Battle of Kawarayama-jo Castle (河原山城の戦い)
The Battle of Kawarayama-jo Castle is a battle that broke out in Aseri County, Hoki Province in July 1585. It is referred to as the last battle in Hoki Province in the Medieval period. It is also written as 香原山城の戦い instead of 河原山城の戦い in some books. According to "Intoku Taiheiki" (Old Chronicle), Mototsugu NANJO directly attacked Kawarayama-jo Castle, but in actuality, Mototsugu never dispatched troops.
Background
Referred to as the last battled in Hoki Province in the Medieval period, the Battle of Kawarayama-jo Castle developed in the following way.
Reconciliation between Nobunaga and the Mori clan
The battle of Nanjo vs. Mori, which started from the Nanjo clan's defection from the Mori clan in 1579, came to an end in January 1585, when the reconciliation between Nobunaga and the Mori clan was confirmed.
Recovery of Yabase-jo Castle by the Nanjo clan
Back to his home in the end of 1583, Mototsugu NANJO had been placed in charge by the Mori clan, though tentatively, of three countries in the east Hoki Province, except Yabase-jo Castle, by January 1584. Back home, the Nanjo clan made a great effort to recover Yabase-jo Castle, which was still in the territories of the Mori clan, and supported the Yukimatsu clan who were aimed at recovering Odaka-jo Castle, resulting in successfully recovering the long-sought Yabase-jo Castle by the spring of 1585. Subsequently, the Nanjo clan began to make actions to affect Mori's domination over the west Hoki by backing up the Yukimatsu clan from behind.
Process of the battle
Seeing the lack of Mori's troops in the Conquest of Shikoku in July of 1585, the Yukimatsu clan, who were in support of Mototsugu NANJO, led a thousand-plus horses to attack Kawarayama-jo Castle in Aseri County governed by Motohide FUKUYORI, finally achieving the fall of the castle. Surprised to hear about this, Motoharu KIKKAWA made his brother, Motoyasu MORI, dispatch a great number of support troops, and promptly recovered the castle. The Yukimatsu clan, with fruitless results, retreated to Ueshi-jo Castle by July 15 on the old calendar.
Ensuing influences
After this war, the Nanjo clan never entered the west Hoki again, and no battle occurred thereafter according to historical documents. This helped put to an end to the time of upheaval by warring states in the Hoki regions, which had lasted for about a hundred years since the Bunmei era (1469-1487).