Kikkawa Motoharu

Portrait of Kikkawa Motoharu

In this Japanese name, the family name is Kikkawa.

Kikkawa Motoharu (吉川 元春, 1530 - December 25, 1586) was the second son of Mōri Motonari, and featured prominently in all the wars of the Mōri clan.

When Motoharu was young he was adopted into the Kikkawa clan by Kikkawa Okitsune. He then became head of the family around 1550. Motoharu fought in many battles alongside his brother, Kobayakawa Takakage, including the 1555 battle of Miyajima and the 1570 battle of Nunobeyama. In 1566, he claimed Izumo province as his fief, after defeating its lords, the Amago clan, in a number of battles.

Motoharu also fought in many battles against the Oda such as the Siege of Takamatsu. After Oda Nobunaga's death in 1582, Motoharu fought under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After his death in 1586, Motoharu was succeeded as head of the Kikkawa clan by one of his sons, Hiroie.

Family

• Father: Mōri Motonari (1497–1571)
• Brothers:
  • Mōri Takamoto (1523–1563)
  • Kobayakawa Takakage (1533–1597)
  • Mōri Motokiyo (1551–1597)
• Sons:
  • Kikkawa Motonaga (died 1587)
  • Kikkawa Hiroie (1561–1625)

References

• Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.

Preceded by Kikkawa Okitsune

Kikkawa family head ???-1586

Succeeded by Kikkawa Motonaga