Kikkawa Hiroie
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese daimyo
of the Azuchi-Momoyama period
through early Edo period
.
Hiroie's father was Kikkawa Motoharu
and his mother was a daughter of Kumagai Nobunao. He initially was named Tsunenobu(経信) and made his debut on the battle field on 1570 against Amago Katsuhisa
with his father. On 1583, he was sent to then the de facto ruler Hashiba Hideyoshi
as a hostage.
From 1586 to 1587, his father and his elder brother Kikkawa Motonaga both died and he became the head of Kikkawa clan. Around this time, he changed his name to Hiroie. Unlike his father and his elder brother who was known for the battlefield bravery, Hiroie preferred strategy and diplomacy to win on a battlefield and was highly praised by Hideyoshi for holding Mori clan together after the death of Kobayakawa Takakage
. During the Seven-Year Korean War, he is noted for the successful defeat of a much larger Ming army at the battle of Ulsan castle.
In the Battle of Sekigahara
on 1600, Hiroie judged that the Tokugawa side would win. However, as one of the five leading elders of the Toyotomi government, Mōri Terumoto
and several of the Mori clan's retainers was supportive of the pro-Toyotomi forces led by Ishida Mitsunari
. In order to ensure the survival of the clan, Hiroie made a secret pact with the Tokugawa side through Kuroda Nagamasa
, promising to Mori neutrality during the battle in exchange for guarantees of the existing Mori domains.
Although Mori Terumoto was made the nominal commander-in-chief of the western army, he remained in the Osaka Castle. Instead, the Mori field army joined the rest of the western forces under the command of Mori Hidemoto
, with Hiroi commanding the vanguards. On the day of the actual battle, September 15, the Mori army deployed on the flank of the Tokugawa forces. However, when Hidemoto ordered an assault, Hiroie refused to comply and used the vanguards under his command to block off the attack routes. Hiroie was thus able to prevent the bulk of the Mori army from engaging the Tokugawa troops.
The bulk of the Mori army therefore never actually took part in the battle. However, after Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged victorious, several documents incriminating Mori Terumoto was found in the Osaka Castle. Ieyasu believed the documents showed that Terumoto was involved more deeply in the western army than Hiroie had presented, and thus voided their secret pact. Initially he wished to completely confiscate all Mori domains and give two provinces to Hiroie as a reward.
However the offer shocked Hiroie, whose motivation was to ensure the Mori clan's survival. Eventually Ieyasu relented, and instead reduced the Mori clan's domains to just two provinces under the condition that Mori Teruomot retires. Although Hiroie succeeded in keeping the Mori clan's daimyo status, the Mori clan lost over 3 quarters of its former territories.
Because Hiroie had proceeded with the secret negotiations without the clan's approval or knowledge, once the events came to light he came under intense attacks from his own clan. Many considered him a traitor, especially since it was felt that his actions during the battle was instrumental in the Tokugawa victory that led to the disastrous punishment. Hidemoto in particular would become his bitter rival in Mori clan politics.
After the battle, Terumoto gave a portion of his much reduced domain to Hiroie. He is therefore often mistakenly considered the first ruler of a Iwakuni han; however, unlike the Mori shihans that were established for branches of the Mori clan in the same period, Hiroie and his descendants was not made daimyos in their own right until the Meiji Revolution. Instead, the Kikkawa family continued to be senior retainers of the Mori clan until the end of the Bakufu, at which point the Iwakawa domain officially became a han.
Hiroie worked for prosperity of his domain; he is remembered for having laid down a set of laws with 188 clauses (the Kikkawa-shi hatto').
In 1614, Hiroie was succeeded by Kikkawa Hiromasa, his eldest son.
Hiroie died in 1626, twelve years after passing the clan leadership to his heir.
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...
of the Azuchi-Momoyama period
Azuchi-Momoyama period
The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place. It spans the years from approximately 1573 to 1603, during which time Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, imposed order...
through early Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.
Hiroie's father was Kikkawa Motoharu
Kikkawa Motoharu
was the second son of Mōri Motonari, and featured prominently in all the wars of the Mōri clan.When Motoharu was young he was adopted into the Kikkawa clan by Kikkawa Okitsune. He then became head of the family around 1550. Motoharu fought in many battles alongside his brother, Kobayakawa Takakage,...
and his mother was a daughter of Kumagai Nobunao. He initially was named Tsunenobu(経信) and made his debut on the battle field on 1570 against Amago Katsuhisa
Amago Katsuhisa
was a remnant of the Amago clan, a powerful feudal clan in the Chūgoku region, Japan; backed-up by Yamanaka Yukimori, a vassal of the clan.He was born to Amago Masahisa in 1553. In the following year, Katsuhisa's father and grandfather were killed by Amago Haruhisa, leading Katsuhisa to become a...
with his father. On 1583, he was sent to then the de facto ruler Hashiba 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...
as a hostage.
From 1586 to 1587, his father and his elder brother Kikkawa Motonaga both died and he became the head of Kikkawa clan. Around this time, he changed his name to Hiroie. Unlike his father and his elder brother who was known for the battlefield bravery, Hiroie preferred strategy and diplomacy to win on a battlefield and was highly praised by Hideyoshi for holding Mori clan together after the death of 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...
. During the Seven-Year Korean War, he is noted for the successful defeat of a much larger Ming army at the battle of Ulsan castle.
In 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...
on 1600, Hiroie judged that the Tokugawa side would win. However, as one of the five leading elders of the Toyotomi government, 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...
and several of the Mori clan's retainers was supportive of the pro-Toyotomi forces led 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...
. In order to ensure the survival of the clan, Hiroie made a secret pact with the Tokugawa side through Kuroda Nagamasa
Kuroda Nagamasa
was a daimyo of Japan. He was the son of Kuroda Kanbei.In 1577, When Nagamasa was a small child, his father was condemned as a spy by Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasa was kidnapped and nearly killed as a hostage. Takenaka Hanbei ended up rescuing him....
, promising to Mori neutrality during the battle in exchange for guarantees of the existing Mori domains.
Although Mori Terumoto was made the nominal commander-in-chief of the western army, he remained in the Osaka Castle. Instead, the Mori field army joined the rest of the western forces under the command of Mori Hidemoto
Mori Hidemoto
was a senior retainer beneath the clan of Toyotomi throughout the latter Sengoku Period of Feudal Japan. Hidemoto was the eldest son of Mōri Motokiyo and initially began service under the Toyotomi at the time at which he was of the age to become a military commander under his cousin Terumoto, the...
, with Hiroi commanding the vanguards. On the day of the actual battle, September 15, the Mori army deployed on the flank of the Tokugawa forces. However, when Hidemoto ordered an assault, Hiroie refused to comply and used the vanguards under his command to block off the attack routes. Hiroie was thus able to prevent the bulk of the Mori army from engaging the Tokugawa troops.
The bulk of the Mori army therefore never actually took part in the battle. However, after Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged victorious, several documents incriminating Mori Terumoto was found in the Osaka Castle. Ieyasu believed the documents showed that Terumoto was involved more deeply in the western army than Hiroie had presented, and thus voided their secret pact. Initially he wished to completely confiscate all Mori domains and give two provinces to Hiroie as a reward.
However the offer shocked Hiroie, whose motivation was to ensure the Mori clan's survival. Eventually Ieyasu relented, and instead reduced the Mori clan's domains to just two provinces under the condition that Mori Teruomot retires. Although Hiroie succeeded in keeping the Mori clan's daimyo status, the Mori clan lost over 3 quarters of its former territories.
Because Hiroie had proceeded with the secret negotiations without the clan's approval or knowledge, once the events came to light he came under intense attacks from his own clan. Many considered him a traitor, especially since it was felt that his actions during the battle was instrumental in the Tokugawa victory that led to the disastrous punishment. Hidemoto in particular would become his bitter rival in Mori clan politics.
After the battle, Terumoto gave a portion of his much reduced domain to Hiroie. He is therefore often mistakenly considered the first ruler of a Iwakuni han; however, unlike the Mori shihans that were established for branches of the Mori clan in the same period, Hiroie and his descendants was not made daimyos in their own right until the Meiji Revolution. Instead, the Kikkawa family continued to be senior retainers of the Mori clan until the end of the Bakufu, at which point the Iwakawa domain officially became a han.
Hiroie worked for prosperity of his domain; he is remembered for having laid down a set of laws with 188 clauses (the Kikkawa-shi hatto').
In 1614, Hiroie was succeeded by Kikkawa Hiromasa, his eldest son.
Hiroie died in 1626, twelve years after passing the clan leadership to his heir.