Mōri Hidemoto

Mōri Hidemoto (毛利 秀元, November 25, 1579 – November 26, 1650) was a senior retainer of the Toyotomi clan throughout the latter Sengoku period of feudal Japan. Hidemoto was the eldest son of Mōri Motokiyo and initially began service under the Toyotomi as a military commander under his cousin Terumoto, the head of the Mōri clan.

Mōri Hidemoto
Mori Hidemoto
Native name	毛利 秀元
Born	November 25, 1579
Died	November 26, 1650 (aged 71)
Allegiance	Mōri clan Toyotomi clan Western Army Tokugawa shogunate
Unit	Mōri clan
Battles/wars	Korean Campaign Battle of Sekigahara
Spouse(s)	Daizen-in (Toyotomi Hidenaga's daughter)
Relations	Mōri Motokiyo (father) Mōri Terumoto (cousin and adopted father)

Service under Hideyoshi

In 1597, Hidemoto became a highly esteemed figure beneath the Mōri, and, by variable means, was chosen specifically by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to lead the Army of the Right in the Second Invasion of Korea, where he commanded 30,000 soldiers. Hidemoto was additionally backed by six generals that were assigned to his right wing: Katō Kiyomasa, who possessed 10,000; Kuroda Nagamasa, who wielded 5,000; Nabeshima Naoshige with 12,000; Ikeda Hideuji tasked with 2,800; Chōsokabe Motochika, who wielded 3,000; and Nakagawa Hidenari, who respectively possessed 2,500. With these preparations thus made, Hidemoto and his supporters led the initial Japanese offensive within the Korean province of Gyeongsang. They marched towards Jeonju after assaulting Busan, taking both Sacheon and Changpyong. Following this campaign, Hidemoto obtained a far greater power when he was made the governor of Suō and Nagato Provinces, which he held up until the decisive Sekigahara Campaign of 1600. He married daughter of Toyotomi Hidenaga later Daizen-in.

Battle of Sekigahara

At the outset of this campaign, Hidemoto was determined to support the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu, dubbed the "East". Since his cousin, Terumoto, possessed 128,000 soldiers that he would use to back the Western forces of Mitsunari, Hidemoto intended to assist the Eastern forces of Ieyasu. He gathered his armaments with great immediacy, equipped himself with 15,000 soldiers and stationed his entire army on Mt. Nangu, with his generals distributed along the eastern borders of the mountain. To make the circumstances go from beneficial to entirely detrimental, Kikkawa Hiroie, a general of Hidemoto, refused to move against the Eastern forces at the start of the battle. As Hiroie was the leading general of the army, Hidemoto was prevented from reaching the frontlines, placing him with little other choice than to resentfully retreat without offering his support to the Tokugawa. And as a general resolution to such an event, Hidemoto's original fief was dropped from 200,000 to a modest 50,000 out of sympathetic consideration to Terumoto's service, causing Hidemoto a proper level of humiliation.

Service under Ieyasu

Hidemoto has been believed a surpassing leader unlike his below-average father-in-law, Mōri Terumoto. He used to be one of the most Jacobinical objectors to Ieyasu, but he turned to a supporter of Ieyasu after Battle of Sekigahara.

Hidemoto apparently remained as first commander under Ieyasu throughout the Edo period. He more than likely assisted in the Sieges of Osaka and the later Shimabara Rebellion before he eventually died in 1650.[1][2]

References

1. http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Mori_Hidemoto Mori Hidemoto – SamuraiWiki
2. The Samurai Sourcebook