Chosokabe clan
Encyclopedia
The was a Japa
nese samurai
clan of the Sengoku period
, that controlled Tosa Province
(Modern day Kōchi Prefecture
), and later Shikoku
Island. The clan is sometimes also known as . Chōsokabe Motochika
, who unified Shikoku, was the 21st Daimyo
(or head) of the clan.
The Chōsokabe clan is believed to have been descended from the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, and were respected Jitô (deputy administrators) of Tosa from the 12th Century and entered the 16th Century as vassals of the Ichijô clan, who were based in western Tosa.
In their early history of the Sengoku Period, Chōsokabe Kunichika
's father - Kanetsugu, was killed by the Motoyama clan in 1508. Therefore, Kunichika was raised by the aristocrat Ichijō Husaie of the Ichijō clan in Tosa Province. Later, towards the end of his life, Kunichika took revenge on the Motoyama clan and destroyed them with the help of the Ichijō in 1560. Kunichika would go on to have children - including his heir and the future Daimyo of the Chōsokabe - Motochika, who would go on to unify Shikoku Island.
First, the Ichijō family was overthrown by Motochika in 1574. Later, he gained control of the rest of Tosa due to his victories at the Battle of Watarigawa in 1575. Over the ensuing decade, he extended his power to all of Shikoku in 1583. However, in 1585, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
(Oda Nobunaga
's successor) invaded that island with a force of 100,000 men, led by Ukita Hideie
, Kobayakawa Takakage
, Kikkawa Motonaga, Toyotomi Hidenaga
, and Toyotomi Hidetsugu
. Motochika surrendered, and forfeited Awa, Sanuki, and Iyo Provinces; Hideyoshi permitted him to retain Tosa.
Under Hideyoshi, Motochika and his son Chōsokabe Nobuchika
participated in the invasion of neighboring Kyūshū
, in which Nobuchika died. In 1590, Motochika led a naval fleet in the Siege of Odawara, and also fought in the Japanese invasions of Korea along with Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1592.
After Motochika died in 1599 at age 61, his successor to the Chōsokabe was Chōsokabe Morichika.
The Chōsokabe lost their remaining lands (Tosa) after the Battle of Sekigahara
in 1600 (The battle that essentially ended the Sengoku Period) to the Yamauchi. This was because, during the Sekigahara Campaign, the Chōsokabe were one of many clans who sided with the Western Alliance loyal to Toyotomi Hideyori
(headed by Ishida Mitsunari
and Mōri Terumoto
) who were helping to fight against the Eastern Alliance (headed by Tokugawa Ieyasu
). After the victory of the Tokugawa forces at the end of the Sekigahara campaign in 1600, Chōsokabe Morichika (the Daimyo) and the remaining retainers were beheaded because of their alliance with the Toyotomi, and the Yamauchi were given land in parts of Shikoku (including Tosa) because of their loyalty to the Tokugawa during the Sekigahara Campaign.
Among the retainers to the clan were Tani Tadasumi, Hisatake Chikanao, Yoshida Takayori, Yoshida Shigetoshi, Yoshida Masashige.
Shirō Sōkabe, the 19th century missionary, was a descendant of the Chōsokabe clan.
Japa
Japa is a spiritual discipline involving the meditative repetition of a mantra or name of a divine power. The mantra or name may be spoken softly, enough for the practitioner to hear it, or it may be spoken purely within the recitor's mind...
nese samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
clan of the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
, that controlled Tosa Province
Tosa Province
is the name of a former province of Japan in the area that is today Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku. Tosa was bordered by Iyo and Awa Provinces. It was sometimes called .-History:The ancient capital was near modern Nankoku...
(Modern day Kōchi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
), and later Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
Island. The clan is sometimes also known as . Chōsokabe Motochika
Chosokabe Motochika
was a Sengoku period daimyo in Japan. He was the 21st chief of the Chōsokabe clan of Tosa Province . He was the son and heir of Chōsokabe Kunichika and his mother was a daughter of the Saitō clan of Mino Province....
, who unified Shikoku, was the 21st Daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
(or head) of the clan.
The Chōsokabe clan is believed to have been descended from the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, and were respected Jitô (deputy administrators) of Tosa from the 12th Century and entered the 16th Century as vassals of the Ichijô clan, who were based in western Tosa.
In their early history of the Sengoku Period, Chōsokabe Kunichika
Chosokabe Kunichika
was a powerful warlord in Tosa Province, Japan. He is the son of Chōsokabe Kanetsugu. His childhood name was Senyumaru .His father was killed by the Motoyama clan in 1508. Therefore, Kunichika was raised by the aristocrat Ichijō Husaie in Tosa Province. Kunichika was reconciled with the Motoya clan...
's father - Kanetsugu, was killed by the Motoyama clan in 1508. Therefore, Kunichika was raised by the aristocrat Ichijō Husaie of the Ichijō clan in Tosa Province. Later, towards the end of his life, Kunichika took revenge on the Motoyama clan and destroyed them with the help of the Ichijō in 1560. Kunichika would go on to have children - including his heir and the future Daimyo of the Chōsokabe - Motochika, who would go on to unify Shikoku Island.
First, the Ichijō family was overthrown by Motochika in 1574. Later, he gained control of the rest of Tosa due to his victories at the Battle of Watarigawa in 1575. Over the ensuing decade, he extended his power to all of Shikoku in 1583. However, in 1585, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
(Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
's successor) invaded that island with a force of 100,000 men, led by Ukita Hideie
Ukita Hideie
was the daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces , and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Son of Ukita Naoie, he married Gohime, a daughter of Maeda Toshiie...
, Kobayakawa Takakage
Kobayakawa Takakage
was a samurai retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku period, and the son of Mōri Motonari. Adopted by the head of the Kobayakawa clan, Takakage took his name, and succeeded his adoptive father to become head of the Kobayakawa clan following his death in 1545.As head of the Kobayakawa...
, Kikkawa Motonaga, Toyotomi Hidenaga
Toyotomi Hidenaga
, formerly known as was a half-brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most powerful warlords of Japan's Sengoku period. He was also known by his court title, . After participating in and helping Hideyoshi win the battle at Kii, Hidenaga oversaw the construction of Wakayama Castle in 1585,...
, and Toyotomi Hidetsugu
Toyotomi Hidetsugu
was a nephew and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who lived during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan.A practitioner of the shudō tradition, Hidetsugu had a number of Wakashū...
. Motochika surrendered, and forfeited Awa, Sanuki, and Iyo Provinces; Hideyoshi permitted him to retain Tosa.
Under Hideyoshi, Motochika and his son Chōsokabe Nobuchika
Chosokabe Nobuchika
was the eldest son of samurai lord Chōsokabe Motochika, and lived during the late Sengoku Period of Japanese history. After the subjugation of Shikoku by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nobuchika and his father followed the Toyotomi into Kyushu. Nobuchika was caught in an ambush during the campaign against the...
participated in the invasion of neighboring Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, in which Nobuchika died. In 1590, Motochika led a naval fleet in the Siege of Odawara, and also fought in the Japanese invasions of Korea along with Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1592.
After Motochika died in 1599 at age 61, his successor to the Chōsokabe was Chōsokabe Morichika.
The Chōsokabe lost their remaining lands (Tosa) after the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
in 1600 (The battle that essentially ended the Sengoku Period) to the Yamauchi. This was because, during the Sekigahara Campaign, the Chōsokabe were one of many clans who sided with the Western Alliance loyal to Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
(headed by Ishida Mitsunari
Ishida Mitsunari
Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...
and Mōri Terumoto
Mori Terumoto
Mōri Terumoto , son of Mōri Takamoto and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome, participated in the Kyūshū campaign on Hideyoshi's side and built Hiroshima Castle, thus essentially founding Hiroshima.Terumoto was a...
) who were helping to fight against the Eastern Alliance (headed by Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
). After the victory of the Tokugawa forces at the end of the Sekigahara campaign in 1600, Chōsokabe Morichika (the Daimyo) and the remaining retainers were beheaded because of their alliance with the Toyotomi, and the Yamauchi were given land in parts of Shikoku (including Tosa) because of their loyalty to the Tokugawa during the Sekigahara Campaign.
Among the retainers to the clan were Tani Tadasumi, Hisatake Chikanao, Yoshida Takayori, Yoshida Shigetoshi, Yoshida Masashige.
Shirō Sōkabe, the 19th century missionary, was a descendant of the Chōsokabe clan.