Shimazu Yoshihiro
A skilled general who contributed to the unification of Kyūshū and served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Shimazu Yoshihiro (August 21, 1535 – August 30, 1619) was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and the younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. Traditionally believed to be the 17th head of the Shimazu clan, he was a skilled general during the Sengoku period who greatly contributed to the unification of Kyūshū. He is said to have been born in Izaku Castle in 1535 and was the castle lord in command of Iino Castle.
Quick Facts
- Commands
- Iino Castle
- Predecessor
- Shimazu Yoshihisa
- Left office
- 1602
- Took office
- 1587
- Office
- Head of Shimazu clan
- Mother
- Sesshō
- Father
- Shimazu Takahisa
- Unit
- Shimazu clan
Lore & Background
Yoshihiro along with Niiro Tadamoto defeated the Itō clan at the Battle of Kizaki in 1572, and defeated the Otomo clan with his brothers in 1578 at the Battle of Mimigawa. In 1587, facing Toyotomi Hideyoshi's troops, Yoshihiro pressed for war even after his brother and clan head Yoshihisa surrendered. After Yoshihisa repeatedly asked for surrender, Yoshihiro finally accepted. After Yoshihisa became a Buddhist monk, it was believed that Yoshihiro became head of the clan, though real power remained in Yoshihisa's hands. He served as a willing and skillful general under Hideyoshi in both 1592 and 1597 of the Seven-Year War, setting foot on the Korean peninsula and successfully carrying out a series of battles. In 1597, working with Tōdō Takatora, Katō Yoshiaki, and Konishi Yukinaga, Yoshihiro defeated Wŏn Kyun's navy. At the Battle of Sacheon in 1598, facing a Ming army of 37,000, Yoshihiro defeated them with only 7,000 soldiers. At the final battle of the war in 1598, the Battle of Noryang, Yoshihiro's objective was to cross the Noryang Strait, link up with Konishi, and retreat to Japan. Korean admiral Yi Sun-sin died in this battle. Afterward, Yoshihiro rescued the Japanese commanders and returned to Japan.
Reader's Guide
In 1602, after recognizing why and how Yoshihiro behaved on the battlefield, Ieyasu had the Shimazu clan retain its domain and let Yoshihiro's son Shimazu Tadatsune succeed him. Yoshihiro retired to Sakurajima and took up teaching younger generations. He died in 1619 and several of his retainers who had fought alongside him followed him by committing suicide. On August 23, 1918, Yoshihiro was posthumously awarded the courtesy title of senior third rank (shō san-mi, 正三位) by Emperor Taishō. 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. Yoshihiro was essential to the Shimazu clan and both Ieyasu and Hideyoshi tried to divide the clan by treating Yoshihiro well but treating the elder brother Yoshihisa badly, which did not succeed. He was a devoted Buddhist and built a monument for enemy troops during the Seven-Year War.
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