ABSTRACT
In the complex and treacherous world of feudal Japan, few families succeeded in maintaining the continuity of lineage and political influence for more than a few generations. The Mori are a rare exception, tracing their roots to classical times and continuing into the twentieth century, exerting sway and guidance on the path of the nation through times of success and adversity. The Choshu Domain was ruled by the Mori who created a collective cohesion of the domain within the strict social divisions of the Tokugawa Government under thirteen successive domain lords. The eminence of the Mori increased with the formation of an alliance with the Ouchi through substantial land grants made in the late fifteenth century. During the long years of Tokugawa rule after 1604, the Mori maintained an awareness within the domain of the heritage of the family and the lost greatness of the years before Sekigahara.
