Chosokabe Morichika
Morichika was the 4th son of Chôsokabe Motochika. He was named the heir to the Chôsokabe following Chôsokabe Nobuchika's death in 1587 and fought in the siege of Odawara (1590) and 1st Korean Campaigns (1592-93). He sided with Ishida Mitsunari in 1600 and commanded 6,600 men at Sekigahara (though he saw very little action) and was afterwards deprived of his fief despite sending an apology to Tokugawa Ieyasu. That same year, he had ordered the execution of his elder brother Tsuno Chikatada, who had questioned his right to be Motochika's heir. After losing Tosa, Morichika lived quietly in Kyoto until 1614, at which time he went to join the defenders of Osaka Castle, arriving there the same day as Sanada Yukimura. His Chôsokabe contingent fought very well in both the Winter and Summer Campaigns. After the fall of Osaka, Morichika attempted to flee but was apprehended at Hachiman-yama by Hachisuka men and was beheaded in Kyoto along with a number of his sons. He had assisted his father with the preparation of the Chôsokabe-shi okitegaki (100-Article Code of the Chosokabe) in 1596 Sons: Moritaka (d.1615), Morinobu (d.1615), Moriyasu (d.1615)
References
- Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005
