Matsura Shigenobu

• Born: 1549
• Died: 1614
• Titles: Hizen no kami
• Sons: Hisanobu
• Distinction: Hizen warlord
• Japanese: 松浦鎮信 (Matsura Shigenobu)

Matsura Shigenobu was the son of Matsura Takanobu, and was a Sengoku period daimyô of Hirado.

Shigenobu became lord in 1568 and defeated his rivals the Sô (of Tsushima) in 1572. He briefly submitted to the authority of the Ryûzôji clan, before giving his support to Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the latter's Kyushu Campaign of 1587. Though Shigenobu officially retired in favor of his son Hisanobu in 1589, he led some 3,000 men to Korea under Konishi Yukinaga in the 1st Korean Campaign, and again in the 2nd Campaign, gaining fame for leading an attack at Namwön. As a result of his activities in 1587 and in Korea, the Matsura domain was increased to include the Sonogi area in Hizen and Iki Island, bringing the domain to a total size of 63,000 koku. Shigenobu remained neutral during the Sekigahara Campaign and did not suffer the loss of any lands as a result; he came aboard the English ship Clove in 1613, an event recorded by John Saris.

References

• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005