Changes

[[Image:Otomo_mon.jpg|left|thumb|The Ôtomo kamon.]]

[[Image:Otomo_mon.jpg|left|thumb|The Ôtomo kamon.]]

The Ôtomo of [[Bungo province]] represented one of the oldest of Japan's clans. They were founded by the adopted son of [[Nakahara Chikayoshi]], [[Otomo Yoshinao|Ôtomo Yoshinao]]. He was a loyal follower of [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] and in [[1193]] was established on [[Kyushu]] and given responsibility for Bungo and [[Buzen province|Buzen]]. The height of the Ôtomo's power came during the reign of Ôtomo Yoshishige (Sôun), who by [[1568]] had extended the influence of his family over Bungo, Buzen, northern [[Hyuga province|Hyûga]], [[Chikuzen province|Chikuzen]], and [[Chikugo province|Chikugo]]. Defeats at the hands of the [[Ryuzoji|Ryûzôji]] in [[1570]] (Imai) and the [[Shimazu clan|Shimazu]] in [[1578]] (Mimigawa), combined with internal dissension, weakened the Ôtomo and they were on the verge of being destroyed by the Shimazu when [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] invaded Kyushu in [[1587]]. Although this preserved the Ôtomo domain for a time, it was lost owing to cowardice on the part of Sôrin's heir in the Korean invasion.

The Ôtomo of [[Bungo province]] represented one of the oldest of Japan's clans. They were founded by the adopted son of [[Nakahara Chikayoshi]], [[Otomo Yoshinao|Ôtomo Yoshinao]]. He was a loyal follower of [[Minamoto Yoritomo]] and in [[1193]] was established on [[Kyushu]] and given responsibility for Bungo and [[Buzen province|Buzen]]. The height of the Ôtomo's power came during the reign of Ôtomo Yoshishige (Sôun), who by [[1568]] had extended the influence of his family over Bungo, Buzen, northern [[Hyuga province|Hyûga]], [[Chikuzen province|Chikuzen]], and [[Chikugo province|Chikugo]]. Defeats at the hands of the [[Ryuzoji|Ryûzôji]] in [[1570]] (Imai) and the [[Shimazu clan|Shimazu]] in [[1578]] (Mimigawa), combined with internal dissension, weakened the Ôtomo and they were on the verge of being destroyed by the Shimazu when [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] invaded Kyushu in [[1587]]. Although this preserved the Ôtomo domain for a time, it was lost owing to cowardice on the part of Sôrin's heir in the [[Korean Invasions|Korean invasion]].

[[Category:Clans]]

[[Category:Clans]]