Early life and rise

He was the son and heir of Chōsokabe Kunichika and his mother was a daughter of the Saitō clan of Mino Province. His childhood name was Yasaburō (弥三郎). He is said to have been born in Okō Castle in the Nagaoka district of Tosa.

Motochika was a quiet youth and his father was said to have fretted about the boy's gentle nature (he seems to have been nicknamed Himewakako, or 'Little Princess'); Kunichika's worries evaporated when Motochika later proved himself a skilled and brave warrior.

When Motochika came of age, his father had already begun to draw away from the Ichijō, and Motochika would carry on his work.

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. This battle is noted for being Chōsokabe Motochika's first battle, in which he fought bravely, greatly impressing his father and his retainers.

In the 1562, Chōsokabe Motochika attacking Asakura castle defeated Motoyama Shigetoki and by forming alliances with local families, Motochika was able to build his power base on the Kōchi plain.

In 1569, while being careful to remain ostensibly loyal to the Ichijō over the next few years, Motochika's power grew to the extent that he was strong enough to march on the rival Aki clan of east Tosa with 7,000 men, He defeated Aki Kunitora at Battle of Yanagare, then went on to take Aki Castle.

In the course of the decade he was awarded the court rank Ministry of Imperial Household (Kunai shō) and was sufficiently confident after the reduction of the Aki to finally turn on the Ichijō.

Unification of Shikoku

In 1573, While still lord of the Hata district of Tosa, Ichijō Kanesada was unpopular and had already suffered the defection of a number of important retainers. Seizing the opportunity, Motochika wasted no time in marching on the Ichijō's headquarters at Nakamura, and Kanesada fled to Bungo, defeated.

In 1575, at the Battle of Shimantogawa (Battle of Watarigawa), he defeated the Ichijo family.

He gaining control of Tosa Province.

Following his conquest of Tosa, Motochika turned north and prepared for an invasion of Iyo province. The lord of that province was Kōno Michinao, a daimyo who had once been driven from his domain by the Utsunomiya clan, returning only with the assistance of the powerful Mōri clan. It was unlikely that Kōno could count on that sort of help again, however-presently the Mōri were embroiled in a war with Oda Nobunaga. Nonetheless, Chōsokabe's campaign in Iyo did not go off without a hitch.

In 1579, 7,000-man Chōsokabe army, commanded by Kumu Yorinobu, met the forces of Doi Kiyonaga at the Battle of Mimaomote. In the ensuing battle, Kumu was killed and his army defeated, though the loss proved little more than an unfortunate delay. The next year, Motochika led some 30,000 men into Iyo Province, and forced Kōno to flee to Bungo province.

With little interference from either the Mōri or the Ōtomo, Chōsokabe was free to press onwards, and in 1582, he stepped up ongoing raids into Awa province and defeated the Miyoshi clan, led by Sogō Masayasu at the Battle of Nakatomigawa.

Later, Motochika advanced to Sanuki province defeated Sengoku Hidehisa at Battle of Hiketa. By 1583, Chōsokabe forces had subdued both Awa and Sanuki.

Over the ensuing decade, he extended his power to all of Shikoku island, making Motochika's dream of ruling all of Shikoku a reality.

Conflict with Hideyoshi

In 1584, Toyotomi Hideyoshi won a political victory against Tokugawa Ieyasu, securing his position as paramount warlord. Hideyoshi began expanding his rule from outside his base in central Honshu and decided to invade Shikoku.

In 1585, Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched an attack against Chōsokabe Motochika, and seized Shikoku island, the smallest of Japan's four main islands.

Shikoku campaign

In 1585, Toyotomi forces invaded Shikoku island with a force of 113,000 men, led by Ukita Hideie, Kobayakawa Takakage, Kikkawa Motoharu, Hashiba Hidenaga, and Hashiba Hidetsugu against 40,000 soldiers of the Chōsokabe clan.

Despite the overwhelming size of Hideyoshi's army, Chōsokabe chose to fight to defend his territories. The battles culminated in the siege of Ichinomiya Castle, which lasted for 26 days.

Motochika surrendered, and forfeited Awa, Sanuki, and Iyo Provinces; Hideyoshi permitted him to retain Tosa.

Service under Hideyoshi

Under Hideyoshi, in 1587 Motochika and his son Nobuchika participated in the invasion of neighboring Kyūshū in which Nobuchika died at Battle of Hetsugigawa. In 1590, Motochika led a fleet in the Siege of Shimoda and Siege of Odawara, and also fought in the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592.

In 1596 the Spanish ship San Felipe was wrecked in Chōsokabe territory while en route from Manila to Acapulco. Motochika seized the cargo of the ship, and the incident escalated all the way up to Hideyoshi, leading to the crucifixion of 26 Christians in Nagasaki, the first lethal persecution of Christians by the state in Japan.

ChOsokabe Morichika Banner; Natsuka Masaie (1562?-1600) Banner.jpg|Chōsokabe Morichika hata-jirushi (right)

Chosokabe Morichika Banner and Battle Standard.jpg|Chōsokabe Morichika hata-jirushi and uma-jirushi

Death

Motochika died in 1599 at age 60 at his mansion in Fushimi. His successor was Chōsokabe Morichika.

In addition to his leadership, Motochika is remembered for his '100-Article Code of the Chōsokabe' and his struggle to found an economically strong castle town, moving in the course of his career from Oko to Otazaka and on to Urado.

Family

• Father: Chōsokabe Kunichika (1504–1560)

• Mother: Daughter of the Saitō clan

• Younger Brother

　• Kira Chikasada (1541–1576), Kunichika's second son. Shared his first battle with his eldest brother, Motochika, at Nagahama. Adopted into Kira clan on brother's orders and became a family retainer. Helped his brother's fight against the Ichijo clan until he died of illness in 1576.

　• Kōsokabe Chikayasu (1543–1593), Kunichika's third son. He was adopted by Kōsokabe Chikahide from Kōsokabe clan

　• Shima Chikamasu (d. 1571), Kunichika's fourth son. Became a part of the Shima clan to appease demands for an heir. Known as a brave warrior who fought in Motochika's campaign to quell the Motoyama clan.

• Wife: Lady Motochika (died 1583)

　• Concubine: Koshōshō, or Lady Ōgata

• Sons:

　• Chōsokabe Nobuchika (1565–1587) by Lady Motochika

　• Kagawa Chikakazu (1567–1587) by Lady Motochika

　• Tsuno Chikatada (1572–1600) by Lady Motochika

　• Chōsokabe Morichika (1575–1615) by Lady Motochika

　• Chōsokabe Ukondaifu (1583-1615) by Lady Ogata

　• Chōsokabe Yasutoyo (born 1599)

• Daughters:

　• Unknown daughter (wife of Ichijō Tadamasa) by Lady Motochika

　• Akohime (wife of Satake Chikanao) by Lady Motochika

　• Unknown daughter (wife of Kira Chikazane) by Lady Motochika

　• Unknown daughter (wife of Yoshimatsu Jūzaemon) by Lady Motochika

In popular culture

In the 1949 Mexican film Philip of Jesus, the character Prince Chokozabe (sic) is played by Rodolfo Acosta.

He is a playable character in Pokémon Conquest (Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan), with his partner Pokémon being Dewott and Samurott.

Motochika is a playable character from Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends onwards, where he wields a shamisen, he continuously calls himself as "The Bat King", due to Nobunaga historically referring to him as a "the bat who refuses to fly away from its home".

Motochika is also a playable character in the Sony PlayStation game, Sengoku Basara where he wields an anchor and appears as a pirate. He also appears in the anime adaptation of the game Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings.

He is also a playable character in several Koei strategy games, as a selectable warlord in Nobunaga's Ambition series, and as a unlockable character in Taikou Risshiden IV and V.

He is a playable warlord in Total War:Shogun 2.

生涯

早年成長

長宗我部元親為長宗我部國親的嫡長子，生於岡豐城，幼名彌三郎。由於幼年時皮膚白皙且體弱，而被家中私下譏稱為「姬若子」（意思是像女孩般的男孩子）。

1560年首次上戰場，陪同父親迎戰本山茂辰（長濱之戰），元親在出陣前曾向家臣秦泉寺秦惟請教長槍的用法，並在練習之後得意地說道：「原來這麼簡單阿！」上陣時，長宗我部元親親自持槍應戰且戰果不凡，被族人轉而視為勇將，並改稱之為「鬼若子」。同年6月，由於父親的猝逝，元親繼承為長宗我部氏的第21代家督。

統一土佐

長宗我部元親動員一領具足擴大勢力，以四國統一為其家族目標，1563年迎娶齋藤利三的異父妹，同年吉良親貞繼承吉良氏。1568年朝倉城之戰降服本山家、1569年發動八流之戰消滅安藝國虎，並且於1571年消滅津野家，領土大為擴增；1574年一條兼定被其家臣放逐後，元親便趁機奪取土佐一國。1575年，元親又在渡川之戰擊敗向大友氏借兵欲攻回土佐的一條兼定，完成了土佐的統一。

征伐四國

之後長宗我部元親與織田信長結盟，繼續進侵伊予、讚岐與阿波；但1576年元親的二弟吉良親貞的過世、三好家十河存保的反攻與信長的廢除同盟等，都讓元親在長宗我部家的發展與維持上舉步維艱。1582年，織田信長本來有意集合軍隊渡海攻打四國，但卻於本能寺之變中遇害。信長死後，趁機攻打宿敵十河存保（中富川之戰），並與柴田勝家、德川家康結盟，至1585年時幾乎統一四國，此時四國是否全由長宗我部家統治還有爭議。

臣服秀吉

1585年，羽柴秀吉派遣羽柴秀長等人攻打四國霸主長宗我部氏，元親下令將兵死守防衛線上，防止對方登陸，長宗我部元親死守居城應戰，初時羽柴秀吉要求長宗我部返還讚岐、伊予二國投降，但長宗我部僅願返還伊予一國而激起戰事。

但長宗我部家難以抵擋秀吉大軍，後來由谷忠澄提議投降。戰後羽柴秀吉將阿波、讚岐與伊予收為己有，僅留土佐一國給長宗我部家，元親上洛謁見秀吉表示臣服之意。

豐臣之下

1586年，豐臣秀吉攻打九州時，元親的嫡長子長宗我部信親也參戰（戶次川之戰），但因為軍監仙石秀久的錯誤判斷，使得信親及宿敵十河存保戰死。元親傷心欲絕，從此性情大變，並開始溺愛四子長宗我部盛親。1588年，元親將居城遷到大高阪城，之後卻困於繼承人選擇，甚至因為此事件肅清反對派的一門眾，如比江山親興、吉良親實，長宗我部家之局勢因而每況愈下。

1589年，被賜姓羽柴。1590年，參加小田原征伐，率領長宗我部水軍攻略後北條氏的下田城。1591年，元親將居城遷到浦戶城。1592年，參加朝鮮征伐。1596年進行檢地。1597年，與盛親一同制定長宗我部元親百個條。

人生最後

1598年，豐臣秀吉病逝，政局變得相當不穩定，因此元親年末留在伏見宅邸，並於11月26日接受德川家康的訪問，隔年年初歸國。

1599年，身體越來越虛弱，為此再次上洛找尋京都及大阪的名醫並謁見豐臣秀賴，在伏見屋敷休養，最終一病不起，向盛親交代遺言後病逝，享年61歲。

1928年（昭和3年）11月10日贈正三位。

逸話

• 名字的「元」字，來自細川晴元的一字拜領。

• 初陣的前兩天正是桶狹間之戰的日子。

• 元親曾造訪阿波雲邊寺，在與該寺住持俊崇坊談到自己想要統一四國的抱負時，俊回以「藥罐的蓋子是不能拿來覆蓋水瓶的。而你有的也是不能夠覆蓋四國全土的土佐一國的蓋子而已。」，元親則這樣回覆對方：「我的蓋子是名匠元親所作的，雖然小卻足夠覆蓋四國了。」。

• 九州征伐後，元親因信親戰死傷心欲絕。由於是豐臣家臣仙石秀久的過錯，對此感到愧疚的秀吉提議將九州大隅國加封予元親，但元親以不希望自家領土隔海分割為兩地而婉拒。

• 元親於太閤檢地時，刻意少報土佐國石高，只報9萬8千石，之後山內一豐入主土佐國於1605年重新檢地後，才發現實際石高高達20萬2千600石。

• 吉田孝世所著的土佐物語提到，有人問過織田信長對元親的評價，信長毫不客氣的說是「無鳥島之蝙蝠」，意思就是在沒有真正強者（鳥）的區域連戰連勝的小大名（蝙蝠）罷了。但有持正反意見理由如下：

　• 土佐物語成書年代是1708年，吉田孝世乃山內土佐藩士，山內氏多把長宗我部氏的舊臣列為下士，因此有山內氏人員貶低長宗我部氏的嫌疑。

　• 一級史料信長公記並無提到此事。

　• 元親長子信親的「信」字為來自織田信長的一字拜領，一般認為是認可元親實力的舉動，不過拜領一字乃上對下很常見的安撫手段且不需任何成本，因此拜領字號無法說明信長對於元親是正面評價。

長宗我部氏家臣團

著名戰役

資料來源

• 長宗我部情報網