Shimazu Tadayoshi
Encyclopedia
was a daimyo
(feudal lord) of Satsuma Province
during Japan's Sengoku period
.
He was born to a branch family of the Shimazu clan
, the Mimasaka Shimazu family (伊作島津家) but after his father Shimazu Yoshihisa died, his mother married Shimazu Unkyu of another branch family, the Soshū(相州家). Tadayoshi thus came to represent two families within the larger Shimazu clan.
Shimazu Katsuhisa
, who presided over the Shimazu family, did not have a son and he was driven out by Shimazu Sanehisa, who was the head of yet another branch, the Sasshū (薩州家). Sanehisa then laid claim to be the head of the clan without being properly recognized by the rest of the families. Katsuhisa asked Tadayoshi for help to regain his position, and Tadayoshi sent his son Shimazu Takahisa
to be adopted by Katsuhisa. In 1526, Katsuhisa handed over the position of the head of the family to Takahisa. In 1539 though, during the Battle of Ichirai
, Tadayoshi defeated Katsuhisa (who would regain power later) and Takahisa came to be recognized by all members of the Shimazu clan as the head.
After Takahisa's succession, Tadayoshi retired to Kaseda in Satsuma Province. He held a great amount of power, trading with the Ryūkyū Kingdom
and Ming Dynasty
China
. He also arranged for massive purchases of arquebus
es to make the clan prosperous for the planned unification of Kyūshū
by Takahisa.
Tadayoshi wrote an Iroha
poem that sung of the importance of unity and also to give more literacy to his men. It begins with following words:
It means, "Even if you learn old ways, if you cannot use them as your own, it is meaningless." It was based on Confucianism
and his educational philosophy would deeply influence his four grandsons, Shimazu Yoshihisa
, Shimazu Yoshihiro
, Shimazu Toshihisa
, and Shimazu Iehisa
. This would eventually make it way into modern philosophies in the Meiji period
as Satsuma han
took part in modernizing Japan.
Tadayoshi called himself Shimazu Jisshinsai (島津日新斎) in later years and praised his four grandsons as "Yoshihisa the Leader," "Yoshihiro the Brave," "Toshihisa the Planner," and "Iehisa the Tactitian." Tadayoshi died in 1568 at the age of 77.
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
(feudal lord) of Satsuma Province
Satsuma Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. Its abbreviation is Sasshū .During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.In 1871, with the...
during Japan's Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
.
He was born to a branch family of the Shimazu clan
Shimazu clan
The were the daimyō of the Satsuma han, which spread over Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga provinces in Japan.The Shimazu were identified as one of the tozama or outsider daimyō clans in contrast with the fudai or insider clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan,The Shimazu were...
, the Mimasaka Shimazu family (伊作島津家) but after his father Shimazu Yoshihisa died, his mother married Shimazu Unkyu of another branch family, the Soshū(相州家). Tadayoshi thus came to represent two families within the larger Shimazu clan.
Shimazu Katsuhisa
Shimazu Katsuhisa
was the fourteenth head of the Shimazu clan and the third son of Shimazu Tadamasa following the Sengoku or Warring States period of 16th century Japan....
, who presided over the Shimazu family, did not have a son and he was driven out by Shimazu Sanehisa, who was the head of yet another branch, the Sasshū (薩州家). Sanehisa then laid claim to be the head of the clan without being properly recognized by the rest of the families. Katsuhisa asked Tadayoshi for help to regain his position, and Tadayoshi sent his son Shimazu Takahisa
Shimazu Takahisa
, the son of Shimazu Tadayoshi, was a daimyo during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the fifteenth head of the Shimazu clan.On 1526, Takahisa was adopted as the successor to Shimazu Katsuhisa and became head of the clan. He launched a series of campaigns to reclaim three provinces: Satsuma, Osumi,...
to be adopted by Katsuhisa. In 1526, Katsuhisa handed over the position of the head of the family to Takahisa. In 1539 though, during the Battle of Ichirai
Battle of Ichirai
The Battle of Ichirai was fought in the year of 1539 between two rival factions of the Shimazu clan.Shimazu Katsuhisa, who presided over the Shimazu family, did not have a son and he was driven out by Shimazu Sanehisa, who was the head of another branch, the Sasshū . Sanehisa then laid claim to be...
, Tadayoshi defeated Katsuhisa (who would regain power later) and Takahisa came to be recognized by all members of the Shimazu clan as the head.
After Takahisa's succession, Tadayoshi retired to Kaseda in Satsuma Province. He held a great amount of power, trading with the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...
and Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He also arranged for massive purchases of arquebus
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
es to make the clan prosperous for the planned unification of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
by Takahisa.
Tadayoshi wrote an Iroha
Iroha
The is a Japanese poem, probably written in the Heian era . Originally the poem was attributed to the founder of the Shingon Esoteric sect of Buddhism in Japan, Kūkai, but more modern research has found the date of composition to be later in the Heian Period. The first record of its existence...
poem that sung of the importance of unity and also to give more literacy to his men. It begins with following words:
- Inishie no Michi wo Kikitemo Tonaetemo Waga Okonai ni sezuba Kahinashi
- いにしへの道を聞きても唱えへてもわが行いにせずばかひなし
It means, "Even if you learn old ways, if you cannot use them as your own, it is meaningless." It was based on Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
and his educational philosophy would deeply influence his four grandsons, Shimazu Yoshihisa
Shimazu Yoshihisa
was a daimyo of Satsuma Province and the eldest son of Shimazu Takahisa. His mother was a daughter of Nyurai'in Shigesato , Yukimado . Shimazu Yoshihiro and Shimazu Toshihisa are his brothers....
, Shimazu Yoshihiro
Shimazu Yoshihiro
was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. It had traditionally been believed that he became the seventeenth head of the Shimazu clan after Yoshihisa, but it is currently believed that he let Yoshihisa keep his position....
, Shimazu Toshihisa
Shimazu Toshihisa
was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, who served as a senior retainer of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma Province. He was also the commander when Hideyoshi Toyotomi Invaded Kyushu....
, and Shimazu Iehisa
Shimazu Iehisa
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who was a member of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma Province. He served in a command capacity during his family's campaign to conquer Kyūshū....
. This would eventually make it way into modern philosophies in the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
as Satsuma han
Han (Japan)
The or domain was the name of the estate belonging to a warrior in Japan after the 17th century. The fiefs of the daimyos of the samurai class of Japan during the Edo period were called han.-Edo period:...
took part in modernizing Japan.
Tadayoshi called himself Shimazu Jisshinsai (島津日新斎) in later years and praised his four grandsons as "Yoshihisa the Leader," "Yoshihiro the Brave," "Toshihisa the Planner," and "Iehisa the Tactitian." Tadayoshi died in 1568 at the age of 77.