Siege of Moji

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.

Siege of Moji
Part of the Sengoku period
The site of the ruined Moji castle
Date 1561 Location Moji, Japan Result Mōri clan victory
Belligerents
Forces of Mōri Motonari	Forces of Ōtomo Sōrin Portuguese traders
Commanders and leaders
Kobayakawa Takakage Mōri Takamoto Murakami Takeyoshi Ura Munekatsu Kodama Narikata Horitate Iki-no-kami Niho Takayasu	Ōtomo Sōrin Ōtomo Yoshihiro Imi Danjo Saemon Tachibana Dōsetsu Tawara Chikakata Usuki Akihaya
Strength
Unknown	3 Portuguese ships

The original castle was built by Ōuchi Yoshinaga, who was forced to kill himself in 1557 with the advance of Mōri forces. Mōri Motonari captured the fort in 1558. Ōtomo Yoshishige recaptured the castle in September 1559. The Mōri, led by Kobayakawa Takakage and Ura Munekatsu, quickly recaptured the castle.[1]

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 Oct. 1561, but the assault failed, and the castle finally remained in Mōri possession.[5]