Chosokabe Motochika

A feudal lord in the Sengoku period. Born as the son of Kunichika in Oko, Nagaoka County, Tosa Province (Nankoku City, Kochi Prefecture). His childhood name was Yasaburo. He served as Miyauchi Shoyu, Hashiba Tosa Chamberlain, and Jushi Inoge Shosho. After inheriting the family headship in 1560 (Eiroku 3), he led the powerful clans of Tosa, drove out Ichijo Kanesada in 1574 (Tensho 2), and unified Tosa in July of the following year. At the end of the same year, he led an army to Awa (Tokushima Prefecture), and then invaded Iyo (Ehime Prefecture) and Sanuki (Kagawa Prefecture). In 1582, he avoided a crisis in the battle against Oda Nobunaga due to the Honnoji Incident, and in August he defeated Sogo Masayasu at Nakatomigawa and took control of Awa. He then took Togo Castle in Sanuki, and in the spring of 1585 he defeated Kono Michinao of Iyo and conquered Shikoku. However, in the summer of the same year he was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was granted control of the entire Tosa province. In the winter of 1586, he marched to Kyushu and was defeated by the Shimazu army at Hetsugigawa in Bungo (Oita Prefecture), and his eldest son Nobuchika was killed in battle. As a result, Motochika's character changed drastically from then on.

He began land surveys in September 1587, and in 1588 moved his winter residence to Otakasaka (Kochi City), appointed his fourth son Morichika as his successor, and executed those who opposed it. In 1590, he participated in the Odawara Campaign, and the following year moved to Urado Castle (Kochi City). He participated in the Bunroku-Keicho War, dealt with the San Felipe in 1596 (Keicho 1), and in March 1597, he established and issued the Code of Laws (100 Articles). In March 1599, he imprisoned his third son Chikatada and went to Kyoto, but died on May 19 in Fushimi. His remains were buried at Tenpojiyama in Nagahama Village, Agawa County (Kochi City). His posthumous name was Sekkei Josan Daizenjomon. Motochika was not only involved in political and military activities, but also placed great importance on Buddhism and Confucianism, and was knowledgeable in waka poetry, renga poetry, and the tea ceremony. The main hall of Kokubunji Temple, Tosa Shrine, and the Yakushido Hall of Burakuji Temple were all renovated by Motochika, and the existing Chosokabe Land Inspection Records are famous as cultural heritage.

[Yamamoto Dai]

"Yamamoto Dai, 'Chosokabe Motochika' (1960, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "Hirao Michio, 'Chosokabe Motochika' (1966, Jinbutsu Oraisha)" ▽ "Yamamoto Dai, 'Tosa Chosokabe Clan' (1974, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦国時代の大名。国親(くにちか)の子として土佐国長岡郡岡豊(おこう)（高知県南国(なんこく)市）に生まれる。幼名弥三郎。宮内少輔(くないのしょう)、羽柴(はしば)土佐侍従、従四位下(じゅしいのげ)少将。1560年（永禄3）家督相続後土佐の豪族を従え、1574年（天正2）一条兼定(いちじょうかねさだ)を追い、翌年7月土佐を統一した。同年末ごろ阿波(あわ)（徳島県）に出兵、ついで伊予(いよ)（愛媛県）、讃岐(さぬき)（香川県）へ侵入した。1582年の織田信長との対戦は本能寺(ほんのうじ)の変で危機を免れ、8月十河存保(そごうまさやす)を中富川(なかとみがわ)に破り阿波を制圧し、ついで讃岐の十河城を陥れ、1585年の春伊予の河野通直(こうのみちなお)を降(くだ)して四国を制覇した。だが同年夏豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)に敗れ、土佐一国を安堵(あんど)された。1586年冬九州に出兵し島津の軍と豊後(ぶんご)（大分県）戸次川(へつぎがわ)で戦って敗れ、長男信親(のぶちか)は戦死した。そのため以後の元親の性格は一変した。

　1587年9月より検地を始め、1588年冬居城を大高坂(おおたかさ)（高知市）に移し後嗣(こうし)を四男盛親(もりちか)と定め、反対者を処刑した。1590年小田原征伐に参加し、翌年浦戸城(うらどじょう)（高知市）に移転した。文禄(ぶんろく)・慶長(けいちょう)の役に出兵し、1596年（慶長1）にはサン・フェリペ号の処理を行い、1597年3月掟書(おきてがき)（百箇条）を定め発布した。1599年3月三男親忠(ちかただ)を幽閉したのち上洛(じょうらく)したが、5月19日伏見(ふしみ)で死去。遺骨は吾川(あがわ)郡長浜村天甫寺(てんぽじ)山（高知市）に葬られた。法号は雪蹊恕三(せっけいにょさん)大禅定門。元親は政治、軍事上の活動だけでなく、仏教、儒学を重んじ和歌、連歌、茶道の心得もあった。国分寺金堂、土佐神社、豊楽寺(ぶらくじ)薬師堂は元親の修築したもので、現存の長宗我部地検帳は文化遺産として有名である。

［山本　大］

『山本大著『長宗我部元親』（1960・吉川弘文館）』▽『平尾道雄著『長宗我部元親』（1966・人物往来社）』▽『山本大著『土佐長宗我部氏』（1974・新人物往来社）』

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