Changes

The death of [[Shimazu Tatsuhisa]] in [[1474]] led to increased tensions and conflict between factions of the clan led by [[Shimazu Kunihisa]] and [[Shimazu Suehisa]], and by [[1484]], outright war broke out in southern Kyushu, in conjunction with conflicts between [[Isaku Hisatoshi]] and [[Niiro Tadatsugu]]. [[Kimotsuki Kanehisa]] rose up in rebellion in [[1506]], contributing to the decision of [[Shimazu Tadamasa]], clan head at that time, to commit suicide the following year.<ref name=takatsu255/>

The death of [[Shimazu Tatsuhisa]] in [[1474]] led to increased tensions and conflict between factions of the clan led by [[Shimazu Kunihisa]] and [[Shimazu Suehisa]], and by [[1484]], outright war broke out in southern Kyushu, in conjunction with conflicts between [[Isaku Hisatoshi]] and [[Niiro Tadatsugu]]. [[Kimotsuki Kanehisa]] rose up in rebellion in [[1506]], contributing to the decision of [[Shimazu Tadamasa]], clan head at that time, to commit suicide the following year.<ref name=takatsu255/>

Beginning in [[1550]], [[Shimazu Takahisa]], along with his sons [[Shimazu Yoshihisa|Yoshihisa]] and [[Shimazu Yoshihiro|Yoshihiro]], expanded the clan's domains considerably. By [[1574]], they had secured control of Satsuma province by defeating the [[Shibuya clan|Shibuya]] and [[Hishigari clan]]s, and Ôsumi province by defeating the [[Kimotsuki clan|Kimotsuki]], [[Kamo clan|Kamo]], and [[Ijichi clan]]s. They defeated the [[Ito clan|Itô clan]] in [[1577]] to claim control over parts of Hyûga province, and [[Otomo Sorin|Ôtomo Sôrin]] the following year, at the [[battle of Mimigawa]]. The Shimazu had even defeated [[Sagara Giyo|Sagara Giyô]] and [[Ryuzoji Takanobu|Ryûzôji Takanobu]] of [[Higo province|Higo]] and [[Hizen province]]s, expanding into northern Kyushu, before they suffered defeats at the hands of [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], whose [[1587]] [[Kyushu Campaign]] ended in him securing control of the entire island.<ref name=reimei/> In preparing banquets for Hideyoshi, and receiving or entertaining him otherwise, the Shimazu, though proud of having upheld older samurai traditions, were forced more than ever before to adopt and perform newer forms of elite samurai practices.<ref name=shoko/>

Beginning in [[1550]], [[Shimazu Takahisa]], along with his sons [[Shimazu Yoshihisa|Yoshihisa]] and [[Shimazu Yoshihiro|Yoshihiro]], expanded the clan's domains considerably. By [[1574]], they had secured control of Satsuma province by defeating the [[Shibuya clan|Shibuya]] and [[Hishigari clan]]s, and Ôsumi province by defeating the [[Kimotsuki clan|Kimotsuki]], [[Kamo clan|Kamo]], and [[Ijichi clan]]s. They defeated the [[Ito clan|Itô clan]] in [[1577]] to claim control over parts of Hyûga province, and [[Otomo Sorin|Ôtomo Sôrin]] the following year, at the [[battle of Mimigawa]]. In [[1586]], Yoshihisa led forces against the Ôtomo in [[Bungo province]], while Yoshihiro attacked Bungo from [[Higo province]], and their youngest brother [[Shimazu Iehisa]] moved in from Hyûga. They quickly isolated the Ôtomo's vassals, and before long seized most, if not all, of the Ôtomo territory. They even defeated an allied force of Ôtomo and [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi|Toyotomi]] forces to keep moving forward after the [[battle of Hetsugigawa]]. The Shimazu then also defeated [[Sagara Giyo|Sagara Giyô]] and [[Ryuzoji Takanobu|Ryûzôji Takanobu]] of Higo and [[Hizen province]]s, and expanded into northern Kyushu, but began to find themselves stretched far too thin, financially, just as Toyotomi Hideyoshi began, in [[1587]], to challenge them for control of Kyushu. Before the Shimazu were able to complete their conquest of the island, they began to suffer defeats, and Hideyoshi's [[Kyushu Campaign]] ended in him securing control of the entire island.<ref name=reimei/><ref>"[http://www.shuseikan.jp/word/sengoku07.html Bungo seme]," ''Satsuma Shimazu-ke no rekishi'', Shôkoshûseikan official website.</ref> In preparing banquets for Hideyoshi, and receiving or entertaining him otherwise, the Shimazu, though proud of having upheld older samurai traditions, were forced more than ever before to adopt and perform newer forms of elite samurai practices.<ref name=shoko/>

The Shimazu remained a powerful house through the end of the [[Edo Period]], controlling [[Satsuma han]], with a ''[[kokudaka]]'' of 770,000 ''[[koku]]'', the second-largest of any domain (''[[han]]''). Members of the family continued to be powerful and influential in government and business from the [[Meiji period]] onwards, through the 20th century and today.

The Shimazu remained a powerful house through the end of the [[Edo Period]], controlling [[Satsuma han]], with a ''[[kokudaka]]'' of 770,000 ''[[koku]]'', the second-largest of any domain (''[[han]]''). Members of the family continued to be powerful and influential in government and business from the [[Meiji period]] onwards, through the 20th century and today.