Myorin or Yoshioka Myorin-ni was a late-Sengoku period female warlord onna-musha.
16 Facts About Myorin
1.
2.
Myorin was the wife of Yoshioka Akioki a samurai warlord, and served Otomo clan in Bungo.
3.
Myorin was the heroic woman who defended the Otomo clan in the Kyushu campaign against Shimazu's army.
4.
Myorin-ni was just her Dharma name when she became a Bhikkhuni.
5.
In 1578 Akioki died in the Battle of Mimigawa against Shimazu army, thus his son Yoshioka Munemasu succeeded Yoshioka clan at the age of ten; because he was very young, Myorin took over the administration and acted as counselor for Munemasu.
6.
Myorin gathered local residents and armed, then waited for the arrival of Shimazu army.
7.
In 1586 Myorin led the defense of Tsurusaki Castle against an attack.
8.
Myorin appeared on the walls dressed in full armour and carrying a naginata, she was accompanied by small number of soldiers, farmers and maids.
9.
Negotiations were set in motion and Myorin was offered substantial reward in gold and silver if she would surrender the castle, but she made it clear that she was prepared to defend it to the death.
10.
The success of Myorin's strategies increased the morale of Yoshioka and Otomo's soldiers.
11.
The heroic Myorin was clearly in the thick of the fighting because during one assault she received a deep arrow wound and was captured.
12.
At that time the enemy commanders advised Myorin to make peace after she had been surrounded, so she agreed.
13.
Myorin lived peacefully for months under Iehisa's rule, during which time she planned to rebel against them to gain control of Tsurusaki .
14.
Myorin organized another party after learning of the invasion of Hideyoshi, she planned to lower the enemy's morale by handing out sake bottles, leaving the commanders and the troops drunk and unsettled.
15.
Myorin launched another surprise attack around the Otozu River, defeating Shigemasa Shirahama and Hisabu, two high ranking generals.
16.
Nomura, a commander who befriended Myorin, was seriously injured with an arrow in the chest; He was the only commander who escaped alive, but he died days later.