The Shimazu, who may have been descended from the [[Koremune clan]], were founded by [[Shimazu Tadahisa]] (d.[[1227]]?), who was appointed as military commander of southern [[Kyushu]] by [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] in [[1187]]. The Shimazu were splintered into two contending factions following the death of [[Shimazu Sadahisa]] ([[1265]]-[[1351]]) and remained fractured into the [[Sengoku Period]]. Building on the efforts of his father [[Shimazu Takahisa]], [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] managed to take much of Kyushu by [[1587]] but was forced back by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]]. Though they supported [[Ishida Mitsunari]] in [[1600]], the Shimazu remained a powerful house until the end of the [[Edo Period]]. It was once believed that Shimazu Tadahisa was an illegitimate child of [[Minamoto Yoritomo]], a story that has largely been abandoned since the end of the Edo Period. | The Shimazu, who may have been descended from the [[Koremune clan]], were founded by [[Shimazu Tadahisa]] (d.[[1227]]?), who was appointed as military commander of southern [[Kyushu]] by [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] in [[1187]]. The Shimazu were splintered into two contending factions following the death of [[Shimazu Sadahisa]] ([[1265]]-[[1351]]) and remained fractured into the [[Sengoku Period]]. Building on the efforts of his father [[Shimazu Takahisa]], [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] managed to take much of Kyushu by [[1587]] but was forced back by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]]. Though they supported [[Ishida Mitsunari]] in [[1600]], the Shimazu remained a powerful house until the end of the [[Edo Period]]. It was once believed that Shimazu Tadahisa was an illegitimate child of [[Minamoto Yoritomo]], a story that has largely been abandoned since the end of the Edo Period. |