nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: As Komatsumaru's surrogate, Motonari led his army to save Arita Castle which was under attack by Takeda's troops,
Japanese: 武田軍の進撃に対し、元就は幸松丸の代理として有田城救援のため出陣する。
English: He defeated Takeda's vanguard which had been led by Motonao KUMAGAI in the Sengoku period and who was a senior vassal of the Takeda clan who had gained renown as a brave commander.
Japanese: 武田氏重鎮であり、猛将として知られていた武田軍先鋒・熊谷元直(戦国時代)率いる軍を元就は撃破。
English: Leaving a small troop to besiege the castle, he commanded the entire army to repulse the allied force of Mori and Kikkawa.
Japanese: 一部の押さえの兵を有田城の包囲に残し、ほぼ全力で毛利・吉川連合軍を迎撃した。
English: This 'Battle of Arita-Nakaide', also known as 'a Battle of Okehazama in Saigoku' (the western provinces of Japan), marked the watershed event of the Takeda clan's fall and the Mori clan's rise to power.
Japanese: この「有田中井手の戦い」は「西国の桶狭間の戦い」と呼ばれ、武田氏の衰退と毛利氏の勢力拡大の分水嶺となった。
English: Victory in that battle finally brought the name of Motonari MORI, kokujin lord of Aki Province, to fame.
Japanese: そしてこの勝利により、安芸国人「毛利元就」の名は、ようやく世間に知られるようになる。
English: As Komatsumaru's guardian, he achieved military success with his ingenious tactics in the conquest of Kagamiyama Castle in Saijo, Aki Province.
Japanese: 幸松丸の後見役として安芸国西条の鏡山城攻略戦でも、その智略により戦功を重ねる。
English: He married Kunitsune KIKKAWA's daughter (whose homyo or posthumous Buddhist name was 'Myokyu') although we do not know exactly when this occurred.
Japanese: 詳細な時期は不明であるが、この頃に吉川国経の娘（法名「妙玖」）を妻に迎える。
English: As a direct male descendant of the Mori family and a powerful candidate for the lord of the clan, he was recommended by senior vassals to enter Yoshida-Koriyama Castle.
Japanese: 毛利家の直系男子であり、家督継承有力候補でもあった元就が重臣達の推挙により、吉田郡山城に入城した。
English: Discontented with his succession and in favor of Mototsuna AIO who was Motonari's half brother, a group of senior vassals, including the clans of Saka and Watanabe, rose in revolt, supported by Hidetsuna KAMEI who was chief retainer of the Amago clan and who was guided by Tsunehisa AMAGO.
Japanese: この時、元就の継承に不満を持った坂氏・渡辺氏等の有力家臣団の一部が、尼子経久の指示を受けた尼子氏重臣・亀井秀綱支援の下、元就の異母弟・相合元綱を擁して謀反を起こした。
English: Supported by regent Hiroyoshi SHIJI and others, Motonari made many of the Mototsuna faction commit sepukku and massacred the rest.
Japanese: 元就は執政・志道広良らの支援を得て元綱一派を粛清・自刃させるなどした。
English: Finally, in 1525, he made it clear that he would part company with the Amago clan to become a retainer of Yoshioki OUCHI.
Japanese: ついには大永5年（1525年）に尼子氏と手切れして大内義興の傘下となる立場を明確にした。
English: In 1529, he eliminated the Takahashi family, including Okimitsu TAKAHASHI who had dominated the Mori family as Komatsumaru MORI's maternal relative and who had schemed to empower Mototsuna AIO, conspiring with the Amago clan.
Japanese: そして享禄2年（1529年）には、かつて毛利幸松丸の外戚として専権を振るい、尼子氏に通じて相合元綱を擁立しようと画策した高橋興光ら高橋氏一族を討伐。
English: He also became friendly with the Amano clan who had a hard time after rebelling against the Ouchi clan as well as the Kumagai clan whose relationship with the Aki-Takeda clan had deteriorated.
Japanese: その他、一時大内氏に反乱を起こし窮地に追いやられた天野氏や、安芸武田氏と関係が悪化した熊谷氏とも誼を通じた。
English: "Oyudono no Ue no Nikki" (The Imperial Court Journal) dated October 21, 1534, mentions that Yoshitaka OUCHI asked Emperor Gonara to grant an official court rank to 'A Mr. Oe,' following a precedent in the Oei era.
Japanese: 天文_(元号)2年（1534年）9月23日(旧暦)付けの『御湯殿上日記』（宮中の日誌）に、大内義隆より「大江のなにがし」を応永の先例に倣って官位を授けるように後奈良天皇に申し出があったという記事がある。
English: This meant that the emperor was requested to appoint Motonari MORI (OE) to a post similar to that of his ancestor Mitsufusa MORI, following the precedent in which Emperor Shoko appointed Mitsufusa as Uma no Kami (Captain of the Right Division of the Bureau of Horses) to the rank of the Junior Fifth, Lower Grade.
Japanese: これは毛利（大江）元就をその祖先である毛利光房が称光天皇より従五位下右馬頭に任命された故事に倣って同様の任命を行うようにという趣旨であった。
English: Through his investiture which had already become nominal by then, he nevertheless demonstrated to the other lords in Aki Province that he had the backing of both the imperial court and the Ouchi clan.
Japanese: 当時は形骸化していたとは言え、官位を得ることによって安芸国内の他の領主に対して朝廷・大内氏双方の後ろ盾があることを示した。
English: Around that time Okitsune KIKKAWA who was one of the powerful kokujin lords in the Province suggested to Motonari that he could help Motonari make peace with the Amago clan.
Japanese: また、同時期には安芸有力国人である吉川氏当主吉川興経から尼子氏との和睦を斡旋される。
English: In 1539, the Ouchi clan, to whom Motonari belonged, brought to ruin their archenemy, the Shoni clan of Kitakyushu.
Japanese: 天文8年（1539年）、従属関係にあった大内氏が、北九州の宿敵少弐氏を滅亡。
English: Although receiving reinforcements from the Amago clan, Nobuzane TAKEDA, lord of the castle temporarily fled to Wakasa Province.
Japanese: 尼子氏の援兵を武田氏は受けたものの、これにより、城主武田信実は一時若狭へと逃亡している。
English: In 1540, Motonari's bastion, Yoshida-Koriyama Castle was assailed by an army of 30,000 men led by Haruhisa AMAGO (who was the heir of Tsunehisa) in what is known as the Battle of Yoshida-Koriyama Castle.
Japanese: 天文9年（1540年）には経久の後継者である尼子晴久率いる3万の尼子軍に本拠地・吉田郡山城を攻められる（吉田郡山城の戦い）。
English: He won this battle, supported by his retainers such as those from the Fukuhara clan as well as his allies, the Shishido clan and Harutaka SUE, who, having arrived belatedly to the castle, displayed his military prowess in commanding reinforcements from Yoshitaka OUCHI.
Japanese: 家臣の福原氏や友好関係を結んでいた宍戸氏らの協力、そして遅れて到着した大内義隆の援軍・陶晴賢の活躍もあって、この戦いに勝利した。
English: That same year, Sato-Kanayama Castle, presided over by Nobuzane TAKEDA, lord of the Aki-Takeda clan, which was supported by both the Ouchi and Amago clans, fell to enemy attack.
Japanese: 同年、大内氏とともに尼子氏の支援を受けていた安芸武田氏当主・武田信実の佐東銀山城は落城。
English: From 1542 to 1543, he took a part in the First Battle of Gassan Toda Castle under the general command of Yoshitaka OUCHI.
Japanese: 天文11年（1542年）から天文12年（1543年）にかけて、大内義隆を総大将とした第1次月山富田城の戦いにも、元就は従軍。
English: Witnessing the decline of the Ouchi and the Amago clan in Aki Province, he began to re-evaluate his position as a minor lord who was entrusted with watching out for more powerful daimyo.
Japanese: しかし大内・尼子氏の安芸国内における影響力の低下を受けて、常に大大名の顔色を窺う小領主の立場から脱却を考えるようになる。
English: In 1544, he made a change by allowing his third son Takakage KOBAYAKAWA to be adopted by the Kobayakawa clan who led a powerful pirate force.
Japanese: 元就は手始めに天文13年（1544年）に、強力な水軍を擁する小早川氏の養子に三男・小早川隆景を出した。
English: That same year, he dispatched Naritada KODAMA and Sadatoshi FUKUHARA to repulse the force of Haruhisa AMAGO who were on an expedition to attack the Miyoshi clan of Bingo Province.
Japanese: 同年、備後三吉氏へ遠征と出た尼子晴久の兵を撃退すべく、児玉就忠・福原貞俊を派遣する。
English: In 1547 he plotted the take over the family of his wife Myokyu, the Kikkawa family.
Japanese: 天文16年（1547年）、妻・妙久の実家である吉川家の乗っ取りを企む。
English: Motonari had his second son, Motoharu KIKKAWA, (who was Kunitsune KIKKAWA's grandson) adopted into the Kikkawa family.
Japanese: 元就は、吉川国経の孫に当たる次男・吉川元春を吉川氏に養子として送り込んだ。
English: In 1550, following Okitsune's retirement, he had him and his family murdered to eradicate a future threat.
Japanese: 興経の隠居後の天文19年（1550年）に、将来の禍根を断つため興経とその一家を殺害。
English: Meanwhile, he intervened in the problem of succession of the Kobayakawa clan caused by the loss of Lord Masahira KOBAYAKAWA in the Battle of Gassan-Toda Castle.
Japanese: 一方で、先の月山富田城の戦いで当主・小早川正平を失っていた小早川氏の後継問題にも介入した。
English: He caused a schism in the family by manipulating Shigehira KOBAYAKAWA, the young and blind lord of the Kobayakawa family,
Japanese: 当主・小早川繁平が幼少かつ盲目であったのを利用して家中を分裂させた。
English: He made his own son Takakage KOBAYAKAWA (lord of the Takehara-Kobayakawa branch of the clan) successor to their estate.
Japanese: 分家の竹原小早川当主で元就の実子である小早川隆景を後嗣にさせている。
English: He thus incorporated the powers of the two clans: the Kikkawa clan who held sway in the Provinces of Aki and Iwami and the Kobayakawa clan who were influential in the provinces of Aki, and Bingo and the Seto Inland Sea.
Japanese: これにより安芸国・石見国に勢力を持つ吉川氏と、安芸国・備後国・瀬戸内海に勢力を持つ小早川氏、両家の勢力を取り込んだ。
English: On September 4, 1550 he murdered Motokane INOUE and his family who had lorded over the Mori family.
Japanese: 天文19年（1550年）7月13日に家中において専横を極める井上元兼とその一族を殺害。
English: Soon after that he made a group of his retainers sign a sworn oath of loyalty to the family.
Japanese: その直後に家臣団に対して毛利家に対して忠誠を誓わせる起請文に署名させた。
English: In 1551 Yoshitaka OUCHI, the great daimyo of Suo and Nagato Provinces was murdered by his retainer Harukata SUE who rose in revolt.
Japanese: 天文20年（1551年）、周防長門の大大名・大内義隆が家臣の陶晴賢の謀反によって殺害された。
English: From there, he attacked the kokujin lords who supported Yoshitaka OUCHI in Aki Province, gradually extending his power.
Japanese: これを背景として徐々に勢力を拡大すべく安芸国内の大内義隆支持の国人衆を攻撃した。
English: In 1553, along with Ouchi's retainer Fusahide ERA, he managed to repel the forces of Haruhisa AMAGO who had attempted to invade Aki.
Japanese: 1553年には尼子晴久の安芸への侵入を大内家臣・江良房栄らとともに撃退した。
English: Alarmed by the Mori clan's increasing influence, Takafusa SUE attempted to usurp their dominion.
Japanese: また毛利氏の勢力拡大に危機感を抱いた陶隆房は、元就から支配権を奪回しようとした。
English: Motonari's heir Takamoto and senior vassals who heard of this from Hirosuke HIRAGA pressed Motonari to break off with Sue since the partnership between Mori and Sue had ended as the Sue's request broke the agreement he had made to Motonari granting him authority to lead the kokujin lords in the provinces of Aki and Bingo).
Japanese: 平賀広相からその事実を告げられた元就の嫡男・隆元や重臣達は元就に対して（安芸・備後の国人領主たちを取りまとめる権限を与えるとした）約束に反しており、毛利と陶の盟約が終わったとして訣別を迫った。
English: Pressed by the Ouchi and the Sue clan, the kokujin lords in Aki Province who sympathized with the Mori clan were overturned.
Japanese: 更に毛利氏と同調している安芸の国人領主たちも大内・陶氏の圧迫によって動揺した。
English: In 1554, Kunihisa AMAGO and Sanehisa AMAGO, both of whom belonged to the Shinguto faction of the Amago clan, were murdered by Haruhisa AMAGO.
Japanese: 天文23年（1554年）、出雲国では尼子氏新宮党の尼子国久・尼子誠久らが尼子晴久に粛清された。
English: While the Amago clan were massacring the Shinguto faction, Motonari spread the rumor that Fusahide ERA, who was a resourceful retainer of Harukata (Takafusa's new name) SUE and who had fought many wars with him, 'was planning to rebel.'
Japanese: 尼子氏が新宮党を粛清の最中、陶晴賢（隆房より改名）の家臣で、知略に優れ、元就と数々の戦いを共に戦った江良房栄が「謀反を企てている」というデマを流した。
English: In the same year Motonari eliminated the future opposition just as he said, 'first plot and then let it brew.'
Japanese: そして同年、「謀りごとを先にして大蒸しにせよ」の言葉通りに後顧の憂いを取り除いた元就。
English: He rebelled against Harutaka SUE who was slow to defeat the Yoshimi clan who rose up against him.
Japanese: 反旗を翻した吉見氏の攻略に手間取っている陶晴賢に対して反旗を翻した。
English: Once again infuriated, Harutaka SUE personally led a large host of 20,000 men leaving Yamaguchi in 1555.
Japanese: これにまたもや激怒した陶晴賢は弘治元年（1555年）、今度は自身で20,000の大軍を率いて山口を出発した。
English: Despite the objection of Takakane HIROKAWA, his senior vassal, he stopped by Itsukushima Island to pillage the Mori clan's Miyao Castle which was built on the island located at the confluence of commerce and economy.
Japanese: 途中、重臣・弘中隆包の反対にも関わらず、交通と経済の要衝である厳島に築かれた毛利氏の宮尾城を攻略すべく、厳島に上陸した。
English: Motonari made a surprise attack on Sue's troops, who were too numerous to be able to move quickly, destroying them at once.
Japanese: 大軍ゆえに身動きの取れない陶軍に奇襲を仕掛け、一気に殲滅してしまったのである。
English: In 1556, Yamabuki Castle, which supported the Ouchi clan, was assailed by a host of 25,000 men led by Haruhisa AMAGO who had quickly withdrew his forces from Bizen and by Nagataka OGASAWARA who had joined forces with Amago.
Japanese: 弘治2年（1556年）、備前遠征から素早く兵を撤兵させた尼子晴久率いる25000と、尼子と手を結んだ小笠原長雄が大内方であった山吹城を攻撃。
English: The Mori clan, who fought to repulse them, was defeated in Oshihara and had to surrender the Iwami silver mine to the Amago clan.
Japanese: これに毛利氏は迎撃に出るも、忍原にて撃破され石見銀山は尼子氏のものとなる。
English: He successfully took hold of most of the former territory of the Ouchi clan except Kyushu in the Conquest of Bocho.
Japanese: これにより九州を除く大内氏の旧領の大半を手中に収めることに成功した（防長経略）。
English: In 1558, he and Motoharu KIKKAWA attacked Kawamoto-Nukuyu Castle, where Nagataka OGASAWARA had taken refuge, in order to recapture the Iwami silver mine.
Japanese: 永禄元年（1558年）、石見銀山を取り戻すべく毛利元就・吉川元春は小笠原長雄の籠る川本温湯城を攻撃。
English: Motonari lost the control over Iwami Silver Mine in 1556 when Yamabuki Castle was taken by Haruhisa AMAGO, lord of the Amago clan.
Japanese: 弘治2年（1556年）以降、尼子氏当主・尼子晴久によって山吹城を攻略され石見銀山の支配権を失っていた。
English: In 1562, he started advancing into Izumo (The Second Battle of Gassan Toda Castle).
Japanese: 永禄5年（1562年）より出雲侵攻を開始する（第二次月山富田城の戦い）。
English: Defeating Haruhisa, Yoshihisa AMAGO took refuge in Gassan Tomita Castle (in present Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture) which had the reputation of being unassailable.
Japanese: これに対して晴久の跡を継いだ尼子義久は、難攻不落の名城・月山富田城（現在の島根県安来市）に籠城。
English: In 1563, however, Motonari took Shiraga Castle, one of the clan's branch castles.
Japanese: しかし永禄6年（1563年）に、元就は尼子氏の支城である白鹿城を攻略。
English: Based on his previous experience in the Battle of Gassan Toda Castle, which he had lost following the leadership of the Ouchi clan, he used strategy rather than attacking by sheer force.
Japanese: しかし大内氏に従って敗北を喫した前回の月山富田城の戦訓を活かし、無理な攻城はせず、策略を張り巡らした。
English: Trapped in Motonari's expert plot, Yoshihisa felt wrapped in a web of suspicion and ended up killing his senior vassal Hisakane UYAMA.
Japanese: 熟練の域に達していた元就の謀略に義久は引っ掛かり、疑心暗鬼となった義久は、重臣である宇山久兼を自らの手で殺害してしまう。
English: At this point, Motonari had porridge cooked in hopes of inciting the soldiers inside the castle to surrender.
Japanese: この段階において、元就は逆に粥を炊き出して城内の兵士の降伏を誘った。
English: Thus, in his lifetime Motonari rose to become a great daimyo who ruled over the eight provinces in the Chugoku region.
Japanese: こうして元就は一代にして、中国地方8ヶ国を支配する大大名にのし上がったのである。
English: Yet the remnants of the Amago force led by Yukimori YAMANAKA in the service of Katsuhisa AMAGO (son of Sanehisa AMAGO) invaded Motonari's territory from Sanin, aided by Nobunaga ODA.
Japanese: が、尼子勝久（尼子誠久の子）を擁した山中幸盛率いる尼子残党軍が織田信長の支援を受けて山陰から侵入した。
English: As a diversionary tactic, he provided Teruhiro OUCHI, a member of the Ouchi clan, with soldiers and ordered him to invade Yamaguchi.
Japanese: 陽動作戦として大内氏の一族である大内輝弘に兵を与えて山口への侵入を謀った。
English: Assisted by his good sons Motoharu and Takakage, Motonari made peace with the Otomo clan and successfully eliminated Amago's restored force from Izumo and Hoki.
Japanese: 元春と隆景ら優秀な息子達の働きにより、大友氏と和睦しつつ尼子再興軍を雲伯から一掃することに成功した。
English: However, his reconciliation with Otomo led him to give up the control over Hakata which was the Ouchi family's source of wealth.
Japanese: しかし大友と和睦した事により、大内家の富の源泉となっていた博多の支配権を譲る結果になった。
English: Shogun Yoshiteru ASHIKAGA sent the great physician Dosan MANASE to treat Motonari.
Japanese: 将軍・足利義輝は名医・曲直瀬道三を派遣して元就の治療に当たらせている。
English: In 1567,his last son Hidekane MORI was born.
Japanese: 永禄10年（1567年）には最後の息子である毛利秀包が誕生している。
English: In 1570, the year following Yoshiteru's unnatural death, Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, the 15th shogun, broke away from Nobunaga ODA.
Japanese: 義輝横死後の元亀元年（1570年）、足利15代将軍・足利義昭は織田信長と決裂。
English: The Mori clan was asked by Yoshiaki to oppose Nobunaga ODA by joining the anti-Nobunaga network.
Japanese: 毛利氏も信長包囲網に参加して織田信長に敵対するよう義昭より働きかけられる。
English: Recognizing Nobunaga ODA's competence, he maintained his friendly relationship with him and refused to ever join the network.
Japanese: しかし元就は織田信長の実力を認めており、信長とは友好関係を維持して、包囲網に参加することはなかった。
English: The political system Motonari built was a typical collective leadership system that attempted to balance the coexistence of the kokujin lords and local powers within the territory.
Japanese: 元就が構築した政治体制は領内の国人領主や地方勢力との共生を念頭とした典型的な集団指導体制である。
English: He also made a psychological reform of his retainers and people through the use of "Sanshi Kyokunjo" (Moral Principles for Motonari's Three Sons) and the slogan "Hyakuman Isshin" (Everything is possible if the people are united).
Japanese: 三子教訓状や百万一心などの標語による家臣領民の心理的な変革も含まれていた。
English: One of the political characteristics of the Mori clan was the highly independent nature of their local lords.
Japanese: 毛利氏の統治の特色として挙げられるのは地方領主の独立性の高さである。
English: It is certain that he was successful in stabilizing his power by avoiding the concentration of power on himself.
Japanese: 当主への権力の集中を防いで政権の安定化に成功していたことは確かである。
English: Even then, it was inevitable that their political power was subject to volatility under a new lord.
Japanese: だが、それでも代替わりによる政権の不安定化は避けることができなかった。
English: Under the reign of Terumoto, who was Motonari's grandson and heir, they had a difficult time battling against the extremely powerful Oda clan which caused the kokujin lords to revolt.
Japanese: 嫡孫・輝元の代には大勢力織田氏との交戦と、それによる国人達の離反で苦境に陥った。
English: In the Battle of Sekigahara, which took place after the death of "Ryosen" (Motoharu and Takakage), they became even more unstable, also due to Terumoto's indecisiveness.
Japanese: また両川（元春・隆景）が死去した後の関ヶ原の合戦では、輝元の優柔不断さも相まってその不安定性に更に拍車がかかった。
English: This was one of the consequences of the weakness of a collective leadership that had difficulty in taking decisive action (or was too slow to respond) due to its decentralized power structure.
Japanese: これは、権力が分散した状態では直ちに旗幟を明確にしにくい（立ち回りが遅い）という集団指導体制の弱点をさらけ出した結果でもあった。
English: This was because Motonari's political ideas and extraordinary will to keep the family name alive persisted in the family long after his death (as illustrated by Hiroie KIKKAWA's tact).
Japanese: これは、元就の政治理念と異常なまでの家名存続の意志が、その死後も家中に色濃く残っていたからである（吉川広家の機転など）。
English: These were decisions Motonari made in anticipating his family's decline (i.e., his successors' lack of competence) under the new leadership (i.e., after his death).
Japanese: これは、代替わり（自らの死）による家の衰退（後継者達の能力不足）を見越した判断であった。
English: His politics and insight as a warring lord are endlessly deep.
Japanese: 元就の戦国武将としての政治力と洞察力、先見の明は計り知れないものがある。
English: When Motonari conquered Bocho in 1557, he retired and let his eldest son Takamoto MORI take over the family estate.
Japanese: 防長経略の年（1557年）に、元就は長男の毛利隆元に家督を譲って隠居した。
English: Yet he continued to hold power as Takamoto refused to accept the responsibility of political leadership.
Japanese: しかし隆元が政権の移譲を拒絶したため、実権は元就がなおも握りつづけた。
English: He thus solidified the Mori-Ryosen system that combined the leadership of Motoharu KIKKAWA and Takakage KOBAYAKAWA.
Japanese: 吉川元春と小早川隆景による毛利両川体制を確固たるものとしていったのである。
English: Upon retiring December 25, 1557, he prepared instructions for his descendants which comprised 14 articles (known as 'Sanshi Kyokunjo'), asking the family to unite.
Japanese: 隠居に際しての同年11月25日､14箇条の遺訓（いわゆる｢三子教訓状｣）を作成、家中の結束を呼びかけた。
English: On January 1, 1558, 12 lords in Aki Province including Motonari allied themselves by signing the famous 'Karakasa Renpanjo' (Round-robin Treaty).
Japanese: 続いて同年12月2日、元就以下12人の主だった安芸国人領主が著名な「傘連判状」を結んでいる。
English: This demonstrated that there was no hierarchical relationship between them but rather they were all on an equal footing.
Japanese: これは上下関係を明らかにはせず、彼ら国人領主皆が対等の立場にある事を示している。
English: On the other hand, the Mori clan had just taken control of his own retainers since the elimination of the Inoue family.
Japanese: だが、裏を返せば、当時の毛利氏は井上一族の粛清によってようやく自己の家臣団を完全に掌握したばかりの状態であった。
English: At that time, he was still just the leader of the allied dogo (village chiefs) in Aki Province.
Japanese: 未だに安芸の土豪連合の集団的盟主という立場から完全には脱却できなかった。
English: He did not even maintain a hierarchical relationship with either of the Kikkawa and the Kobayakawa families who were headed by his own sons.
Japanese: 実子が当主である吉川・小早川両氏と言えども主従関係にはなかったのである。
English: It was not until around 1560 when Takamoto was appointed as "Shugo" (Military Governor) of Aki Province (emerging from his position as the leader of the allied dogo) that the Mori clan truly united the province by reorganizing the kokujin lords, who were still little more than village chiefs, making them their retainers.
Japanese: 毛利氏がこうした土豪の集団的盟主という立場から脱却して、土豪連合的な要素の強かった安芸国人衆の再編成と毛利家の家臣への編入を通じて、名実ともに毛利氏による安芸統一が完成する事になるのは隆元が安芸国守護に任じられた永禄3年（1560年）頃とされている。
English: Even at that time, the kokujin lords were in the process of forming a master-servant relationship with the Mori clan.
Japanese: ただし、その後もこうした国人領主は毛利氏との主従関係を形成しつつあった。
English: Such a double master-servant relationship with the clan's direct retainers on the one hand and with the subjugated dogo (kokujin lords) on the other was long maintained up until the transfer of their territory to Choshu after the Battle of Sekigahara.
Japanese: こうした直臣家臣団と従属土豪（国人領主）という二元的な主従関係は関ヶ原の合戦後の長州藩移封まで長く続いた。
English: This owed much to the strong leadership of Lord Mori and the assistance of the Ryosen rulers.
Japanese: これは毛利氏当主とこれを支える両川の指導力によるところが大きかったのである。
English: The Mori clan who had been a minor provincial rulers had an alliance with the Ouchi clan who in turn had close ties with the Imperial Court.
Japanese: 毛利氏は小豪族ではあったが、朝廷との結びつきが強い大内氏と同盟関係にあった。
English: They appeared therefore to have a political connection with the central government even before Motonari became lord of the family.
Japanese: そのため、元就が当主となる以前から既に中央との政治的な繋がりを持っていたようである。
English: After the collapse of the Ouchi clan, they lent a large sum of money to Emperor Ogimachi who acceded to the throne in 1557.
Japanese: 大内氏の滅亡後、1557年に即位した正親町天皇に多大な献資を行った。
English: Financing his enthronement ceremony, they had since strengthened their relationship with the court.
Japanese: その即位式を実現させたことにより、以後の毛利氏は更に中央との繋がりを強くすることとなる。
English: (Motonari's appointment as Mutsu no Kami [Governor of Mutsu] and that of Takamoto as Aki no Kami [Governor of Aki Province] were made possible by their appeal to the central government around this time.)
Japanese: （同時期の元就の陸奥守就任、隆元の安芸守護就任などは全てこれら中央政界に対する工作が背景にある。)
English: In the subsequent battles with the Amago and the Otomo clans, the Mori clan took advantage of the shogunal mediation which gave them the edge.
Japanese: また、その後の尼子氏や大友氏との戦いでは、幕府の仲裁を利用して有利に事を進めている。
English: By creating a situation which blocked the Amago clan from control of the Iwami Silver Mine, they were able to take control of it.
Japanese: 尼子氏が石見銀山に手を出せない状況を作り出して、その支配権を我がものとした。
English: As mentioned earlier, he refused to join the anti-Nobunaga network when he was requested to do so by Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA.
Japanese: また、足利義昭による信長包囲網の参加要請が来た際にも、先述の通り元就はこれを拒否している。
English: He declined, in part because he held Nobunaga in high esteem, and partly because he believed that the Oda clan's dominion would not last long.
Japanese: この対応の真意については、元就が信長を評価していたからとも、織田氏も三好氏などと同様に短期の政権に終わると思っていたからとも言われている。
English: He was one of the greatest strategists in the Sengoku period, using every means, including warfare, tactical manouvering, assassination, bribery and marriage politics, to gain victory.
Japanese: 合戦、策略、暗殺、買収、婚姻など、勝利のためにあらゆる手段を用いた戦国時代最高の謀略家である。
English: He has been also described as 'the best warlord of West Japan' since he built a great territory in Chugoku region during his lifetime.
Japanese: 中国地方に一代で大領国を築き上げたことから、「西国随一の戦国大名」とも評される。
English: It was one of the characteristics of his strategy that he patiently and deliberately took time before taking action.
Japanese: 彼が弄する策略の特徴としては、極めて長い時間をかけて周到に、根気強く事を運ぶという点がある。
English: This made him inconspicuous and allowed him to steadily prepare the situation without invoking much antagonism.
Japanese: このため派手さには欠けるものの、周囲の強い反発を買わず着実に地ならしをした。
English: He was also a first-rate politician, using political stratagems such as adopting out his sons, Motoharu and Takakage.
Japanese: また元春や隆景の養子縁組など、高度に政治的な策略も多く、政治家としても一流と言える。
English: He, Tsunehisa AMAGO of Izumo Province, and Naoie UKITA of Bizen Province have been described as the three tactful busho commanders in Chugoku region.
Japanese: 彼と並び、出雲国の尼子経久・備前国の宇喜多直家は中国地方の三大謀将と言われている。
English: However, it is true that Motonari's will went to Motoharu and Takakage.
Japanese: が、元就が元春・隆景に対して守成の遺言を託したというのは事実である。
English: Motonari who rose from kokujin to daimyo saw the Ouchi and the Amago clan, which he had served, lose their power and fail in their attempt to conquer the world.
Japanese: 国人から大名にまでのし上がった元就は、かつての主家である大内・尼子が天下を目指したために勢力を落として滅亡したのを見ていた。
English: When his territory of control was large, many of the kokujin lords whom he ruled were formally allied with him on an equal footing.
Japanese: また版図を拡大したといっても、配下の国人領主とは形式的には対等の同盟関係にある者が多かった。
English: It seems therefore that he judged that preserving the territory as it existed was more practical than extending it further.
Japanese: ここから、これ以上版図を拡大するよりも現在の版図を固めるべきという現実的判断であったと思われる。
English: Motonari's philosophy can be summarized as follows: 'No matter how rich and prosperous the family of a world-conqueror may be, it will not last forever as its branches will wither and its roots will die out.
Japanese: なお、元就の遺言とは大略では、「天下を支配する者は如何に栄耀栄華を誇っても、何代かのちには一門の枝折れ、株絶えて、末代の子孫まで続くことは無い。