Changes

[[Amako Haruhisa]], who had been steadily advancing the power of the [[Amako clan|Amako]] (reaching as far west as Harima in [[1538]]), invaded the [[Mori clan|Môri clan's]] lands in Aki Province in 1540.  Although usually described as the Siege of Koriyama Castle, or the Battle of Yoshida-Koriyama, the affair was in fact a campaign with a number of phases and battles that lasted for the better part of six months.   

[[Amako Haruhisa]], who had been steadily advancing the power of the [[Amako clan|Amako]] (reaching as far west as Harima in [[1538]]), invaded the [[Mori clan|Môri clan's]] lands in Aki Province in 1540.  Although usually described as the Siege of Koriyama Castle, or the Battle of Yoshida-Koriyama, the affair was in fact a campaign with a number of phases and battles that lasted for the better part of six months.   

Môri Motonari had for a time been aligned with the Amako and had been instrumental in the capture of [[Kagamiyama Castle]] [鏡山城] in 1523, the same year the Motonari was named as the head of the Mori clan.  By the end of the decade Motonari had cut his ties with the Amako and realigned himself with the [[Ouchi clan|Ôuchi]].  Taking advantage of the growing weakness of the [[Takeda clan (Aki)|Takeda]], Motonari grew ever more powerful in Aki Province.   

Môri Motonari had for a time been aligned with the Amako and had been instrumental in the capture of [[Kagamiyama Castle]] [鏡山城] in 1523, the same year that Motonari was named as the head of the Mori clan.  By the end of the decade Motonari had cut his ties with the Amako and realigned himself with the [[Ouchi clan|Ôuchi]].  Taking advantage of the growing weakness of the [[Takeda clan (Aki)|Takeda]], Motonari grew ever more powerful in Aki Province.   

By 1540, the old lord of the Amako, [[Amako Tsunehisa|Tsunehisa]] had nominally retired and turned over the leadership of the clan to his grandson, [[Amako Haruhisa|Haruhisa]] (also known as Akihisa.)  In that year Haruhisa planned a powerful campaign to destroy Motonari and bring Aki under the sway of the Amako.  To this end he gathered an army of some 30,000 men from eight provinces (Bitchu, Bizen, Inaba, Iwami, Izumo, Higo, Mimasaka and Aki itself.)

By 1540, the old lord of the Amako, [[Amako Tsunehisa|Tsunehisa]] had nominally retired and turned over the leadership of the clan to his grandson, [[Amako Haruhisa|Haruhisa]] (also known as Akihisa.)  In that year Haruhisa planned a powerful campaign to destroy Motonari and bring Aki under the sway of the Amako.  To this end he gathered an army of some 30,000 men from eight provinces (Bitchu, Bizen, Inaba, Iwami, Izumo, Higo, Mimasaka and Aki itself.)

The initial phase of the campaign, initiated in the 6th month, involved an attack by the troops of [[Amako Kunihisa]], his brother [[Amako Hisayuki|Hisayuki]], and Kunihisa's son [[Amako Masahisa|Masahisa]] on the domain of Motonari's ally, the [[Shishido clan|Shishido]].

The initial phase of the campaign, initiated in the 6th month, involved an attack by the troops of [[Amako Kunihisa]], his brother [[Amako Hisayuki|Hisayuki]], and Kunihisa's son [[Amako Masahisa|Masahisa]] on the domain of Motonari's ally, the [[Shishido clan|Shishido]], a foray that was to prove of little effect except to deny Haruhisa of some of his most capable generals and soldiers for the attack on Koriyama.

In the 8th month Haruhisa's main force departed Izumo and advanced into the vicinity of Motonari's Yoshida-Koriyama Castle and established a headquarters at [[Kazagoshimayama]] [風越山].  Haruhisa's principal commanders included [[Kamei Hidetsuna]] [亀井秀綱], [[Kikkawa Okitsune]] [吉川興経], [[Kokushou Hisazumi]], [黒正久澄], [[Misawa Tameyuki]] [三沢為幸], [[Takahashi Mototsuna]] [高橋元綱], [[Takao Hisatomo]] [高尾久友], [[Yonehara Tsunahiro]] [米原綱寛] and [[Yubara Munetsuna]] [湯原宗綱].  Meanwhile, Motonari evacuated over 5,000 of Yoshida's citizens inside the walls of Koriyama.  The castle's walls were defended by around 3,000 soldiers.  Urgent requests for aid were dispatched to the Ôuchi in Suo Province.

In the 8th month Haruhisa's main force departed Izumo and advanced into the vicinity of Motonari's Yoshida-Koriyama Castle and established a headquarters at [[Kazagoshimayama]] [風越山].  Haruhisa's principal commanders included [[Kamei Hidetsuna]] [亀井秀綱], [[Kikkawa Okitsune]] [吉川興経], [[Kokushou Hisazumi]], [黒正久澄], [[Misawa Tameyuki]] [三沢為幸], [[Takahashi Mototsuna]] [高橋元綱], [[Takao Hisatomo]] [高尾久友], [[Yonehara Tsunahiro]] [米原綱寛] and [[Yubara Munetsuna]] [湯原宗綱].  Meanwhile, Motonari evacuated over 5,000 of Yoshida's citizens inside the walls of Koriyama.  The castle's walls were defended by around 3,000 soldiers.  Urgent requests for aid were dispatched to the Ôuchi in Suo Province.