Siege of Moji
Part of the Sengoku period and Japanese–Portuguese conflicts

The site of the ruined Moji castle
Date1561
Location
Moji, Japan
Result Mōri clan victory
Belligerents
Mōri clan
Commanders and leaders
Strength
3 Portuguese ships
17 or 18 cannons

The siege of Moji (門司城の戦い, Moji-jō no tatakai) was a siege in 1561 against the castle of Moji in Japan. The castle belonged to the Mōri clan, whose capital was the city of Yamaguchi.

Background

The original castle was built by Ōuchi Yoshinaga (Sorin's younger brother), who was forced to kill himself in 1557 with the advance of Mōri forces. Mōri Motonari captured the fort in 1558. Otomo Sorin recaptured the castle in September 1559, but later the Mōri, led by Kobayakawa Takakage and Ura Munekatsu, quickly recaptured the castle.[1]

The battle

In 1561, forces under Ōtomo Sōrin attacked the castle in alliance with the Portuguese, who provided three ships between 500 and 600 tons, each with a crew of about 300 and 17 or 18 cannons.[2] This is thought to be the first bombardment by foreign ships on Japan.[3]

The bombardment permitted the Ōtomo troops to establish themselves around Moji castle. After expending their ammunition, however, the Portuguese withdrew.[4]

The castle's defenders nevertheless managed to break the siege lines and reinforce the castle. Ōtomo led an all-out assault on the castle on 10 October 1561, but the assault failed, and the castle finally remained in Mōri possession.[5]

See also

  • Battle of Fukuda Bay (1565) – A Japanese flotilla attacks a Portuguese carrack and fails to capture it in the first naval clash between Japan and the West.
  • Battle of Manila (1574) – A Chinese and Japanese pirate fleet attacked Manila intending to capture the city.
  • Battle of Cagayan (1582) – A fleet of Asian pirates led by Japanese attack and are defeated by a Spanish flotilla.
  • Nossa Senhora da Graça incident (1610) – A Japanese flotilla attacks a Portuguese carrack that ends in the latter's sinking.
  • Second attack on Kamishi (9 August 1945) – last direct naval bombardment of the Japanese home islands in World War II.

Notes

  1. ↑ Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 215,266–269. ISBN 1854095234.
  2. ↑ Samurai - The World of the Warrior Stephen Turnbull, p.104
  3. ↑ Samurai - The World of the Warrior Stephen Turnbull, p.104
  4. ↑ Samurai - The World of the Warrior Stephen Turnbull, p.105
  5. ↑ Samurai - The World of the Warrior Stephen Turnbull, p.105


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