People of the Muromachi period Japanese military engineers Deified Japanese men