Changes

* ''Born: [[1553]]''

* ''Born: [[1553]]''

* ''Died: [[1625]]''

* ''Died: [[1625]]''

==Motonari’s Grandson==

==Motonari’s Grandson==

Hideyoshi knew that Takamatsu would be a tough nut to crack and that heavy losses would only benefit the Môri, so he resorted to a stratagem. Diverting the waters of a nearby river, he flooded the castle grounds, making Takamatsu a soggy island. By now Terumoto had brought up a relief force, but hesitated to attack Hideyoshi directly. Shimizu, for his part, responded to an offer by Hideyoshi that would spare the lives of his men, and committed suicide after ordering his men to surrender. At this critical point, fate intervened on, it could be said, the behalf of the Môri. Hideyoshi intercepted a message from Akechi Mitsuhide intended for Terumoto containing the news that Nobunaga was dead at the Akechi's hand. With this valuable knowledge under wraps, Hideyoshi negotiated a peace treaty with the Môri, taking as spoils [[Hoki Province|Hôki]], [[Mimasaka Province|Mimasaka]], and Bitchu but leaving the Môri with the remainder of the Chugoku region (save Bizen, owned by Ukita). Probably most relieved at Hideyoshi's evident generosity, Terumoto agreed, allowing Hideyoshi to speed home and defeat Akechi Mitsuhide before anyone else was the wiser for it.  

Hideyoshi knew that Takamatsu would be a tough nut to crack and that heavy losses would only benefit the Môri, so he resorted to a stratagem. Diverting the waters of a nearby river, he flooded the castle grounds, making Takamatsu a soggy island. By now Terumoto had brought up a relief force, but hesitated to attack Hideyoshi directly. Shimizu, for his part, responded to an offer by Hideyoshi that would spare the lives of his men, and committed suicide after ordering his men to surrender. At this critical point, fate intervened on, it could be said, the behalf of the Môri. Hideyoshi intercepted a message from Akechi Mitsuhide intended for Terumoto containing the news that Nobunaga was dead at the Akechi's hand. With this valuable knowledge under wraps, Hideyoshi negotiated a peace treaty with the Môri, taking as spoils [[Hoki Province|Hôki]], [[Mimasaka Province|Mimasaka]], and Bitchu but leaving the Môri with the remainder of the Chugoku region (save Bizen, owned by Ukita). Probably most relieved at Hideyoshi's evident generosity, Terumoto agreed, allowing Hideyoshi to speed home and defeat Akechi Mitsuhide before anyone else was the wiser for it.  

As frustrated as the Môri may have been by their discovery of the truth, they did not break the truce, and in time became Hideyoshi's closest supporters. Terumoto sent the 'Two Rivers' (Kobayakawa and Kikkawa) to lead troops for Hideyoshi in his invasions of Shikoku (1585) and Kyushu (1587). In 1590 he sent ships to assist Hideyoshi in his reduction of the Hojo. When Hideyoshi invaded Korea in 1592, Terumoto himself led a 'division' of troops there, although much of his time seems to have been taken up fighting Korean partisans.

As frustrated as the Môri may have been by their discovery of the truth, they did not break the truce, and in time became Hideyoshi's closest supporters. Terumoto sent the 'Two Rivers' (Kobayakawa and Kikkawa) to lead troops for Hideyoshi in his invasions of Shikoku (1585) and Kyushu (1587). In 1590 he sent ships to assist Hideyoshi in his reduction of the Hojo. When Hideyoshi [[Korean Invasions|invaded Korea]] in 1592, Terumoto himself led a 'division' of troops there, although much of his time seems to have been taken up fighting Korean partisans.

==The Reluctant Warlord==

==The Reluctant Warlord==

Before Toyotomi Hideyoshi died in 1598, Terumoto was named one of the five regents tasked with acting as administrators until the young [[Toyotomi Hideyori]] could come of age. Of the five (which also included [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]], [[Ukita Hideie]], [[Meada Toshiie]], and [[Uesugi Kagekatsu]]) Terumoto ranked second in strength behind Tokugawa with an annual income of nearly 1.2 million koku.  

Before Toyotomi Hideyoshi died in 1598, Terumoto was named one of the five regents tasked with acting as administrators until the young [[Toyotomi Hideyori]] could come of age. Of the five (which also included [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]], [[Ukita Hideie]], [[Maeda Toshiie]], and [[Uesugi Kagekatsu]]) Terumoto ranked second in strength behind Tokugawa with an annual income of nearly 1.2 million koku.  

Perhaps inevitably, Hideyoshi's posthumous government began to splinter, with discord fueled by mutual distrust and the intrigues of Tokugawa and [[Ishida Mitsunari]], one of the 5 Bugyo (commissioners) named at the same time as the regents. By [[1599]] sides had begun to form between these two wildly different men, and at first Terumoto thought of siding with Tokugawa. Unfortunately for Terumoto and the Môri, he listened to his old advisor, [[Ankokuji Ekei]] (?-[[1600]]). A long-time manipulator in a monkish habit, Ekei convinced Terumoto (probably accurately) that Ieyasu was out to disinherit young Hideyori. When Terumoto declared for Ishida Mitsunari, the latter, for political reasons, named Môri the 'commander-in-chief' of the gathering Western Forces. Terumoto displayed little enthusiasm for his new role and failed to grasp the reins of command, vacillating even as his chief commanders argued and Tokugawa called the 'eastern forces' to arms. Mitsunari finally told Terumoto to take up residence in [[Osaka Castle]] and stay there, making Terumoto's command of the army quite nominal. The error of this decision would become evident on 21 October, when the massed forces of East and west met at [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]].  

Perhaps inevitably, Hideyoshi's posthumous government began to splinter, with discord fueled by mutual distrust and the intrigues of Tokugawa and [[Ishida Mitsunari]], one of the 5 Bugyo (commissioners) named at the same time as the regents. By [[1599]] sides had begun to form between these two wildly different men, and at first Terumoto thought of siding with Tokugawa. Unfortunately for Terumoto and the Môri, he listened to his old advisor, [[Ankokuji Ekei]] (?-[[1600]]). A long-time manipulator in a monkish habit, Ekei convinced Terumoto (probably accurately) that Ieyasu was out to disinherit young Hideyori. When Terumoto declared for Ishida Mitsunari, the latter, for political reasons, named Môri the 'commander-in-chief' of the gathering Western Forces. Terumoto displayed little enthusiasm for his new role and failed to grasp the reins of command, vacillating even as his chief commanders argued and Tokugawa called the 'eastern forces' to arms. Mitsunari finally told Terumoto to take up residence in [[Osaka Castle]] and stay there, making Terumoto's command of the army quite nominal. The error of this decision would become evident on 21 October, when the massed forces of East and west met at [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]].  

The combined Môri faction (to include Môri Terumoto, [[Mori Hidemoto|Môri Hidemoto]], and [[Kikkawa Hiroie]]) was the largest contingent in Ishida's army, but in the actual battle, it barely moved an inch. Sulking in Osaka Castle, Terumoto had been convinced by Kikkawa Hiroie that the best course of action now was to do nothing, indicating that both considered Ishida a lost cause - or at least one not worth fighting for. Kikkawa let this reach Ieyasu, who suggested that inaction would bring rewards if the Eastern Forces won. In the event, things worked out differently. Although Tokugawa had initially indicated that he would honor his unofficial understanding with Kikkawa, this seems to have been solely to coax Terumoto into surrendering the powerful Osaka Castle. Once the campaign had been wrapped up and Osaka Castle safely in Tokugawa hands, Ieyasu declared that it was the duty of a warrior to fight, especially the so-called 'commander-in-chief' of an army. Terumoto's lands were sorely reduced and in a move that might as well have been out of cruel humor, some were transferred to Kikkawa. In the end, Terumoto was left with estates worth 360,000 koku and his head. In what must have been a particularly bitter pill, he was forced to give up Aki - the Môri home for centuries. As for keeping one's head, the same could not be said of [[Ankokuji Ekei]], who was executed in Kyoto along with Ishida Mitsunari and [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. Terumoto, who had lost either control or influence of five provinces, went on to shave his head and became a monk, his career, it could be argued, shaken by a number of key errors in his judgment. His wisest decision as daimyô - to make peace with Hideyoshi - only delayed the inevitable for another 18 years.  

The combined Môri faction (to include Môri Terumoto, [[Mori Hidemoto|Môri Hidemoto]], and [[Kikkawa Hiroie]]) was the largest contingent in Ishida's army, but in the actual battle, it barely moved an inch. Sulking in Osaka Castle, Terumoto had been convinced by Kikkawa Hiroie that the best course of action now was to do nothing, indicating that both considered Ishida a lost cause - or at least one not worth fighting for. Kikkawa let this reach Ieyasu, who suggested that inaction would bring rewards if the Eastern Forces won. In the event, things worked out differently. Although Tokugawa had initially indicated that he would honor his unofficial understanding with Kikkawa, this seems to have been solely to coax Terumoto into surrendering the powerful Osaka Castle. Once the campaign had been wrapped up and Osaka Castle safely in Tokugawa hands, Ieyasu declared that it was the duty of a warrior to fight, especially the so-called 'commander-in-chief' of an army. Terumoto's lands were sorely reduced and in a move that might as well have been out of cruel humor, some were transferred to Kikkawa. In the end, Terumoto was left with estates worth 360,000 koku and his head. In what must have been a particularly bitter pill, he was forced to give up Aki - the Môri home for centuries. As for keeping one's head, the same could not be said of [[Ankokuji Ekei]], who was executed in Kyoto along with Ishida Mitsunari and [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. Terumoto, who had lost either control or influence of five provinces, went on to shave his head and became a monk, his career, it could be argued, shaken by a number of key errors in his judgment. His wisest decision as daimyô - to make peace with Hideyoshi - only delayed the inevitable for another 18 years.  

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Samurai]]