Changes

* ''Died: [[1599]]''

* ''Died: [[1599]]''

* ''Titles: Tosa no kami, Kunai no sho''

* ''Titles: Tosa no kami, Kunai no sho''

[[Image:Chosokabe_motochika.jpg||thumb|right|Chosokabe Motochika.]]  

[[Image:Chosokabe_motochika.jpg||thumb|right|Chosokabe Motochika.]]  

Daimyô of the [[Chosokabe clan|Chosokabe]] family and eventual vassal to [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], Motochika rose to rule Tosa and, for a short time, the whole of Shikoku. The Chosokabe were respected Jito (deputy administrators) of Tosa from the 12th century and entered the 16th Century as vassals of the [[Ichijo clan|Ichijô Clan]], who were based in western Tosa.  

Daimyô of the [[Chosokabe clan|Chosokabe]] family and eventual vassal to [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], Motochika rose to rule Tosa and, for a short time, the whole of Shikoku. The Chosokabe were respected Jito (deputy administrators) of Tosa from the 12th century and entered the 16th Century as vassals of the [[Ichijo clan|Ichijô Clan]], who were based in western Tosa.  

Motochika was born at [[Oko castle]] in the Nagaoka district of Tosa, the eldest son of [[Chosokabe Kunichika]] ([[1503]])-([[1560]]). Motochika was a quiet youth and his father was said to have fretted about the boy's gentle nature (he seems to have been nicknamed Himewakako, or 'Little Princess'); Kunichika's worries evaporated when Motochika later proved himself a skilled and brave warrior.  

Motochika was born at [[Oko castle|Okô castle]] in the Nagaoka district of Tosa, the eldest son of [[Chosokabe Kunichika]] ([[1503]])-([[1560]]). Motochika was a quiet youth and his father was said to have fretted about the boy's gentle nature (he seems to have been nicknamed Himewako, or 'Little Princess' by his father's vassals); Kunichika's worries evaporated when Motochika later proved himself a skilled and brave warrior during his first battle against the [[Motoyama clan]] in 1560.  

[[Image:Chosokabe_mon.jpg||thumb|left|The Chosokabe mon.]]When Motochika came of age, his father had already begun to draw away from the Ichijô, and Motochika would carry on his work. In [[1562]] he defeated the nearby and locally powerful [[Motoyama clan|Motoyama]] at the [[Battle of Asakura]] (Motoyama) and by forming alliances with local families, Motochika was able to build his power base on the Kochi Plain. While being careful to remain ostensibly loyal to the Ichijô over the next few years, Motochika's power grew to the extent that he was strong enough to march on the rival [[Aki clan]] of east Tosa with 7,000 men and bring them to bear in [[1569]]. In the course of the decade he was awarded a court rank (Kunai no shô) and was sufficiently confident after the reduction of the Aki to finally turn on the Ichijô. While still lord of the Hata district of Tosa, [[Ichijo Kanesada|Ichijô Kanesada]] ([[1542]]-[[1585]]) was unpopular and had already suffered the defection of a number of important retainers. Seizing the opportunity, Motochika wasted no time in marching on the Ichijô's headquarters at Nakamura and in [[1573]] Kanesada fled to [[Bungo province|Bungo]], defeated. The [[Otoma clan|Ôtomo]] later supplied Kanesada with a fleet and he returned in an expedition which the Chosokabe easily crushed. The twice defeated Ichijô daimyô submitted to Motochika and was allowed to go into exile on an island off [[Iyo province]] - only to be assassinated in 1585, presumably on Motochika's orders.  

[[Image:Chosokabe_mon.jpg||thumb|left|The Chosokabe mon.]]When Motochika came of age, his father had already begun to draw away from the Ichijô, and Motochika would carry on his work. In [[1562]] he defeated the nearby and locally powerful [[Motoyama clan|Motoyama]] at the [[Battle of Asakura]] (Motoyama) and by forming alliances with local families, Motochika was able to build his power base on the Kochi Plain. While being careful to remain ostensibly loyal to the Ichijô over the next few years, Motochika's power grew to the extent that he was strong enough to march on the rival [[Aki clan]] of east Tosa with 7,000 men and bring them to bear in [[1569]]. In the course of the decade he was awarded a court rank (Kunai no shô) and was sufficiently confident after the reduction of the Aki to finally turn on the Ichijô. While still lord of the Hata district of Tosa, [[Ichijo Kanesada|Ichijô Kanesada]] ([[1542]]-[[1585]]) was unpopular and had already suffered the defection of a number of important retainers. Seizing the opportunity, Motochika wasted no time in marching on the Ichijô's headquarters at Nakamura and in [[1573]] Kanesada fled to [[Bungo province|Bungo]], defeated. The [[Otoma clan|Ôtomo]] later supplied Kanesada with a fleet and he returned in an expedition which the Chosokabe easily crushed. The twice defeated Ichijô daimyô submitted to Motochika and was allowed to go into exile on an island off [[Iyo province]] - only to be assassinated in 1585, presumably on Motochika's orders.  

The Chosokabe were served by the [[Kosokabe clan|Kosokabe]], [[Kira clan|Kira]] (both of whom were led in Motochika's time by his brothers), Yoshida, Kumu, Kagawa (into which Motochika adopted a son, Chikakazu), Yumioka, and others.  

The Chosokabe were served by the [[Kosokabe clan|Kosokabe]], [[Kira clan|Kira]] (both of whom were led in Motochika's time by his brothers), Yoshida, Kumu, Kagawa (into which Motochika adopted a son, Chikakazu), Yumioka, and others.  

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]