Mōri Motonari

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Mōri Motonari (毛利元就, Mōri Motonari^?, 1497-1571) was a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. He was born as Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province. His father, Mōri Hiromoto, died when he was nine, leaving the clan in the hands of Motonari's older brother, Mōri Okimoto. Okimoto held an alliance with Ōuchi Yoshioki (a powerful daimyō to the west of the Mori lands) founded by Hiromoto and assisted Ōuchi in Kyoto. In 1516 Okimoto died and Motonari became the guardian of Okimoto's son, Komatsumaru. After Komatsumaru died, Motonari became the head of Mōri clan.

Sandwiched between the powerful Amago and Ōuchi clans, Motonari led the clan by carefully balancing actions and diplomacy. Eventually, Motonari succeeded in defeating both and controlled the entire Chūgoku area. In his late years, he crushed the Ōtomo clan of Bungo province.

He had three sons, Mori Takamoto, Kikkawa Motoharu, and Kobayakawa Takakage, whom he encouraged to work together for the benefit of the Mori clan. In one instance, he is said to have handed each of his sons an arrow and asked each snap it. After each snapped his arrow, Motonari produced three arrows and asked his sons to snap all three at once. When they were unable to do so, Motonari explained that one arrow could be broken easily but three arrows held together could not.

His eldest son, Mōri Takamoto died of a sudden disease, some say poisoning, while enroute to attack the Amago clan. Saddened and angered by his death, Motonari ordered all those responsible to be punished.

In all, Motonari had nine sons and two daughters - four children (including Takamoto, Motoharu, and Takakage) with his wife, Mii-no-kata (also known as Myoukyuu), three with a woman from the Nomi clan, and four with a woman from the Miyoshi clan.

[edit] Appearance in popular culture

Motonari has appeared as an NPC in the video game Sengoku Basara. He is portrayed as a cruel person with a great tactical mind who wields baton in battlefield. His name in Devil Kings is Kahz.

He appears in Sengoku Basara 2 with a ring blade as a weapon.

He (along with King Lear) is also the basis of Hidetora Ichimonji in the Akira Kurosawa film Ran.

His arrows were portrayed as collectible antiques in an episode of the anime, Samurai Champloo.