Changes

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.  Meanwhile, Motonari 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]] (Tenbun 9/8/10) [[Amako Akihisa]] (Haruhisa) dispatched a sizable army drawn from all his holdings into Aki with the intention of bringing down Koriyama Castle. Motonari was heavily outnumbered and shut himself up in Koriyama, sending out raids to harrass the Amako troops under cover of darkness and fog and calling for aid from the Ôuchi. The Amako destroyed a number of Koriyama's outlying forts and burned Koriyama's accompanying town, Yoshida, to the ground. Still unable to convince Motonari to submit, the Amako attempted to besiege Koriyama. Ôuchi Yoshitaka dispatched his general [[Sue Takafusa]] (Harukata) to relieve Koriyama, and in early October Sue arrived and combined forces with Motonari and a number of hard-fought battles ensued. The [[Battle of Yoshida-Koriyama Castle]] [吉田郡山城の戦い], a term generally applied to the overall campaign but consisting of a number of stages and engagements that lasted for the rest of the year, ended in defeat for the Amako with the withdrawal of their battered army out of Aki at the beginning of 1541.

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.  Meanwhile, Motonari 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]] (Tenbun 9/8/10) [[Amako Akihisa]] (Haruhisa) dispatched a sizable army drawn from all his holdings into Aki with the intention of bringing down Koriyama Castle. Motonari was heavily outnumbered and shut himself up in Koriyama, sending out raids to harrass the Amako troops under cover of darkness and fog and calling for aid from the Ôuchi. The Amako destroyed a number of Koriyama's outlying forts and burned Koriyama's accompanying town, Yoshida, to the ground. Still unable to convince Motonari to submit, the Amako attempted to besiege Koriyama. Ôuchi Yoshitaka dispatched his general [[Sue Takafusa]] (Harukata) to relieve Koriyama, and in early October Sue arrived and combined forces with Motonari and a number of hard-fought battles ensued. The [[Battle of Yoshida-Koriyama Castle]] [吉田郡山城の戦い], a term generally applied to the overall campaign but consisting of a number of stages and engagements that lasted for the rest of the year, ended in defeat for the Amako with the withdrawal of their battered army out of Aki at the beginning of 1541.

[[Amako Tsunehisa]] died in November 1541. Sensing a great opportunity in both this and Haruhisa's earlier defeat, Oûchi Yoshitaka and Môri planned a campaign to bring down Gassan-Toda Castle.  The combined forces mobilized in January of 1542 (Tenbun 11/1).  The Oûchi brought down [[Akana Castle]] [赤穴城] on the Iwami-Izumo border after a three month siege and eventually the allies approached Gassan-Toda, well into the year. By this time their troops were weary and at the absolute limits of their supply lines and numerically not powerful enough to storm the castle.  After some fighting after the new year, the allies conceded defeat and withdrew, harried as they went by the Amako.  Motonari returned to Koriyama to lick his wounds while Yoshitaka, his confidence said to have been forever shattered by the fiasco, withdrew into Yamaguchi and increasingly relied on his senior retainers to manage the Oûchi domain. In fact, the failed expedition could be seen as benefiting the Môri in the long run. With Yoshitaka's lapse into inactivity, Motonari had more room to expand throughout Aki and consolidate his power. In the meantime, the Amako took advantage of their recent victory to push their influence into the lands to their east, [[Hôki Province|Hôki Province]], [[Mimasaka Province|Mimasaka Province]], and [[Bitchû Province|Bitchû Province]].  

[[Amako Tsunehisa]] died in November 1541. Sensing a great opportunity in both this and Haruhisa's earlier defeat, Oûchi Yoshitaka and Môri planned a campaign to bring down Gassan-Toda Castle.  The combined forces mobilized in January of 1542 (Tenbun 11/1).  The Oûchi brought down [[Akana Castle]] [赤穴城] on the Iwami-Izumo border after a three month siege and eventually the allies approached Gassan-Toda, well into the year. By this time their troops were weary and at the absolute limits of their supply lines and numerically not powerful enough to storm the castle.  After some fighting after the new year, the allies conceded defeat and withdrew, harried as they went by the Amako.  The [[1st Battle of Gassan-Toda Castle]] [月山富田城の戦い] marked a turning point in the fortunes of the western provinces.  Motonari returned to Koriyama to lick his wounds while Yoshitaka, his confidence said to have been forever shattered by the fiasco, withdrew into Yamaguchi and increasingly relied on his senior retainers to manage the Oûchi domain. In fact, the failed expedition could be seen as benefiting the Môri in the long run. With Yoshitaka's lapse into inactivity, Motonari had more room to expand throughout Aki and consolidate his power. In the meantime, the Amako took advantage of their recent victory to push their influence into the lands to their east, [[Hôki Province|Hôki Province]], [[Mimasaka Province|Mimasaka Province]], and [[Bitchû Province|Bitchû Province]].  

Over the next few years, Motonari managed to arrange for his sons to assume the leadership of two powerful Aki clans-the [[Kikkawa clan|Kikkawa]] and [[Kobayakawa clan|Kobayakawa]]. His second son [[Kikkawa Motoharu|Motoharu]] went to the Kikkawa, and his third son, [[Kobayakawa Takakage|Takakage]], went to the Kobayakawa.  

Over the next few years, Motonari concluded alliances with such powers as the Kumagai and [Western Murakami clan|Murakami], the latter a family consisting of three branches that was essentially an Inland Sea pirate organization. Môri's alliance with [[Murakami Torayasu]] would pay dividends for years to come. In 1550 Motonari arranged for his sons to assume the leadership of two powerful Aki clans-the [[Kikkawa clan|Kikkawa]] and [[Kobayakawa clan|Kobayakawa]]. His second son [[Kikkawa Motoharu|Motoharu]] went to the Kikkawa, and his third son, [[Kobayakawa Takakage|Takakage]], went to the Kobayakawa. Motonari's eldest son and heir, a onetime goodwill hostage of the Oûchi, was [[Môri Takamoto|Takamoto]], the father of the future [[Mori Terumoto|Môri Terumoto]]. By [[1550]], both Motoharu and Takakage had become the lords of their respective clans, and not a moment too soon, for turmoil erupted in [[Suo province|Suo]].  

Motonari's eldest son and heir, a onetime goodwill hostage of the Oûchi, was [[Takamoto]], the father of the future [[Mori Terumoto|Môri Terumoto]]. By [[1550]], both Motoharu and Takakage had become the lords of their respective clans, and not a moment too soon, for turmoil erupted in [[Suo province|Suo]]. As mentioned, Oûchi Yoshitaka had retreated from affairs of state following the Izumo debacle in 1543. During the next seven years, he handed over most military matters to his retainers, notably the Naito and Sue Takafusa, contenting him self with court intrigue and the China trade. It would seem that Sue had attempted again and again to warn his lord against neglecting military affairs, going so far towards the end as to insinuate that someone close to the Ôuchi might rebel. In 1550, that someone turned out to be Sue himself. When Takafusa revolted, Yoshikata was forced to flee Yamaguchi and, finding that none of his major retainers were willing to help him, committed suicide. Sue quickly made a thin attempt to legitimize his actions by placing a ready-made Oûchi puppet (a member of the [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo clan]]) in Yamaguchi.

==The Battle of Miyajima==

Môri's immediate reaction to Sue's rebellion is unknown, but for the next few years he paid the new lord of the Ôuchi lip service. Neither warrior seems to have trusted the other, and conflict between the two was perhaps inevitable. Motonari, however, bided his time. He expanded the Môri presence in Bingo province (taking Takiyama in 1552) and strengthened his ties with the Murakami, a family (of three branches) that was essentially an Inland Sea pirate organization. Môri's alliance with [[Murakami Torayasu]] would pay dividends for years to come.

 

Môri's immediate reaction to Sue's rebellion is unknown, but for the next few years he paid the new lord of the Ôuchi lip service. Motonari contented himself with expanding the Môri presence in [[Bingo province]], taking [[Takiyama Castle]] in 1552.

In [[1554]] Motonari dropped all pretenses and broke from Sue, prompting the latter to gather a large army of as many as 30,000 men. Motonari, while stronger then ever, could scarcely muster half that. Nonetheless, he fared well in the early stages of their conflict, defeating Sue troops at [[Battle of Oshikihata|Oshikihata]] in June. By using what had already become hallmark Môri 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.  

In [[1554]] Motonari dropped all pretenses and broke from Sue, prompting the latter to gather a large army of as many as 30,000 men. Motonari, while stronger then ever, could scarcely muster half that. Nonetheless, he fared well in the early stages of their conflict, defeating Sue troops at [[Battle of Oshikihata|Oshikihata]] in June. By using what had already become hallmark Môri 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.  

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 his retainers and allies deserting the Môri led Motonari to adopt a bold and unorthodox scheme. His plan involved Miyajima, home to the [[Itskushima Shrine]] and a place combatants had traditionally avoided on religious grounds. The suggestion to occupy this place, which was strategically located just off the Aki coast in the Inland Sea, actually came from Môri's generals. Initially, Motonari 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 Môri's own doubts led him to form a clever plan: why not lure Sue into just such a trap? Naturally, such a tactic would require Sue to act accordingly, and for inducement, Motonari immediately gave orders that Miyajima was to be occupied, and a fort thrown up quite near the Itskushima shrine. 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, it should be noted; 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. Since the following autumn, Môri 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.  

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 his retainers and allies deserting the Môri led Motonari to adopt a bold and unorthodox scheme. His plan involved Miyajima, home to the [[Itskushima Shrine]] and a place combatants had traditionally avoided on religious grounds. The suggestion to occupy this place, which was strategically located just off the Aki coast in the Inland Sea, actually came from Môri's generals. Initially, Motonari refused the idea on tactical grounds. For Miyajima to be a viable base of operations, [[Sakurao castle]] [桜尾城], 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 Môri's own doubts led him to attempt to lure Sue into just such a tactical dilemma. Naturally, for the plan to work Sue would have to act accordingly, and for inducement, Motonari immediately gave orders that Miyajima was to be occupied, and a fort thrown up quite near the Itskushima shrine. In September, Sue fell into the trap. He landed with the bulk of his army on Miyajima and attacked [[Miyao Castle]] [宮尾城]. When the island had been secured, Sue threw up a few fortifications on To-no-oka (Pagoda Hill) and sat down to plot strategy. From his point of view, it should be noted, 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. Since the following autumn, Môri had assumed a largely defensive posture, and Sue had some reason to feel comfortable in his new forward headquarters. Sue grew complacent.  

Môri put his strategy into effect. Within a week he retook Sakurao and played his trump card – [[Murakami Torayasu]]. Gathering the pirate's naval strength, he set out to surprise Sue on Miyajima, and picked a perfect night on which to do so. On 1 October, after dark and in a driving thunderstorm, Motonari and his sons put to sea. As a diversion, [[Kobayakawa Takakage]] sailed straight past the Sue positions on To-no-oka while Motonari, Takamoto, and [[Kikkawa Motoharu]] landed just to the east and out of sight. Takakage doubled back around and landed at dawn, attacking the Sue forces practically in the shadow of Miyajima's great Torii Gate. Motonari then assaulted the confused Sue troops from behind, and the result was a rout for [[Sue Harukata]], who committed suicide at Oenoura, a small island inlet. Many of his troops followed suit, and for Motonari, the battle was utterly decisive. While it would take the Môri until [[1557]] to force [[Ouchi Yoshinaga|Oûchi Yoshinaga]] to commit suicide and years longer to completely bring Suo and Nagato under their control, Motonari was now the most powerful lord in western Japan.  

Môri retook Sakurao and called on the support of his naval ally, Murakami Torayoshi. Gathering the pirate's naval strength, he set out to surprise Sue on Miyajima, and picked a perfect night on which to do so. On the night of 16 October (Tenbun 24 10/1), in a driving thunderstorm, Motonari and his sons put to sea. As a diversion, Takakage sailed straight past the Sue positions on To-no-oka while Motonari, Takamoto, and Motoharu landed just to the east and out of sight. Takakage doubled back around and landed at dawn, attacking the Sue forces practically in the shadow of Miyajima's great Torii Gate. Motonari then assaulted the confused Sue troops from behind, and the result was a rout for Harukata, who committed suicide at Oe Bay (Oe no ura, 大江浦), a small island inlet. Many of his troops followed suit, and for Motonari, the [[Battle of Itsukushima]] [厳島の戦い] was utterly decisive. While it would take the Môri until [[1557]] to force [[Ouchi Yoshinaga|Oûchi Yoshinaga]] to commit suicide and years longer to completely bring Suo and Nagato under their control, Motonari was now the most powerful lord in western Japan.  

==Command of the Western Provinces==

==Command of the Western Provinces==

[[Image:Mori_domain.jpg|thumb|left|]]

[[Image:Mori_domain.jpg|thumb|left|]]

The next five years were occupied with reorganizing the newly acquired Oûchi territories. In addition, a string of battles with the powerful [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo]] of Kyushu began over [[Moji castle]], a vital stronghold in the extreme northern tip of Buzen province. Moji would change hands a number of times until finally being secured by Takamoto in [[1561]] (See [[Otomo Sorin|Ôtomo Sôrin]]).  

The next five years were occupied with reorganizing the newly acquired Oûchi territories. In addition, a string of battles with the powerful [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo]] of Kyushu began over [[Moji castle]], a vital stronghold in the extreme northern tip of Buzen province. Moji would change hands a number of times until finally being secured by Takamoto in [[1561]].

As might be expected, the Amako were less then willing to give up their own dreams of dominance in the Chugoku region and continued to defy the Môri. Yet in 1562, [[Amako Haruhisa]] died, leaving his less then gifted son Yoshihisa to carry on the struggle. Haruhisa had not done much to prepare Yoshihisa for his struggle. Years before, Haruhisa had ordered the death (for reasons unknown) of his uncle, Kunihisa, and since that point until his death done little beyond harassing the Môri in Iwami and Bingo and making an ultimately fruitless pact with the Ôtomo.  

As might be expected, the Amako were less then willing to give up their own dreams of dominance in the Chugoku region and continued to defy the Môri. Yet in 1562, [[Amako Haruhisa]] died, leaving his less then gifted son Yoshihisa to carry on the struggle. Haruhisa had not done much to prepare Yoshihisa for his struggle. Years before, Haruhisa had ordered the death (for reasons unknown) of his uncle, Kunihisa, and since that point until his death done little beyond harassing the Môri in Iwami and Bingo and making an ultimately fruitless pact with the Ôtomo.  

Motonari wasted little time in taking advantage of Haruhisa's death. In [[1562]] Iwami was finally taken, and a campaign directed to cut Gassan - Toda off from its supply lines initiated. Then, in [[1563]], Takamoto was dead. His passing was sudden, and the Amako were suspected as having a hand in it. Had that been the case, it was a useless gesture, for while the loss stung the Môri clan, it bought the Amako precious little time. In the fall of that year the Môri invested [[Shiraga Castle]], a vital 'satellite' of Gassan-Toda in Izumo. An Amako effort to relieve the garrison failed, and the castle surrendered in October after 70 days. Shiraga's fall all but isolated Gassan - Toda, and Môri led his 25,000 on to the Amako stronghold in the spring of 1564. Heavily outnumbered and facing starvation, Yoshihisa nonetheless managed to resist one Môri assault in April that cost Motonari some moderate losses and forced him to withdraw to reorganize. In the September of [[1565]], Motonari returned, and this time resolved to starve Gassan - Toda into submission. To assist in this policy, Motonari let it be known that the Môri would accept no deserters from the castle, content to keep all of the besieged within the walls and eating up the Amako's dwindling supplies. For a final touch, he made a move to undermine the leadership of the defenders. A certain [[Uyama Hisanobu]], the son of the late [[Uyama Hisakane]] (the skilled warrior killed in Haruhisa's failed attack on Koriyama), had shown himself to be a man of both wise judgment and unshakable dedication to the Amako. Motonari therefore had rumors spread within the castle walls about Uyama's loyalty, prompting Yoshihisa to have the unfortunate fellow killed. This, not surprisingly, did not go over so well with the other retainers, and when Motonari lifted his ban on deserters, thousands of half-starved men fled the doomed castle. Finally, in January of [[1566]], Yoshihisa surrendered. Perhaps to the surprise of everyone involved (including Yoshihisa himself), Môri spared the defeated man's life, allowing him to take up a monk's habit.  

Motonari wasted little time in taking advantage of Haruhisa's death. In [[1562]] Iwami was finally taken, and a campaign directed to cut Gassan-Toda off from its supply lines was initiated. Then, in [[1563]], Takamoto was dead. His passing was sudden, and the Amako were suspected as having a hand in it. Had that been the case, it was a useless gesture, for while the loss stung the Môri clan, it bought the Amako precious little time. In the fall of that year the Môri invested [[Shiraga Castle]], a vital 'satellite' of Gassan-Toda in Izumo. An Amako effort to relieve the garrison failed, and the castle surrendered in October after 70 days. Shiraga's fall all but isolated Gassan - Toda, and Môri led his 25,000 on to the Amako stronghold in the spring of 1564. Heavily outnumbered and facing starvation, Yoshihisa nonetheless managed to resist one Môri assault in April that cost Motonari some moderate losses and forced him to withdraw to reorganize. In the September of [[1565]], Motonari returned, and this time resolved to starve Gassan - Toda into submission. To assist in this policy, Motonari let it be known that the Môri would accept no deserters from the castle, content to keep all of the besieged within the walls and eating up the Amako's dwindling supplies. For a final touch, he made a move to undermine the leadership of the defenders. A certain [[Uyama Hisanobu]], the son of the late [[Uyama Hisakane]] (the skilled warrior killed in Haruhisa's failed attack on Koriyama), had shown himself to be a man of both wise judgment and unshakable dedication to the Amako. Motonari therefore had rumors spread within the castle walls about Uyama's loyalty, prompting Yoshihisa to have the unfortunate fellow killed. This, not surprisingly, did not go over so well with the other retainers, and when Motonari lifted his ban on deserters, thousands of half-starved men fled the doomed castle. Finally, in January of [[1566]], Yoshihisa surrendered. Perhaps to the surprise of everyone involved (including Yoshihisa himself), Môri spared the defeated man's life, allowing him to take up a monk's habit.  

Motonari lived for five more years, passing away at the age of 74, one of the greatest warlords of the mid-16th Century. Under his leadership the Môri had expanded from a few districts in Aki to rule over ten of the Chugoku'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. Interestingly, he is best remembered for an event that probably never took place-the 'lesson of the three arrows'. In this parable, 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 [[Mori Takamoto|Takamoto]], [[Mori Motoharu|Motoharu]], and [[Mori Takakage|Takakage]], and the lesson is one that Japanese children still learn in school today. He in fact had a total of six other sons, two of which appear to have died in childhood. The others included [[Mori Motoaki|Motoaki]], [[Mori Motokiyo|Motokiyo]], [[Mori Motomasa|Motomasa]] and [[Mori Hidekane|(Kobayakawa) Hidekane]].  

Motonari lived for five more years, passing away at the age of 74, one of the greatest warlords of the mid-16th Century. Under his leadership the Môri had expanded from a few districts in Aki to rule over ten of the Chugoku'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. Interestingly, he is best remembered for an event that probably never took place-the 'lesson of the three arrows'. In this parable, 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 [[Mori Takamoto|Takamoto]], [[Mori Motoharu|Motoharu]], and [[Mori Takakage|Takakage]], and the lesson is one that Japanese children still learn in school today. He in fact had a total of six other sons, two of which appear to have died in childhood. The others included [[Mori Motoaki|Motoaki]], [[Mori Motokiyo|Motokiyo]], [[Mori Motomasa|Motomasa]] and [[Mori Hidekane|(Kobayakawa) Hidekane]].