Changes

* ''Title: Tango no kami

* ''Title: Tango no kami

* ''Distinction: [[Hizen province|Hizen]] warlord

* ''Distinction: [[Hizen province|Hizen]] warlord

* ''Son: [[Omura Yoshiaki]]

* ''Son: [[Omura Yoshiaki|Ômura Yoshiaki]]

The Omura family traced it's roots back to the 10th Century, when Fujiwara (Ômura) Naozumi settled in Kyushu and later achieved a certain modicum of local influence. Following the [[Onin War]] ([[1467]]-[[1467|77]]) the Sonogi peninsula was divided into a myriad number of petty fiefdoms and the Omura struggled for dominance. In [[1474]] the neighboring Arima dealt [[Omura Sumiyoshi]] a defeat and afterwards exerted considerable influence over the Omura clan. [[Omura Sumisaki]] adopted a son of [[Arima Haruzumi]], an event that was to cause the adoptee in question, Sumitada, much difficulty in his own rule. Haruzumi's natural son, Takaaki, had been disinherited in the move, and after ending up in the Goto clan was extremely hostile towards his former family. In fact, Sumitada had to contend with the resentments of a number of local lords, all of whom were in some way kinsmen, including [[Saigo Sumitaka]] (a brother-in-law) and [[Fukahori Sumikata]]. In addition, the Matsuura and Arima pressed the Omura's borders; yet the greatest threat to Sumitada was [[Ryuzoji Takanobu]], the most powerful daimyo in Hizen.  

The Ômura family traced its roots back to the 10th century, when [[Fujiwara Naozumi|Fujiwara (Ômura) Naozumi]] settled in Kyushu and later achieved a certain modicum of local influence. Following the [[Onin War|Ônin War]] ([[1467]]-[[1477]]) the Sonogi peninsula was divided into a myriad number of petty fiefdoms and the Ômura struggled for dominance. In [[1474]] the neighboring [[Arima clan]] dealt [[Omura Sumiyoshi|Ômura Sumiyoshi]] a significant defeat and afterwards exerted considerable influence over the Ômura clan. [[Omura Sumisaki|Ômura Sumisaki]] adopted a son of [[Arima Haruzumi]], an event that was to cause the adoptee in question, Sumitada, much difficulty in his own rule. Haruzumi's natural son, [[Goto Takaaki|Takaaki]], had been disinherited in the move, and after ending up in the [[Goto clan|Gotô clan]] was extremely hostile towards his former family. In fact, Sumitada had to contend with the resentments of a number of local lords, all of whom were in some way kinsmen, including [[Saigo Sumitaka|Saigô Sumitaka]] (a brother-in-law) and [[Fukahori Sumikata]]. In addition, the [[Matsuura clan|Matsuura]] and Arima pressed the Ômura's borders; yet the greatest threat to Sumitada was [[Ryuzoji Takanobu|Ryûzôji Takanobu]], the most powerful ''daimyô'' in Hizen.  

Faced with the seemingly inevitable fall of the Omura, Sumitada turned to the only party that seemed capable of providing him with telling assistance - the Jesuits. In [[1562]] he allowed the Christian priests to preach in his domain and gave Portuguese traders special privileges in the port of Yokoseura; the following year Sumitada became the first Christian Daimyo, baptized with the name Dom Bartolomeu in June. Unfortunately, Omura's religious and political workings initially bore bitter fruit; the same year Sumitada was baptized, [[Goto Takaaki]] rose against him and in the course of the struggle Yokoseura was destroyed. The event seemed to presage the fall of the Omura, and in [[1566]] Sumitada was forced to flee [[Aonogi Castle]] - his headquarters. Yet the Portuguese returned and with the weapons they supplied, Sumitada was able to retake Sonogi and stabilized his position. Omura managed to fend off his many rivals for the next two decades and Portuguese vessels continued to call at Omura ports. To a greater or lesser extent the Omura-Jesuit pact was beneficial to Sumitada, even if it provoked families already hostile to him. In [[1572]] [[Saigo Sumitaka]] led a coalition of Omura's enemies against Sumitada, a threat Sumitada countered with the help of four Portuguese warships in [[1574]]. From the Portuguese point of view, Sumitada's conversion was an encouraging development but not altogether fruitful-that is, until [[1580]]. By that year, [[Ryuzoji Takanobu]] had become the most dynamic lord of northern Kyushu, and his advances into the Sonogi area compelled Sumitada to make a remarkable donation to the Jesuits. On 9 June he ceded rights to the port of Nagasaki, including the transfer of all judicial authority to the Jesuits.  

Faced with the seemingly inevitable fall of the Ômura, Sumitada turned to the only party that seemed capable of providing him with telling assistance: the Jesuits. In [[1562]] he allowed the Christian priests to preach in his domain and gave Portuguese traders special privileges in the port of Yokoseura; the following year Sumitada became the first Christian ''daimyô'', baptized with the name Dom Bartolomeu in June. Unfortunately, Ômura's religious and political workings initially bore bitter fruit; the same year Sumitada was baptized, Gotô Takaaki rose against him and in the course of the struggle Yokoseura was destroyed. The event seemed to presage the fall of the Ômura, and in [[1566]] Sumitada was forced to flee his headquarters at [[Aonogi castle]]. Yet the Portuguese returned and with the [[teppo|weapons]] they supplied, Sumitada was able to retake Sonogi and stabilized his position. Ômura managed to fend off his many rivals for the next two decades and Portuguese vessels continued to call at Ômura ports. To a greater or lesser extent the Ômura-Jesuit pact was beneficial to Sumitada, even if it provoked families already hostile to him. In [[1572]] Saigô Sumitaka led a coalition of Ômura's enemies against him, a threat Sumitada countered with the help of four Portuguese warships in [[1574]]. That same year, Sumitada submitted to Portuguese pressure that he abolish all "idol worship" in his lands; numerous temples were destroyed, and all the residents of Ômura lands were now obliged to convert to Christianity, or be killed. Some sixty thousand people were then baptized.<ref>William Theodore de Bary, Carol Gluck, and Arthur Tiedemann (eds.), ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'', Second Edition, vol 2, Columbia University Press (2005), 147.</ref>

This dramatic move followed in the wake of two Ryuzoji incursions ([[1577]], [[1578|78]]) and was not made so much to preserve the survival of the Omura house as to preserve the Christian presence in Hizen. Above and beyond any possible pious motivations, Sumitada stood to gain much through continued trade with the Portuguese, especially if this were combined with an end of the war with the Ryuzoji. Concerned that Takanobu would drive out the foreigners once the Omura submitted, Sumitada officially 'gave' Nagasaki to the Jesuits, maintaining the rights to collect duty tariffs on the goods that passed through the port. Later that year, Omura went to Saga and submitted to Ryuzoji.  

 

This dramatic move followed in the wake of two Ryûzôji incursions ([[1577]], [[1578]]) and was not made so much to preserve the survival of the Ômura house as to preserve the Christian presence in Hizen. Above and beyond any possible pious motivations, Sumitada stood to gain much through continued trade with the Portuguese, especially if this were combined with an end of the war with the Ryûzôji. Concerned that Takanobu would drive out the foreigners once the Ômura submitted, Sumitada officially 'gave' Nagasaki to the Jesuits, maintaining the rights to collect duty tariffs on the goods that passed through the port. Later that year, Ômura went to [[Saga province|Saga]] and submitted to the Ryûzôji.  

Takanobu hesitated to confront the Portuguese directly, as the power of these 'Southern barbarians' was still something of an unknown element. Just as Sumitada had hoped, Takanobu left Nagasaki alone, leaving the Jesuits to report their unexpected boom to an amazed Rome.  

Takanobu hesitated to confront the Portuguese directly, as the power of these 'Southern barbarians' was still something of an unknown element. Just as Sumitada had hoped, Takanobu left Nagasaki alone, leaving the Jesuits to report their unexpected boom to an amazed Rome.  

Omura was now a vassal of the Ryuzoji and finally allowed some breathing room. Takanobu turned his eye on the Arima of the Shimabara peninsula, a clan who, like the Omura, had turned to the foreigners for assistance. In [[1584]] [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] an expeditionary force to Shimabara to assist the reeling Arima, prompting Takanobu to personally lead an army to the area. Sumitada was summoned to lead his own men in support, but was late in taking to the road and managed to miss the decisive [[Battle of Okinanawate]]. Takanobu was killed during the battle and the political picture in Hizen changed drastically.  

Ômura was now a vassal of the Ryûzôji and finally allowed some breathing room. Takanobu turned his eye on the Arima of the Shimabara peninsula, a clan who, like the Ômura, had turned to the foreigners for assistance. In [[1584]] [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] led an expeditionary force to Shimabara to assist the reeling Arima, prompting Takanobu to personally lead an army to the area. Sumitada was summoned to lead his own men in support, but was late in taking to the road and managed to miss the decisive [[Battle of Okinanawate]]. Takanobu was killed during the battle and the political picture in Hizen changed drastically.  

In [[1587]] [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] invaded Kyushu and the Omura submitted, though they suffered the loss of the Nagasaki trade. Sumitada died that same year and was succeeded by his son [[Omura Yoshiaki|Yoshiaki]] ([[1568]]-[[1615]]). Like his father, Yoshiaki was a Christian, and in that capacity was known as Dom Sancho. Yoshiaki served in the [[1592]] [[Korean Invasions|Korean invasion]], leading 1,000 men under [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. In [[1600]] he elected to remain neutral during the Sekigahara campaign and as a result was ordered to retire in favor of his son Suminobu. Although baptized in his youth, Suminobu persecuted those Christians still residing in Omura and helped put down the [[Shimabara Rebellion]] ([[1637]]-[[1638|38]]). The Omura stood as a daimyo house until the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the abolishment of the han in the 19th Century.

In [[1587]] [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] invaded Kyushu and the Ômura submitted, though they suffered the loss of the Nagasaki trade. Sumitada died that same year and was succeeded by his son [[Omura Yoshiaki|Yoshiaki]] ([[1568]]-[[1615]]). Like his father, Yoshiaki was a Christian, and in that capacity was known as Dom Sancho. Yoshiaki served in the [[1592]] [[Korean Invasions|Korean invasion]], leading 1,000 men under [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. In [[1600]] he elected to remain neutral during the [[Sekigahara campaign]] and as a result was ordered to retire in favor of his son [[Omura Suminobu|Suminobu]]. Although baptized in his youth, Suminobu persecuted those Christians still residing in Ômura lands and helped put down the [[Shimabara Rebellion]] ([[1637]]-[[1638|38]]). The Omura stood as a ''daimyô'' house until the fall of the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] and the [[abolition of the han]] in the 19th century.

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:Samurai]]

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[[Category:Christians]]

[[Category:Christians]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]