Changes

Yoshihisa had by now returned to Satsuma, having left his brother Iehisa with a thousand men to watch the border at Takajo. The advancing Otomo quickly crushed the pro-Shimazu lord (and former Ito vassal) [[Tsuchimochi Chikanari]] and occupied [[Matsuo Castle]]. The two Otomo lords lingered there after sending a relative, [[Tawara Chikataka]], ahead with the main body. This invested Takajo, which Iehisa defended fiercely.  

Yoshihisa had by now returned to Satsuma, having left his brother Iehisa with a thousand men to watch the border at Takajo. The advancing Otomo quickly crushed the pro-Shimazu lord (and former Ito vassal) [[Tsuchimochi Chikanari]] and occupied [[Matsuo Castle]]. The two Otomo lords lingered there after sending a relative, [[Tawara Chikataka]], ahead with the main body. This invested Takajo, which Iehisa defended fiercely.  

Learning of the dire threat in Hyuga, Yoshihisa hastily rallied his kinsmen and marched north to Sadowara, where he was briefly held up by bad weather. Meanwhile, his brother Yoshihiro, who was advancing along a different route, encountered and scattered an advance Otomo force, following up this success with the destruction of an enemy fort at Matsuyama. Yoshihisa then advanced to the Taka area, and joined with the rest of the Shimazu clan. The following battle was one of the lesser-known but more decisive of the 16th Century. Yoshihisa, with as many as 30,000 warriors, adopted a defensive posture, inviting an attack from the impetuous Tawara, who had no less then 60,000 men at his command. The attack did come, and it was nearly ruinous for the Shimazu: a number of generals were killed under the sheer weight of the charge, which tore deeply into the Shimazu army. It was at this moment, however, that Yoshihisa revealed his true qualities as a leader. Refusing to move his standard one-inch back, the lord of the Shimazu rallied his faltering men and turned the tables on the Otomo. With the enemy spearhead ground to a halt in front of him, Yoshihisa signaled for the men on the flanks to charge the Otomo flanks in a pincer movement while at this key moment, Iehisa led out a spirited foray from Takajo. The Otomo levies panicked and suddenly the battle had developed into a rout, with the Shimazu mercilessly riding won their defeated enemy as they fled north. Hundreds if not thousands were drowned attempting to cross the Mimigawa, after which the battle is called. Sources differ on the results of the slaughter but the cost to the Otomo may have been as many as 20,000 killed. Certainly, the Otomo would never again command the power they once had.  

Learning of the dire threat in Hyuga, Yoshihisa hastily rallied his kinsmen and marched north to Sadowara, where he was briefly held up by bad weather. Meanwhile, his brother Yoshihiro, who was advancing along a different route, encountered and scattered an advance Otomo force, following up this success with the destruction of an enemy fort at Matsuyama. Yoshihisa then advanced to the Taka area, and joined with the rest of the Shimazu clan. The following battle was one of the lesser-known but more decisive of the 16th Century. Yoshihisa, with as many as 30,000 warriors, adopted a defensive posture, inviting an attack from the impetuous Tawara, who had no less then 60,000 men at his command. The attack did come, and it was nearly ruinous for the Shimazu: a number of generals were killed under the sheer weight of the charge, which tore deeply into the Shimazu army. It was at this moment, however, that Yoshihisa revealed his true qualities as a leader. Refusing to move his standard one-inch back, the lord of the Shimazu rallied his faltering men and turned the tables on the Otomo. With the enemy spearhead ground to a halt in front of him, Yoshihisa signaled for the men on the flanks to charge the Otomo flanks in a pincer movement while at this key moment, Iehisa led out a spirited foray from Takajo. The Otomo levies panicked and suddenly the battle had developed into a rout, with the Shimazu mercilessly riding won their defeated enemy as they fled north. Hundreds if not thousands were drowned attempting to cross the Mimigawa, after which the battle is called. Sources differ on the results of the slaughter but the cost to the Otomo may have been as many as 20,000 killed. Certainly, the Otomo would never again command the power they once had.