Takeyoshi Murakami

Takeyoshi Murakami is an officer of the Noshima-Murakami Navy of Chugoku. While he did not make official contracts, he fought alongside the Mōri at Itsukushima. After that he continued to fight for the Mōri Navy along with the Murakami clans of Innoshima and Kurushima.

Role in Games
The Samurai Warriors series often has Takeyoshi fighting at Kizugawa reinforcing the Mōri and Honganji rioters. He may often range from ambushing officers of the Oda to being reinforcements for the player.

In Samurai Warriors 4, Takeyoshi will lead the Murakami navy to halt Harukata Sue's escape from Itsukushima.

In Mouri Motonari: Chikai no Sanshi, Takeyoshi can become an additional ally for the players if Motonari does use a navy for Itsukushima.

Quotes

 * "I keep my promises. A man of the sea takes loyalty seriously."

Historical Information


"The greatest pirate in all of Japan… His name is the Noshima lord" - Luis Frois

Takeyoshi came from the Noshima part of the Murakami family, a clan known for their piracy and claims of ownership over the straits between Honshu and Shikoku, known as the Inland Sea. Murakami Takeyoshi's father passed away while he was very young, and following the death of his grandfather and uncle, the rule of his clan was now contested by himself and his cousin, Murakami Yoshimasu. Fortunately for Takeyoshi, his uncle, Murakami Takeshige, took his side of the clash and helped establish Takeyoshi as their new lord. For his part, Takeyoshi led the Murakami to new heights of prosperity and power, often acting as the de facto leader of the other two branches of the Murakami clan.

Familial ties through the Innoshima branch of the Murakami led Takeyoshi to supporting Sue Harukata's rebellion against the Ōuchi clan in 1551, and again to provide navel aid to the Mōri clan at Miyajima and Itsukushima, where Mōri Motonari was rumored to propose his infamous "allies for only one day" proposal. Such short term alliances nevertheless helped build a stronger relationship between the two clans. This bond, however, would be tested several times throughout their history.

Murakami Takeyoshi also had deals of protection and aid with the other clans who had access to the Inland Sea. These other connections managed to motivate Takeyoshi to turn on his Mōri allies on two separate occasions. The first time was in 1569, when the Otomo and Miyoshi clans convinced him to cease aiding the Mōri clan after their botched invasion of Kyushu. Takeyoshi was quickly approached by the Mōri to once again support their war efforts. However, Takeyoshi pushed against their alliance once again in 1571, this time responding to the requests of the Uragami clan. This second defiance proved even more disastrous than the first, as Kobayakawa Takakage had Takeyoshi's island fortress surrounded, besieged until 1574, after the empty promises of aid from both the Otomo and Miyoshi proved vain, Takeyoshi personally submitted himself back to the Mōri.

Despite these betrayals, Murakami Takeyoshi proved invaluable to the Mōri when he led their navy alongside Nomi Munekatsu against the the Oda navy. Just two years after their reconciliation, Takeyoshi led his navy forces in the first battle of Kizugawaguchi, where he soundly destroyed the Oda forces. This victory proved short lived, however, as the Oda clan returned once again and in the second battle of Kizugawaguchi, Takeyoshi was in turn completely defeated by Oda Nobunaga's new ironclad ships.

Takeyoshi continued to struggle against the Oda forces alongside the Mōri until Hashiba Hideyoshi abruptly offered peace so he could avenge Nobunaga's death. When the Mōri sought to extend this peace by submitting to Hideyoshi, Takeyoshi rejected this turn of events, siding against the Mōri one last time during the Invasion of Shikoku. His defiant resistance was swiftly crushed, bringing him once again in line with the Mōri. Takeyoshi went on to aid the navel efforts of invading both Kyushu and Korea. Unfortunately for Takeyoshi, a 1588 edict by Hideyoshi ended his pirate way of life, moving to Suō-Ōshima in a mostly retired state. As his son, Murakami Motoyoshi, died in 1600, it was his grandson, Murakami Mototake assumed control of the clan in 1604 with Takeyoshi's death.