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==The Lord of Koriyama==

==The Lord of Koriyama==

[[Image:Mori_motonari.jpg|thumb|right|Mori Motonari.]]

[[Image:Mori_motonari.jpg|thumb|right|Mori Motonari.]]

Motonari inherited a clan that claimed direct descent from [[Oie Hiromoto]], an advisor to [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] who served the [[Hojo Clan|Hojo]] well after Yoritomo's death. Hiromoto's son assumed the name Môri, and in [[1336]] Aki province became the clan's homeland when [[Mori Tokichika|Môri Tokichika]] was appointed Jito there. The clan experienced a power struggle in the 1470's that saw the main Môri line absorb both its branch families.  

Motonari inherited a clan that claimed direct descent from [[Oie Hiromoto]], an advisor to [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] who served the [[Hojo Clan|Hojo]] well after Yoritomo's death. Hiromoto's son assumed the name Môri, and in [[1336]] Aki province became the clan's homeland when [[Mori Tokichika|Môri Tokichika]] was appointed Jito there. The clan experienced a power struggle in the 1470's that saw the main [[Mori clan|Môri]] line absorb both its branch families.  

Motonari was born Shojumaru, the second son of [[Mori Hiromoto|Môri Hiromoto]], a daimyo who struggled against the local [[Takeda clan]] (not to be confused with the [[Kai Province|Kai]] branch of that family) and the encroaching [[Ouchi Clan|Oûchi]]. In [[1499]], Hiromoto found himself in the path of a looming Amako invasion from Izumo, and allied with Oûchi. At the time, [[Ouchi Yoshioki|Oûchi Yoshioki]] was becoming involved in the gunboat politics of Kyoto and while he was away, the Amako grew stronger. In [[1506]] Hiromoto died, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Okimoto, who ended up assisting Yoshioki in Kyoto for a short period. It happened that he died in [[1516]], and Motonari was named to act as guardian to the late lord's young son, Komatsumaru. Komatsumaru in turn was to die in [[1523]], after which Motonari became the official head of he clan. Evidently, Môri's predecessors had died under unclear circumstances, for there is a legend that it was Motonari himself who dispatched them. At any rate, Motonari did not inherit a particularly enviable position. The most powerful daimyo in Aki, [[Takeda Motoshige]], took advantage of Okimoto's death to make a play for Môri land, and in [[Izumo Province|Izumo]] the Amako began to rattle their sabers. Luckily for the Môri, however, their young lord quickly proved himself a man of action. Takeda had set out to take [[Koriyama Castle]] (the Môri's chief bastion since the early 14th Century) but found his troops intercepted and routed by the numerically inferior Môri clan. This victory carried a certain prestige value for Motonari, but was quickly over-shadowed by greater events. In [[1518]] [[Amako Tsunehisa]] made a series of raids into the Oûchi's lands, falling back with the return of Yoshioki from Kyôto. In [[1521]] a formal peace treaty was signed between the two clans but this lasted for but one year. In [[1522]], Tsunehisa marched into Aki, forcing Motonari, whose lands sat directly in the Amako's path, to submit. Motonari was immediately dispatched against [[Kagamiyama Castle]] while Tsunehisa himself struck at Kanayama. Motonari was successful in his endeavor, but Tsunehisa made no progress against Kanayama and retreated. Also in 1522, Motonari married the daughter of [[Kikkawa Kunitsune]]; this match would not only secure the friendship of the Kikkawa but would in time produce three fine sons. Any sense of security this marriage brought was shaken in [[1524]], when Môri suffered the defection of his vassal, [[Katsura Hirozumi]], and was forced to defeat the traitor in open battle not far from Koriyama.  

Motonari was born Shojumaru, the second son of [[Mori Hiromoto|Môri Hiromoto]], a daimyo who struggled against the local [[Takeda clan]] (not to be confused with the [[Kai Province|Kai]] branch of that family) and the encroaching [[Ouchi Clan|Oûchi]]. In [[1499]], Hiromoto found himself in the path of a looming Amako invasion from Izumo, and allied with Oûchi. At the time, [[Ouchi Yoshioki|Oûchi Yoshioki]] was becoming involved in the gunboat politics of Kyoto and while he was away, the Amako grew stronger. In [[1506]] Hiromoto died, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Okimoto, who ended up assisting Yoshioki in Kyoto for a short period. It happened that he died in [[1516]], and Motonari was named to act as guardian to the late lord's young son, Komatsumaru. Komatsumaru in turn was to die in [[1523]], after which Motonari became the official head of he clan. Evidently, Môri's predecessors had died under unclear circumstances, for there is a legend that it was Motonari himself who dispatched them. At any rate, Motonari did not inherit a particularly enviable position. The most powerful daimyo in Aki, [[Takeda Motoshige]], took advantage of Okimoto's death to make a play for Môri land, and in [[Izumo Province|Izumo]] the Amako began to rattle their sabers. Luckily for the Môri, however, their young lord quickly proved himself a man of action. Takeda had set out to take [[Koriyama Castle]] (the Môri's chief bastion since the early 14th Century) but found his troops intercepted and routed by the numerically inferior Môri clan. This victory carried a certain prestige value for Motonari, but was quickly over-shadowed by greater events. In [[1518]] [[Amako Tsunehisa]] made a series of raids into the Oûchi's lands, falling back with the return of Yoshioki from Kyôto. In [[1521]] a formal peace treaty was signed between the two clans but this lasted for but one year. In [[1522]], Tsunehisa marched into Aki, forcing Motonari, whose lands sat directly in the Amako's path, to submit. Motonari was immediately dispatched against [[Kagamiyama Castle]] while Tsunehisa himself struck at Kanayama. Motonari was successful in his endeavor, but Tsunehisa made no progress against Kanayama and retreated. Also in 1522, Motonari married the daughter of [[Kikkawa Kunitsune]]; this match would not only secure the friendship of the Kikkawa but would in time produce three fine sons. Any sense of security this marriage brought was shaken in [[1524]], when Môri suffered the defection of his vassal, [[Katsura Hirozumi]], and was forced to defeat the traitor in open battle not far from Koriyama.  

Môri's immediate reaction to Sue's rebellion is unknown, but for the next few years he paid the new lord of the Oûchi 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 Oûchi 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.

==The Battle of Miyajima==

==The Battle of Miyajima==