Changes

The Murakami sided with the [[Southern Court]] during the Nanboku-chô conflicts, inviting the Kôno to join them in doing so, and swearing allegiance to [[Prince Kanenaga]], who was a key Southern Court figure in Kyushu. With the aid of the [[Kikuchi clan]] of [[Higo province]], they defeated the Kôno and eliminated Northern Court power in Iyo, expanding the Murakami's own power in the Inland Sea.

The Murakami sided with the [[Southern Court]] during the Nanboku-chô conflicts, inviting the Kôno to join them in doing so, and swearing allegiance to [[Prince Kanenaga]], who was a key Southern Court figure in Kyushu. With the aid of the [[Kikuchi clan]] of [[Higo province]], they defeated the Kôno and eliminated Northern Court power in Iyo, expanding the Murakami's own power in the Inland Sea.

===Division of the Clan===

===Division of the Clan===

The three branches, known as the [[Kurujima castle|Kurujima Murakami]]<ref>Also sometimes referred to as a new family/clan, the Kurujima (either 来島 or 久留島).</ref>, [[Noshima|Noshima Murakami]], and [[Innoshima|Innoshima Murakami]] after the islands where they were based, are said to have each been founded by one of three brothers, around [[1419]]. Accounts vary as to whether these were three sons of [[Murakami Yoshiaki]], or his two younger brothers and himself. Yoshiaki was, in any case, the son of [[Murakami Morokiyo]], who was adopted from the [[Murakami clan (Shinano)|Murakami clan of Shinano]] by Yoshihiro, who had no biological sons of his own.

The three branches, known as the [[Kurujima castle|Kurujima Murakami]]<ref>Also sometimes referred to as a new family/clan, the Kurujima (either 来島 or 久留島).</ref>, [[Noshima|Noshima Murakami]], and [[Innoshima|Innoshima Murakami]] after the islands where they were based, are said to have each been founded by one of three brothers, around [[1419]]. Accounts vary as to whether these were three sons of [[Murakami Yoshiaki]], or his two younger brothers and himself. Yoshiaki was, in any case, the son of [[Murakami Morokiyo]], who was adopted from the [[Murakami clan (Shinano)|Murakami clan of Shinano]] by Yoshihiro, who had no biological sons of his own.<ref>According to some accounts, it was not Murakami Morokiyo, but [[Kitabatake Akinari]], grandson of [[Kitabatake Chikafusa]], from whom the three branches were descended. According to others, it was [[Murakami Yoshitane]], not Yoshiaki, who was the relevant son of Morokiyo.</ref>

 

Yoshiaki, also known as Masafusa, established his base on Nôshima, while [[Murakami Akitada|Akitada]], also known as Yoshifusa, and [[Murakami Akinaga|Akinaga]], also known as Yoshitoyo, took Innoshima and Kurujima respectively.

Initially, these branch families served the [[Kono clan|Kôno clan]] ''[[shugo]]'' of [[Iyo province]], maintaining public order on the Inland Sea, collecting maritime customs taxes, and the like. When Iwagijima was attacked by pirates in 1462-63, and when Ômishima was attacked by forces from [[Aki province]] in [[1522]], the Murakami fought back. They maintained fortresses not only on the three islands after which each branch family took its name, but also on many other small islands in the Inland Sea.

Initially, these branch families served the [[Kono clan|Kôno clan]] ''[[shugo]]'' of [[Iyo province]], maintaining public order on the Inland Sea, collecting maritime customs taxes, and the like. They were sometimes said to be the top of all the 18 families which served the Kôno, and headed the naval side of the Kôno standing armies. When Iwagijima was attacked by pirates in 1462-63, and when Ômishima was attacked by forces from [[Aki province]] in [[1522]], the Murakami fought back. They maintained fortresses not only on the three islands after which each branch family took its name, but also on many other small islands in the Inland Sea. In addition to these military functions, and overseeing trade and shipping in general, the Murakami played a major role in a variety of other maritime activities in the Inland Sea, including tugboat activities, seeing to the shipping of official goods and the transport of officials, aiding those shipwrecked or adrift, and the like. Unlike the majority of clans, who relied on agrarian sources of income and power, the Murakami built up their power, and wealth, through maritime activity.

Father and son [[Murakami Michiyasu]] and [[Murakami Michifusa]] of Kurujima were among those most prominent and active in the [[Sengoku period]]. Michiyasu's wife was a daughter of [[Kono Michinao|Kôno Michinao]], and in [[1541]], Michinao named Michiyasu his successor, but some prominent Kôno clan retainers were opposed to this and supported [[Kono Michimasa|Kôno Michimasa]] as successor instead. They launched an attack against Michinao and Michiyasu, who fled to Kurujima. The conflict was eventually resolved with Michimasa being named successor; the Murakami thus never became successors to the Kôno clan.

Father and son [[Murakami Michiyasu]] and [[Murakami Michifusa]] of Kurujima were among those most prominent and active in the [[Sengoku period]]. Michiyasu's wife was a daughter of [[Kono Michinao|Kôno Michinao]], and in [[1541]], Michinao named Michiyasu his successor, but some prominent Kôno clan retainers were opposed to this and supported [[Kono Michimasa|Kôno Michimasa]] as successor instead. They launched an attack against Michinao and Michiyasu, who fled to Kurujima. The conflict was eventually resolved with Michimasa being named successor; the Murakami thus never became successors to the Kôno clan.