Chōsokabe Motochika

Chōsokabe Motochika

Chōsokabe Motochika (長宗我部 元親, 1539 – July 11, 1599^[1]) was a Sengoku period daimyo in Japan. He was the 21st chief of the Chōsokabe clan of Tosa Province (present-day Kōchi Prefecture). He was the son and heir of Chōsokabe Kunichika and his mother was a daughter of the Saitō clan of Mino Province.

In 1575, Motochika was victorious at the Battle of Watarigawa, gaining control of Tosa Province. Over the ensuing decade, he extended his power to all of Shikoku. However, in 1585, Hashiba (later Toyotomi) Hideyoshi invaded that island with a force of 100,000 men, led by Ukita Hideie, Kobayakawa Takakage, Kikkawa Motonaga, Hashiba Hidenaga, and Hashiba Hidetsugu. Motochika surrendered, and forfeited Awa, Sanuki, and Iyo Provinces; Hideyoshi permitted him to retain Tosa.

Under Hideyoshi, Motochika and his son Nobuchika participated in the invasion of neighboring Kyūshū, in which Nobuchika died. In 1590, Motochika led a fleet in the Siege of Odawara, and also fought in the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592.

Motochika died in 1599 at age 61 at his mansion in Fushimi. His successor was Chōsokabe Morichika.

Family

• Grandfather: Chōsokabe Kantesugu (died 1508)
• Father: Chōsokabe Kunichika (1504-1560)
• Wife: Nana (also called Lady Motochika)
• Sons:
  • Chōsokabe Nobuchika (1565-1587)
  • Chōsokabe Morichika (1575-1615)

In popular culture

He is a playable character in Pokémon Conquest (Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan), with his partner Pokémon being Dewott and Samurott.^[2]

Motochiki is a playable character from Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends onwards, where he wields a shamisen, he continuously calls himself as "The Bat King", due to Nobunaga historically referring to him as a "the bat who refuses to fly away from its home".^[3]

References

• 新井政義（編集者）『日本史事典』。東京：旺文社 1987 (p. 263)