Mōri Terumoto

Mōri Terumoto
毛利輝元
Mōri Terumoto
Lord of Hiroshima
In office 1589–1600
Succeeded by	Fukushima Masanori
Lord of Chōshū
In office ?–1623
Succeeded by	Mōri Hidenari
Personal details
Born	Kōtsurumaru (幸鶴丸) (1553-01-22)January 22, 1553 Yoshida, Aki Province
Died	June 2, 1625(1625-06-02) (aged 72) Yoshida, Aki Province
Spouse(s)	Seikōin Seitaiin Omatsu Osen Otsu Osana
Relations	Kikkawa Motoharu (uncle) Kobayakawa Takakage (uncle) Mōri Hidemoto (adopted son) Komahime (adopted daughter, Kobayakawa Hideaki's wife)
Children	Mōri Hidenari Takehima Mōri Naritaka
Parents	Mōri Takamoto (father) Lady Ozaki (mother)
Military service
Allegiance	Mōri clan Toyotomi clan Tokugawa clan
Rank	Daimyō (Lord)
Unit	Mōri clan
Battles/wars	Siege of Takamatsu (1582) Kyūshū Campaign (1586)

Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese daimyō. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome. He participated in the Kyūshū Campaign (1587) on Hideyoshi's side and built Hiroshima Castle, thus essentially founding Hiroshima.

Against Nobunaga & Hideyoshi

Terumoto participated in the 1582 Siege of Takamatsu. After the 1583 Battle of Shizugatake, he became a vassal of Hideyoshi.

Against Ieyasu

He was a member of the council of Five Elders appointed by Hideyoshi. At the height of his power in late 16th century, Terumoto controlled 1.2 million koku. This means he could mobilize more than 40,000 men to a battle. He sided against Tokugawa Ieyasu as the general commander, but was not present at the Battle of Sekigahara. Terumoto was in Osaka Castle defending Toyotomi Hideyori at the time and surrendered to Ieyasu soon after Sekigahara. Ieyasu reduced Terumoto's domains, leaving him only Nagato and Suō Provinces, worth 369,000 koku in total. Finally,his behavior caused resentment of abundant vassals, and that led him to retire.

He is believed to have been a below-average general on and off the battlefield, having lacked motivation and will. He made little impact in these final years of the Sengoku period, as he often had his subordinates and lesser members of the clan fight instead. It is believed that if he had fought at Sekigahara or brought Hideyori to the battlefield, Ieyasu would have been defeated. However, he managed his domain well and successfully held the Mōri clan together even when his domain was reduced to a third.

He was succeeded by Mōri Hidenari.

He was known as a great patron of Hagi ware pottery.

Family

• Father: Mōri Takamoto (毛利隆元, 1523–1563)
• Mother: Ozaki no Tsubone (尾崎局, 1527–1572), daughter of Naitō Okimori (内藤興盛).
  • Main Wife: Seikōin (清光院, 1558–1631), daughter of Shishido Takaie (宍戸隆家).
  • Concubine: Seitaiin (清泰院, 1572–1604)
    • First Son: Mōri Hidenari (毛利秀就, 1595–1651)
    • First Daughter: Takehima (竹姫, 1600–1644), wife of Kikkawa Hiromasa (吉川広正).
    • Second Son: Mōri Naritaka (毛利就隆, 1602–1679)
  • Concubine: Omatsu (於松, ?–1641), fourth daughter of Hane Yamashiro-no-kami Motoyasu (羽根山城守元泰).
  • Concubine: Osen (於千, 1550–1658), daughter of Inoue Kawachi-no-kami Narimasa (井上河内守就正).
  • Concubine: Otsu (於鶴, ?–1677), daughter of Hanafusa Tarozaemon Yasuyuki (花房太郎左衛門尉某).
  • Concubine: Osana (於さな, ?–1644), daughter of Kodama Kozaemon Noritomo (児玉小左衛門真友).
  • Adopted Children:
    • Daughter: Komahime (古満姫, ?–1651), second daughter of Shishido Motohide (宍戸元秀). Wife of Kobayakawa Hideaki (小早川秀秋).
    • Son: Mōri Hidemoto (毛利秀元, 1579–1650), first son of Mōri Motokiyo (毛利元清) who was fourth son of the famous Mōri Motonari.

It is also said that Terumoto had a concubine that acted as an assassin.