Changes

* ''Born: [[1497]]''

* ''Died: [[1571]]''

* ''Born: 16 April [[1497]] (Meiou 2/4/16)''

* ''Died: 6 July [[1571]] (Genki 2/6/14)''

* ''Sons: [[Mori Takamoto|Môri Takamoto]], [[Kikkawa Motoharu]], [[Kobayakawa Takakage]], [[Mori Motokiyo|Môri (Hoida) Motokiyo]], [[Mori Motoaki|Môri (Tomita) Motoaki]], [[Dewa Mototomo]] (1555-1571), [[Amano Motomasa]] (1559-1609), [[Kobayakawa Hidekane]]''

* ''Sons: [[Mori Takamoto|Môri Takamoto]], [[Kikkawa Motoharu]], [[Kobayakawa Takakage]], [[Mori Motokiyo|Môri (Hoida) Motokiyo]], [[Mori Motoaki|Môri (Tomita) Motoaki]], [[Dewa Mototomo]] (1555-1571), [[Amano Motomasa]] (1559-1609), [[Kobayakawa Hidekane]]''

* ''Titles: Mutsu no kami''

* ''Titles: Mutsu no kami''

==The Lord of Koriyama==

==The Lord of Koriyama==

[[Image:Mori_motonari.jpg|thumb|right|Mori Motonari.]]

[[Image:Mori_motonari.jpg|thumb|right|Mori Motonari.]]

Motonari inherited a clan that claimed direct descent from [[Oie Hiromoto|Ôie Hiromoto]], an advisor to [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] who served the [[Hojo clan|Hôjô]] well after Yoritomo's death. Hiromoto's son assumed the name Môri, and in [[1336]] Aki province became the clan's homeland when [[Mori Tokichika|Môri Tokichika]] was appointed Jito there. The clan experienced a power struggle in the 1470's that saw the main [[Mori clan|Môri]] line absorb both its branch families.  

Motonari inherited a clan that claimed direct descent from [[Oie Hiromoto|Ôie Hiromoto]] (大江広元, 1148-1225), an advisor to [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] who served the [[Hojo clan|Hôjô]] well after Yoritomo's death. Hiromoto's son assumed the name Môri, and in [[1336]] Aki province became the clan's homeland when [[Mori Tokichika|Môri Tokichika]] was appointed Jito there. The clan experienced a power struggle in the 1470's that saw the main [[Mori clan|Môri]] line absorb both its branch families.

Motonari was the second son of [[Mori Hiromoto|Môri Hiromoto]], a daimyo in Aki Province who struggled against the local [[Takeda clan]] and the encroaching [[Ouchi clan|Ôuchi]]. His mother was a daughter of [[Fukubara Hirotoshi]] [福原広俊].  In [[1499]], Hiromoto found himself in the path of a looming Amako invasion from Izumo, and allied with Oûchi. At the time, [[Ouchi Yoshioki|Ôuchi Yoshioki]] was becoming involved in the gunboat politics of Kyoto and while he was away, the Amako grew stronger. In [[1506]] Hiromoto died, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Okimoto, who ended up assisting Yoshioki in Kyoto for a short period. Motonari, meanwhile, was given his manhood ceremony in 1511.  It happened that Okimoto died in [[1516]], and Motonari was named to act as guardian to the late lord's young son, [[Môri Komatsumaru|Komatsumaru]] [幸松丸]. The most powerful daimyo in Aki, [[Takeda Motoshige]] (武田元繁, d.1517), took advantage of Okimoto's death to launch an attack on the Môri domain and capture [[Arita Castle]] [有田城].  Motonari led an army out the following year to retake Arita and was joined in his efforts by the [[Kobayakawa]] and [[Kikkawa]] clans.  The Takeda's vanguard commander, [[Kumagai Motonao]] [熊谷元直] was defeated and killed and in response Motoshige himself lead the army against Motonari but was killed by an arrow crossing the Mataouchigawa (又打川).  This [[Battle of Arita-Nakaide]] [有田中井手の戦い] was a pivotal moment for the Môri and increased their influence in Aki Province greatly.  However, some time after this, the Amako, as part of their ongoing conflict with the Ôuchi, compelled the Môri to ally with them.  In 1522, Motonari married the daughter of [[Kikkawa Kunitsune]], known today as [[Myoukyuu]] [妙玖].  This match secured the friendship of the Kikkawa and would in time produce three fine sons.

Motonari was born Shojumaru, the second son of [[Mori Hiromoto|Môri Hiromoto]], a daimyo who struggled against the local [[Takeda clan]] (not to be confused with the [[Kai province|Kai]] branch of that family) and the encroaching [[Ouchi clan|Ôuchi]]. In [[1499]], Hiromoto found himself in the path of a looming Amako invasion from Izumo, and allied with Oûchi. At the time, [[Ouchi Yoshioki|Ôuchi Yoshioki]] was becoming involved in the gunboat politics of Kyoto and while he was away, the Amako grew stronger. In [[1506]] Hiromoto died, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Okimoto, who ended up assisting Yoshioki in Kyoto for a short period. It happened that he died in [[1516]], and Motonari was named to act as guardian to the late lord's young son, Komatsumaru. Komatsumaru in turn was to die in [[1523]], after which Motonari became the official head of he clan. Evidently, Môri's predecessors had died under unclear circumstances, for there is a legend that it was Motonari himself who dispatched them. At any rate, Motonari did not inherit a particularly enviable position. The most powerful daimyo in Aki, [[Takeda Motoshige]], took advantage of Okimoto's death to make a play for Môri land, and in [[Izumo province|Izumo]] the Amako began to rattle their sabers. Luckily for the Môri, however, their young lord quickly proved himself a man of action. Takeda had set out to take [[Koriyama castle]] (the Môri's chief bastion since the early 14th Century) but found his troops intercepted and routed by the numerically inferior Môri clan. This victory carried a certain prestige value for Motonari, but was quickly over-shadowed by greater events. In [[1518]] [[Amako Tsunehisa]] made a series of raids into the Ôuchi's lands, falling back with the return of Yoshioki from Kyôto. In [[1521]] a formal peace treaty was signed between the two clans but this lasted for but one year. In [[1522]], Tsunehisa marched into Aki, forcing Motonari, whose lands sat directly in the Amako's path, to submit. Motonari was immediately dispatched against [[Kagamiyama castle]] while Tsunehisa himself struck at Kanayama. Motonari was successful in his endeavor, but Tsunehisa made no progress against Kanayama and retreated. Also in 1522, Motonari married the daughter of [[Kikkawa Kunitsune]]; this match would not only secure the friendship of the Kikkawa but would in time produce three fine sons. Any sense of security this marriage brought was shaken in [[1524]], when Môri suffered the defection of his vassal, [[Katsura Hirozumi]], and was forced to defeat the traitor in open battle not far from Koriyama.  

In 1523 the Amako launced an attack against Ôuchi holdings in Aki and Motonari led the Môri in service in Amako Tsunehisa's army. The Amako were initally repulsed in their attempts to bring down [[Kagamiyama Castle]], held by [[Kurata Fusanobu]] (蔵田房信). Motonari suggested a trick that resulted in Fusanobu's murder.  The castle fell and Motonari himself gained further prestige. Later that same year, Komatsumaru died. Motonari was nominated by the family's retainers to become the official head of the clan. His younger brother, [[Aiau Motostuna]] (相合元綱, d.1524), resented the decision and plotted against Motonari, only to be discovered and at length forced to commit suicide. His supporter [[Katsura Hirozumi]] and other were also killed or committed suicide.

In [[1528]], Ôuchi Yoshioki passed away and was succeeded by his son Yoshitaka. The Amako made an effort to capitalize on this turn of events, but with only minimal success. Yoshitaka proved, at least initially, to be a competent enough leader, and held the Amako's ambitions in check while extending Oûchi authority in [[Buzen province]]. For his part, Môri drifted back into the Oûchi's camp, and set about consolidating the Môri's holdings in Aki, and gathering local allies, chief among these being the [[Shisido clan|Shisido]], [[Kumagai clan|Kumagai]], and [[Amano clan|Amano]]. Efforts by the Amako to bring the Môri back under their sway failed, and in [[1540]] [[Amako Akihisa]] (Haruhisa) sent a sizable army into Aki. Motonari was heavily outnumbered and shut himself up in Koriyama. Akihisa made little impression against the hill-top fortifications and settled for burning Koriyama's accompanying town - Yoshida - to the ground. Still unable to convince Motonari to submit, Akihisa sat down for a siege-a decisive mistake, as it turned out. Ôuchi Yoshitaka dispatched his general [[Sue Takafusa]] (Harukata) to relieve Koriyama, and in early October Sue arrived. Caught between two forces, Akihisa's army fell back, and in a desperate rear-guard action his trusted general [[Uyama Hisakane]] was killed.  

In [[1528]], Ôuchi Yoshioki passed away and was succeeded by his son Yoshitaka. The Amako made an effort to capitalize on this turn of events, but with only minimal success. Yoshitaka proved, at least initially, to be a competent enough leader, and held the Amako's ambitions in check while extending Oûchi authority in [[Buzen province]]. For his part, Môri drifted back into the Oûchi's camp, and set about consolidating the Môri's holdings in Aki, and gathering local allies, chief among these being the [[Shisido clan|Shisido]], [[Kumagai clan|Kumagai]], and [[Amano clan|Amano]]. Efforts by the Amako to bring the Môri back under their sway failed, and in [[1540]] [[Amako Akihisa]] (Haruhisa) sent a sizable army into Aki. Motonari was heavily outnumbered and shut himself up in Koriyama. Akihisa made little impression against the hill-top fortifications and settled for burning Koriyama's accompanying town - Yoshida - to the ground. Still unable to convince Motonari to submit, Akihisa sat down for a siege-a decisive mistake, as it turned out. Ôuchi Yoshitaka dispatched his general [[Sue Takafusa]] (Harukata) to relieve Koriyama, and in early October Sue arrived. Caught between two forces, Akihisa's army fell back, and in a desperate rear-guard action his trusted general [[Uyama Hisakane]] was killed.