Takeda with archery fire. Kumagai Motonao was in the front ranks and was encouraging his men when he was struck and killed by an arrow. Takeda Motoshige was meanwhile with the main army at Arita Castle. Learning of Motonao's demise, he drew up his forces and marched to engage the smaller Mōri resistance. The Takeda encountered the Mōri and Kikkawa occupying the opposite bank of the Uchikawa River (又打川) and a bitter struggle ensued. Heavily outnumbered, the Mōri-led forces began to falter and fall back, rallying only when Motonari pleaded with them to stand their ground. Takeda Motoshige himself advanced across the river on horseback but was struck by an arrow and killed. The Takeda broke and retreated, leaving Mōri Motonari the victor. The battle was the start of the decline of the Aki-Takeda clan and the start of the military expansion of the Mōri. Mōri Motonari's name finally became known in the country. Service under Amago clan In 1518 Amago Tsunehisa made a series of raids into the Ōuchi clan's lands, falling back with the return of Ōuchi Yoshioki from Kyōto. In 1521 a formal peace treaty was signed between the two clans but it lasted but one year. Also sometime around 1522, Motonari married the daughter of Kikkawa Kunitsune (吉川国経) the lord of Ogurayama Castle; this match would not only secure the friendship of the Kikkawa clan but would in time produce three fine sons. This was an important alliance as the Kikkawa were powerful in Aki Province and their land lay directly to the north of Yoshida, the Mōri heartland on the border with Iwami Province. Motonari had thus already extended his influence north in the direction of the silver-rich Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and south towards the Inland Sea. In 1522, Tsunehisa marched into Aki Province, forcing Motonari, whose lands sat directly in the Amago's path, to submit. Motonari was immediately dispatched against Kagamiyama Castle (鏡山城) while Tsunehisa himself struck at Kanayama Castle (金山城). Tsunehisa made no progress against Kanayama and retreated, but Motonari was eventually successful at the Battle of Kagamiyama Castle (鏡山城の戦) in 1523. Motonari had problems taking the castle because the lord of Kagamiyama Castle, Kurata Fusanobu (蔵田房信), put up a strong fight, so Motonari persuaded his uncle Kurata Naonobu (蔵田直信) to betray the castle. After the battle Motonari tried to save Naonobu but Amago Tsunehisa executed him for his shameful and disloyal