Chōsokabe clan

Chōsokabe clan 長宗我部氏
The emblem (mon) of the Chōsokabe clan
Home province	Tosa
Parent house	Hata clan
Final ruler	Chōsokabe Morichika
Ruled until	1615, Battle of Osaka

Chōsokabe clan (長宗我部氏, Chōsokabe-shi^?), also known as Chōsokame (長曾我部、長宗我部^?), was a Japanese samurai kin group. Over time, they were known for serving the Hosokawa clan, then the Miyoshi clan and then the Ichijo clan.

The clan claims descent from Qin Shi Huangdi.

The clan is associated with Tosa Province in modern-day Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku., who unified Shikoku, was the 21st Daimyo (or head) of the clan.

In their early history of the Sengoku Period, Chōsokabe Kunichika's father - Kanetsugu, was killed by the Motoyama clan in 1508. Therefore, Kunichika was raised by the aristocrat Ichijō Husaie of the Ichijō clan in Tosa Province. Later, towards the end of his life, Kunichika took revenge on the Motoyama clan and destroyed them with the help of the Ichijō in 1560. Kunichika would go on to have children - including his heir and the future Daimyo of the Chōsokabe - Motochika, who would go on to unify Shikoku Island.

First, the Ichijō family was overthrown by Motochika in 1574. Later, he gained control of the rest of Tosa due to his victories at the Battle of Watarigawa in 1575. He then also destroyed the Kono and the Soga clan. Over the ensuing decade, he extended his power to all of Shikoku in 1583. However, in 1585, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Oda Nobunaga's successor) invaded that island with a force of 100,000 men, led by Ukita Hideie, Kobayakawa Takakage, Kikkawa Motonaga, Toyotomi Hidenaga, and Toyotomi Hidetsugu. Motochika surrendered, and forfeited Awa, Sanuki, and Iyo Provinces; Hideyoshi permitted him to retain Tosa.