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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.
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.
Murakami Yoshiaki, head of the Noshima branch family, led them in supporting a [[Ashikaga shogunate|shogunal]] attack on the [[Akamatsu clan]] in [[1441]], after the assassination of Shogun [[Ashikaga Yoshinori]] by [[Akamatsu Mitsusuke]]. He continued to show his loyalty to the shogunate even after the outbreak of the [[Onin War|Ônin War]] and Shogun [[Ashikaga Yoshitane]]'s being driven out of Kyoto by [[Hosokawa Masamoto]]. As Yoshitane made his way to [[Suo province|Suô province]] (modern-day [[Yamaguchi prefecture]]), he was welcomed by the Murakami of Noshima; Yoshiaki then accompanied the former shogun to Suô.
Murakami Yoshiaki, head of the Noshima branch family, led them in supporting a [[Ashikaga shogunate|shogunal]] attack on the [[Akamatsu clan]] in [[1441]], after the assassination of Shogun [[Ashikaga Yoshinori]] by [[Akamatsu Mitsusuke]]. He continued to show his loyalty to the shogunate even after the outbreak of the [[Onin War|Ônin War]] and Shogun [[Ashikaga Yoshitane]]'s being driven out of Kyoto by [[Hosokawa Masamoto]]. As Yoshitane made his way to [[Suo province|Suô province]] (modern-day [[Yamaguchi prefecture]]), he was welcomed by the Murakami of Noshima; Yoshiaki then accompanied the former shogun to Suô, relying on [[Ouchi Yoshioki|Ôuchi Yoshioki]] of Suô to back Yoshitane's restoration to the shogunate.
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.
Shortly afterward, Iyo was invaded by a combined [[Ouchi clan|Ôuchi]]-[[Hosokawa clan|Hosokawa]] force. Murakami Michiyasu of Kurujima led the forces of Kôno Michinao against them, and repulsed the Ôuchi navy.
Shortly afterward, Iyo was invaded by a combined [[Ouchi clan|Ôuchi]]-[[Hosokawa clan|Hosokawa]] force. Murakami Michiyasu of Kurujima led the forces of Kôno Michinao against them, and repulsed the Ôuchi navy.
In [[1555]], the three branch families accepted the invitation of the Môri clan to join forces at the [[battle of Miyajima]] against the [[Sue clan]], and, led by [[Murakami Takeyoshi]] of Noshima, are said to have contributed significantly to the Môri victory. The Murakami (or at least, some branches) maintained a strong relationship with the Môri throughout the remainder of the Sengoku period.
The Noshima branch was active in the Sengoku period, however, as well. When Ôuchi Yoshioki and Ashikaga Yoshitane made their return to Kyoto, Murakami Masafusa (Yoshiaki) provided naval support for their efforts on land. He then journeyed to Kyoto himself, along with his eldest son, [[Murakami Takakatsu]], defeating enemies at sea near Amagasaki, Akashi, and Hyôgo, and fighting in land battles at Funaoka-yama, Hachiman, and Yamazaki as well.
Takakatsu died in [[1527]] with no direct obvious heir, his son [[Murakami Yoshimasa]] having died previously. The family was then split, with some supporting Yoshimasa's son [[Murakami Yoshimasu]] to become head of the family, and others supporting Yoshimasa's nephew [[Murakami Takeyoshi]] and Takeyoshi's uncle [[Murakami Takashige]]. The conflict developed into outright violence, numerous clashes eventually ending in victory for Takeyoshi, and the beginning of what is sometimes considered the "golden age" of the Noshima Murakami.
Takeyoshi was named [[Yamato province|Yamato]] ''[[gonnokami]]'' in [[1549]]. He lent military support in the following years to Shoguns [[Ashikaga Yoshiteru]] and [[Ashikaga Yoshiaki|Yoshiaki]], and to [[Ouchi Yoshitaka|Ôuchi Yoshitaka]] and the Kôno clan of Iyo province, but while the Innoshima joined up early with the Môri clan, and the Kurujima served the Kôno, Takeyoshi and the Noshima Murakami cannot be considered to have been in the direct service of any daimyô, but rather to have built for themselves a position of relative independence. Takeyoshi married a daughter of Murakami Michiyasu of Kurujima, thus tying the Noshima and Kurujima Murakami somewhat closer together.
In [[1555]], the three branch families accepted the invitation of the Môri clan (conveyed via [[Nomi Munekatsu]], admiral of the [[Kobayakawa clan]] navy) to join forces at the [[battle of Miyajima]] against the [[Sue clan]], and, led by Murakami Takeyoshi of Noshima, are said to have contributed significantly to the Môri victory. The Sue fled in a storm for which their opponents were better prepared, and the Murakami went after them, burning Sue ships and destroying their navy.
Takeyoshi was promised Yashirojima (aka Suô-Ôshima) as a reward for his contributions. The Murakami (or at least, some branches) maintained a strong relationship with the Môri throughout the remainder of the Sengoku period.
However, while Murakami Michiyasu and the Murakami clan more broadly had maintained a strong relationship with the Kôno clan, Michiyasu's son Michifusa rose up against the Kôno, beginning in [[1579]]. He had become head of the Kurujima branch family after his older brother [[Murakami Michiyuki]] gave up the succession to become head of another family, the [[Tokui clan]]. In [[1582]], Michifusa fought for [[Oda Nobunaga]] against the Kôno and Môri, and suffered defeat at their hands. Attacked as well by the Noshima and Innoshima Murakami, he was forced to flee Kurujima, and joined [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], returning to Kurujima two years later after hostilities between Hideyoshi and the Môri (and the allies of the Môri, including the Kôno and the Murakami of Noshima & Innoshima) had ended. It was perhaps around this time that the Murakami of Kurujima came to be known as the Kurujima family (i.e. not as the Murakami), as this was the name that Hideyoshi, seemingly, used to refer to them.
However, while Murakami Michiyasu and the Murakami clan more broadly had maintained a strong relationship with the Kôno clan, Michiyasu's son Michifusa rose up against the Kôno, beginning in [[1579]]. He had become head of the Kurujima branch family after his older brother [[Murakami Michiyuki]] gave up the succession to become head of another family, the [[Tokui clan]]. In [[1582]], Michifusa fought for [[Oda Nobunaga]] against the Kôno and Môri, and suffered defeat at their hands. Attacked as well by the Noshima and Innoshima Murakami, he was forced to flee Kurujima, and joined [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], returning to Kurujima two years later after hostilities between Hideyoshi and the Môri (and the allies of the Môri, including the Kôno and the Murakami of Noshima & Innoshima) had ended. It was perhaps around this time that the Murakami of Kurujima came to be known as the Kurujima family (i.e. not as the Murakami), as this was the name that Hideyoshi, seemingly, used to refer to them.
