Changes

In 1523 the Amako launced an attack against Ôuchi holdings in Aki and Motonari led the Môri in service in Amako Tsunehisa's army.  The Amako were initally repulsed in their attempts to bring down [[Kagamiyama Castle]], held by [[Kurata Fusanobu]] (蔵田房信).  Motonari suggested a trick that resulted in Fusanobu's murder.  The castle fell and Motonari himself gained further prestige.  Later that same year, Komatsumaru died. Motonari was nominated by the family's retainers to become the official head of the clan.  His younger brother, [[Aiau Motostuna]] (相合元綱, d.1524), resented the decision and plotted against Motonari, only to be discovered and at length forced to commit suicide.  His supporter [[Katsura Hirozumi]] and others were also killed or committed suicide.  Relations between the Môri and the Amako declined over the next few years and Motonari decided to cut his ties with the Amako and allied his clan with the Ôuchi.

In 1523 the Amako launced an attack against Ôuchi holdings in Aki and Motonari led the Môri in service in Amako Tsunehisa's army.  The Amako were initally repulsed in their attempts to bring down [[Kagamiyama Castle]], held by [[Kurata Fusanobu]] (蔵田房信).  Motonari suggested a trick that resulted in Fusanobu's murder.  The castle fell and Motonari himself gained further prestige.  Later that same year, Komatsumaru died. Motonari was nominated by the family's retainers to become the official head of the clan.  His younger brother, [[Aiau Motostuna]] (相合元綱, d.1524), resented the decision and plotted against Motonari, only to be discovered and at length forced to commit suicide.  His supporter [[Katsura Hirozumi]] and others were also killed or committed suicide.  Relations between the Môri and the Amako declined over the next few years and Motonari decided to cut his ties with the Amako and allied his clan with the Ôuchi.

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.  The defeat of the Amako had the benefit of isolating the Môri's enemies, the Takeda, who had come to rely on the Amako for aid.  Motonari threatened [[Aki Kanayama Castle|Kanayama Castle]] [銀山城] and [[Takeda Nobusane]] [武田信実] fled to Izumo and the castle was afterwards surrendered.  This marked the end of the Aki Takeda's power.

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 [[Siege of Koriyama|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.  The defeat of the Amako had the benefit of isolating the Môri's enemies, the Takeda, who had come to rely on the Amako for aid.  Motonari threatened [[Aki Kanayama Castle|Kanayama Castle]] [銀山城] and [[Takeda Nobusane]] [武田信実] fled to Izumo and the castle was afterwards surrendered.  This marked the end of the Aki Takeda's power.

[[Amako Tsunehisa]] died in November 1541. Sensing a great opportunity in the passing of this formidable and considering Haruhisa's damaging defeat at Koriyama, 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]].  

[[Amako Tsunehisa]] died in November 1541. Sensing a great opportunity in the passing of this formidable and considering Haruhisa's damaging defeat at Koriyama, 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 [[First Siege of Gassan-Toda|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 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]].  

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]].  

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.  

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 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.  

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 Miyajima|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.  

As might be expected, the Amako were not 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 weaker 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 afterwards had 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 not 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 weaker 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 afterwards had 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 was initiated. Then, in [[1563]], Takamoto died. 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 died. 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. This campaign is known as the [[Second Siege of Gassan-Toda|2nd Battle of Gassan-Toda]].  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]], 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]].