Changes

Following the establishment of Nata Shrine by [[Usa Kimimoto]] in [[729]] as a branch shrine of Usa Hachiman, the Nata became the designated house of the high priests of Usa Hachiman for the succeeding nearly nine centuries.

Following the establishment of Nata Shrine by [[Usa Kimimoto]] in [[729]] as a branch shrine of Usa Hachiman, the Nata became the designated house of the high priests of Usa Hachiman for the succeeding nearly nine centuries.

One notable member of the Nata family was a daughter of [[Nata Akimoto]] known only as "[[Otomo Nata Jezebel|Jezebel]]" (d. [[1587]]), an epithet given to her by the [[Jesuits]] for her active opposition to the spread of [[Christianity]].

In the [[Sengoku period]], the family expanded its shrine lands (''shinryô'', lit. "[[kami]] territories"), maintained a band of warriors known as ''shinpei'' ("soldiers of the ''kami''" or "divine soldiers"), and built at least one notable fortification. They further secured their power through strategic marriages with the [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo clan]]. One such marriage was between the powerful [[Christianity|Christian]] ''daimyô'' [[Otomo Sorin|Ôtomo Sôrin]] and a daughter of [[Nata Akimoto]], known to us today only as "[[Otomo Nata Jezebel|Jezebel]]" (d. [[1587]]), an epithet given to her by the [[Jesuits]] for her active opposition to the spread of Christianity.

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==References==

==References==

*Haruko Nawata Ward, ''Women Religious Leaders in Japan's Christian Century'', Ashgate (2009), 120.

*Haruko Nawata Ward, ''Women Religious Leaders in Japan's Christian Century'', Ashgate (2009), 120, 123.

[[Category:Clans]]

[[Category:Clans]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]