Chōsokabe Kunichika Explained

Office:Head of Chōsokabe clan
Termstart:1508
Termend:1560
Predecessor:Chōsokabe Kanetsugu
Successor:Chōsokabe Motochika
Chōsokabe Kunichika
Native Name:長宗我部 国親
Birth Date:1504
Birth Place:Okō Castle, Tosa Province
Death Place:Okō Castle, Tosa Province
Commands:Okō Castle
Battles:Battle of Tonomoto (1560)
Relations:Chōsokabe Kanetsugu (father)
Chōsokabe Motochika (son)
Kōsokabe Chikayasu (son)

[1] was a powerful warlord in Tosa Province, Japan. He was the son of Chōsokabe Kanetsugu. His childhood name was Senyumaru (千熊丸).[2]  

After his father Chōsokabe Kanetsugu was attacked by local lords and he killed himself in the Okō Castle in 1508, Kunichika was raised by the aristocrat Ichijō Fusaie in Tosa Province.[3]  Kunichika gave his third son Kōsokabe Chikayasu for adoption to the Kōsokabe Clan in 1558. He reconciled with the Motoya clan and gathered strength.

In 1560, at the Battle of Tonomoto, Chōsokabe Kunichika captured Nagahama castle from the Motoyama clan. In response to this, Motoyama Shigetoki departed Asakura castle with 2,500 men to take the castle back. Kunichika intercepted him with 1,000 troops near Nagahama castle. Kunichika won the Motoyama clan and died soon after, and was succeeded by his son, Chōsokabe Motochika.[4]

Family

Notes and References

  1. Book: Turnbull . Stephen . Samurai Armies 1467–1649 . 20 January 2013 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 9781472800039 . 10 January 2019.
  2. Web site: 長宗我部 国親. 戦国武将の名言. Japanese. 25 July 2019.
  3. Web site: 長宗我部 国親. コトバンク. Japanese. 25 July 2019.
  4. Web site: 長宗我部 国親. 戦国ヒストリー. Japanese. 25 July 2019.