Kikkawa Hiroie was born in 1561 as "Saijumaru" to Kikkawa Motoharu, one of the Mori clan's winningest generals. In 1570, Hiroie participated in his first battle at the age of 10 against the Amako.
As part of the sign of submission to Hideyoshi and his forces, the Mori clan gave up Motoharu to be taken hostage by Kobayakawa Hidekane in Osaka. Intrigued, and perhaps a little worried, by his quick intellect, Hideyoshi decides to banish Hiroie to the island of Oki.
In 1586, Hiroie's father Kikkawa Motoharu died, and the firstborn Motonaga died the following year. As a result, Hiroie became the head of the Kikkawa family. At the forefront of the Mori campaigns to help Hideyoshi towards unification, Hiroie distinguished himself in these and during the Korean campaign.
Because of disagreements between him and Hideyoshi's bugyo during this campaign, notable Ishida Mitsunari, plus the fact that Ishida ostensibly named Mori Terumoto commander in chief while taking the real power himself, Kikkawa Hiroie betrayed the western army and remained inactive throughout the battle. Due to this, Ankokuji Ekei, Natsuka Masaie, and Mori Hidemoto were not able to attack without Kikkawa's forces (and because the latter's forces were in the way), and thus the eastern side of Sekigahara was relatively inactive for the duration of the battle.
After the battle, Mori Terumoto's lands were taken away, and from among them, Suo and Nagato were about to be given to Hiroie. Ever the loyal one to his clan, Hiroie pleaded with Ieyasu to be able to divide up his land with Terumoto, and succeeded. The Mori clan's greatest proponent died at the age of 65.
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