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Kobayakawa Takakage (1533-1597 , 小早川隆景) Letter
Ink on paper , Dated April 5th (Tensho 10th year)
Main １３、５×３３、７ cm
Hanging scroll / Kakejiku
Accessary:wood box
【Kobayakawa Takakage 】1533-1597. A military commander of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari; his mother was the daughter of Kikkawa Kunitsune. He succeeded to the headship of the Takehara-Kobayakawa family in 1544 and the Numata-Kobayakawa family in 1550. Together with his elder brother Kikkawa Motoharu, he supported the Mōri clan, and the two were known as the "Two Rivers of the Mōri" (*Mōri no Ryōsen*). The Mōri clan's ability to secure territories in the San'yō and San'in regions, as well as parts of Kyushu, owed much to the achievements of these two brothers. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi—who had launched a campaign to conquer the Chūgoku region—received news of the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582 and sought peace with the Mōri clan, it was Takakage who conducted the negotiations. Subsequently, he cultivated a close relationship with Hideyoshi and participated in the campaigns to conquer Shikoku and Kyushu; in recognition of his service, he was granted the province of Iyo, and later, in 1588, two districts each in the provinces of Hizen and Chikugo. He then took part in the Bunroku Campaign (the first invasion of Korea). In 1593, he defeated the Ming general Li Rusong at the Battle of Byeokjegwan. He was appointed *Sangi* (Councilor) in 1595 and later promoted to *Gon-Chūnagon* (Provisional Middle Counselor); he also served as one of the *Tairō* (Council of Five Elders), enjoying Hideyoshi's deep trust. Eventually, however, he handed over the family headship to his adopted son, Hideaki, and retired to his ancestral domain in Mihara, Bingo Province.
【読み】
A letter written by Kobayakawa Takakage to his retainers. It concerns Hashiba Hideyoshi’s campaign against the Mōri clan and is estimated to date from the 10th year of the Tenshō era (1582)—the year prior to the famous Siege of Takamatsu Castle. The name "Myōjuji" in the text refers to Myōjuji Shūizumi, a close aide and administrator (*bugyō*) serving Mōri Terumoto.
The content conveys that, as previously reported, Hashiba Hideyoshi arrived in Okayama yesterday and is set to mobilize today; consequently, the various Mōri forces are to rendezvous at Fukuyama. The letter instructs the recipient to proceed quickly to Fukuyama, as Myōjuji is arriving there now with the troops.
This document is the original of the copy published in the "Hagi Domain Records."
Price: 2,200,000yen(tax included)
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