Changes

Yoshihisa had made a grave mistake in his underestimation of Hideyoshi, but as 1586 drew to a close, the latter's threats may have seemed a moot point. With the Ôtomo everywhere retreating or switching sides, the occupation of the Ôtomo capital in Bungo, [[Funai]], was only a matter of time. Perhaps hoping to buy back a little of that time to rally his great hosts, Hideyoshi dispatched a force to Bungo commanded by [[Chosokabe Motochika]] and [[Sengoku Hidehisa]]. Though these men were under orders to sit tight in the Ôtomo capital, Sengoku and [[Otomo Yoshimune|Ôtomo Yoshimune]], over Motochika's objections, decided to take the fight to the Shimazu. Their reasoning was that the Shimazu seemed to have drawn back to rest (as indeed they had) and this presented a fine opportunity to relieve Toshimitsu, a nearby castle currently under siege by [[Niiro Tadamoto]]. Unfortunately for the allies, Yoshihisa learned of their movements and hastened to the area. Toshimitsu was overrun, and Ôtomo and his allies were confronted with a Shimazu army. Motochika suggested they retreat to Funai, but was again ignored. Instead, Yoshimune decided to have a go at what seemed to be a reasonably manageable enemy force (unaware as he was that the bulk of the Shimazu were hidden in the hills across the Hetsugigawa). The [[Battle of Hetsugigawa]] [戸次川の戦い] commenced with [[Sogo Nagayasu]] (a Shikoku warrior like Motochika) falling for a feint across the river by [[Ijuin Hisanori]]. The result of the battle was another Ôtomo defeat and the occupation of Bungo. Unfortunately for Yoshihisa, his moment of glory would be brief indeed. On 20 January [[1587]] [[Hashiba Hidenaga]] landed on Kyushu with as many as 60,000 men, followed by [[Kobayakawa Takakage]] and the Môri, who had with them a further 90,000. Faced with this mighty host and already stretched to the limit, the Shimazu withdrew south rapidly, allowing Hidenaga to proceed with an advance along the eastern coast of the island. Hideyoshi himself arrived with yet another 30,000 in February and secured the submission of most of the warlords of the provinces conquered by the Shimazu in the past decade, including the [[Akizuki clan|Akizuki]], [[Arima clan|Arima]], [[Goto clan|Goto]], [[Nabeshima clan|Nabeshima]], Omura, and Ryûzôji. The Toyotomi progress was almost leisurely, especially since the only real Shimazu resistance would come at the Sendai River on 6 June, and this was in essence a show of simple defiance by the proud Shimazu warriors. By this point, the approaches to Kagoshima lay open, and Toyotomi troops were pouring into Satsuma.  

Yoshihisa had made a grave mistake in his underestimation of Hideyoshi, but as 1586 drew to a close, the latter's threats may have seemed a moot point. With the Ôtomo everywhere retreating or switching sides, the occupation of the Ôtomo capital in Bungo, [[Funai]], was only a matter of time. Perhaps hoping to buy back a little of that time to rally his great hosts, Hideyoshi dispatched a force to Bungo commanded by [[Chosokabe Motochika]] and [[Sengoku Hidehisa]]. Though these men were under orders to sit tight in the Ôtomo capital, Sengoku and [[Otomo Yoshimune|Ôtomo Yoshimune]], over Motochika's objections, decided to take the fight to the Shimazu. Their reasoning was that the Shimazu seemed to have drawn back to rest (as indeed they had) and this presented a fine opportunity to relieve Toshimitsu, a nearby castle currently under siege by [[Niiro Tadamoto]]. Unfortunately for the allies, Yoshihisa learned of their movements and hastened to the area. Toshimitsu was overrun, and Ôtomo and his allies were confronted with a Shimazu army. Motochika suggested they retreat to Funai, but was again ignored. Instead, Yoshimune decided to have a go at what seemed to be a reasonably manageable enemy force (unaware as he was that the bulk of the Shimazu were hidden in the hills across the Hetsugigawa). The [[Battle of Hetsugigawa]] [戸次川の戦い] commenced with [[Sogo Nagayasu]] (a Shikoku warrior like Motochika) falling for a feint across the river by [[Ijuin Hisanori]]. The result of the battle was another Ôtomo defeat and the occupation of Bungo. Unfortunately for Yoshihisa, his moment of glory would be brief indeed. On 20 January [[1587]] [[Hashiba Hidenaga]] landed on Kyushu with as many as 60,000 men, followed by [[Kobayakawa Takakage]] and the Môri, who had with them a further 90,000. Faced with this mighty host and already stretched to the limit, the Shimazu withdrew south rapidly, allowing Hidenaga to proceed with an advance along the eastern coast of the island. Hideyoshi himself arrived with yet another 30,000 in February and secured the submission of most of the warlords of the provinces conquered by the Shimazu in the past decade, including the [[Akizuki clan|Akizuki]], [[Arima clan|Arima]], [[Goto clan|Goto]], [[Nabeshima clan|Nabeshima]], Omura, and Ryûzôji. The Toyotomi progress was almost leisurely, especially since the only real Shimazu resistance would come at the Sendai River on 6 June, and this was in essence a show of simple defiance by the proud Shimazu warriors. By this point, the approaches to Kagoshima lay open, and Toyotomi troops were pouring into Satsuma.  

Yoshihisa was faced with two alternatives: a doomed last stand at Kagoshima or surrender. He wisely chose the latter. On 14 June [[1587]], he shaved his head and appeared in Hideyoshi's headquarters at Taiheiji in Satsuma. All things considered, Hideyoshi was lenient in his treatment of the humiliated Shimazu, allowing Yoshihisa to keep his head and his clan to keep Satsuma, Ôsumi, and southern Hyûga. Yoshihisa was naturally expected to retire (and indeed he had hastily taken up a monk's habit and the priestly name Ryuhaku [竜伯]), and he turned over leadership of the clan to his brother Yoshihiro. He lived in more-or-less quiet retirement until his death in 1611, having seen his clan defeated once again, this time in the fighting at [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]] in [[1600]].  

Yoshihisa was faced with two alternatives: a doomed last stand at Kagoshima or surrender. He wisely chose the latter. On 14 June [[1587]], he shaved his head and appeared in Hideyoshi's headquarters at Taiheiji in Satsuma. All things considered, Hideyoshi was lenient in his treatment of the humiliated Shimazu, allowing Yoshihisa to keep his head and his clan to keep Satsuma, Ôsumi, and southern Hyûga. Yoshihisa was naturally expected to retire (and indeed he had hastily taken up a monk's habit and the priestly name Ryûhaku [竜伯]), and he turned over leadership of the clan to his brother Yoshihiro. He lived in more-or-less quiet retirement until his death in 1611, having seen his clan defeated once again, this time in the fighting at [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]] in [[1600]].  

Like his father a leader of great energy, Yoshihisa was probably the greatest general Kyushu produced in the 16th Century, though his victories owed much to the skill of his brothers and the pure fighting qualities of the Satsuma warriors.  

Like his father a leader of great energy, Yoshihisa was probably the greatest general Kyushu produced in the 16th Century, though his victories owed much to the skill of his brothers and the pure fighting qualities of the Satsuma warriors.