Changes

In [[1562]] Yoshishige took the name Sambisai Sôrin, and it is as Ôtomo Sôrin that he is best known. That same year, the Ôtomo accepted an alliance with the Môri’s enemies to the east, the Amako, and attacked the Môri holdings in Buzen. [[Mori Takamoto|Môri Takamoto]], assisted by the Shogun [[Ashikaga Yoshiteru]], managed to arrange a peace treaty. One of Sôrin’s daughters was arranged in marriage to [[Mori Terumoto|Môri Terumoto]], Takamoto’s young son, though it does not appear that this union ever actually took place.  

In [[1562]] Yoshishige took the name Sambisai Sôrin, and it is as Ôtomo Sôrin that he is best known. That same year, the Ôtomo accepted an alliance with the Môri’s enemies to the east, the Amako, and attacked the Môri holdings in Buzen. [[Mori Takamoto|Môri Takamoto]], assisted by the Shogun [[Ashikaga Yoshiteru]], managed to arrange a peace treaty. One of Sôrin’s daughters was arranged in marriage to [[Mori Terumoto|Môri Terumoto]], Takamoto’s young son, though it does not appear that this union ever actually took place.  

In 1564 Ôtomo Sôrin had to quell a rebellion by the rebellious and fiercely independent Akizuki of Chikuzen. In [[1568]] the Ôtomo moved against the Ryûzôji of Hizen, an operation that prompted the interference of the Môri clan. The Ôtomo vassal [[Hetsugi Akitsura]] was defeated at the [[Battle of Tatarahama]] and in [[1569]] lost [[Tachibana Castle]] (Chikuzen) to the powerful Môri expeditionary force. Sôrin responded by threatening the Môri’s Buzen foothold, and forced the Môri to retreat.  

In 1564 Ôtomo Sôrin had to quell a rebellion by the rebellious and fiercely independent Akizuki of Chikuzen. In [[1568]] the Ôtomo moved against the Ryûzôji of Hizen, an operation that prompted the interference of the Môri clan. The Ôtomo vassal [[Hetsugi Akitsura]] was defeated at the [[Battle of Tatarahama]] and in [[1569]] lost [[Tachibana castle]] (Chikuzen) to the powerful Môri expeditionary force. Sôrin responded by threatening the Môri’s Buzen foothold, and forced the Môri to retreat.  

By this point, Sôrin could claim control of Bungo, most of Buzen, Chikuzen, Chikugo, and considerable influence over Higo and Hizen. Ôtomo banners even flew over forts in [[Iyo province|Iyo]], taken from the hostile Kono clan. The Ôtomo army was known as the ''Ôtomo shichikakoku no zei'', or the Seven-Province Host of the Ôtomo. On paper, Ôtomo Sôrin was a mighty daimyo, and led a powerful clan seemingly destined for regional supremacy. Yet two factors were to undermine Sôrin’s ambitions, both of which may well have proved fatal in and of themselves - the Shimazu clan and internal weakness within the Ôtomo itself. To touch on the latter problem first, the Ôtomo do not appear to have ever achieved the sort of control over their retainers that other successful Sengoku daimyo did. Some of their most important vassals, notably the Tachibana (formerly known as the Hekki) and Tamura, were hardly vassals at all, rather allies who operated with a degree of independence that all but made them daimyo themselves.  

By this point, Sôrin could claim control of Bungo, most of Buzen, Chikuzen, Chikugo, and considerable influence over Higo and Hizen. Ôtomo banners even flew over forts in [[Iyo province|Iyo]], taken from the hostile Kono clan. The Ôtomo army was known as the ''Ôtomo shichikakoku no zei'', or the Seven-Province Host of the Ôtomo. On paper, Ôtomo Sôrin was a mighty daimyo, and led a powerful clan seemingly destined for regional supremacy. Yet two factors were to undermine Sôrin’s ambitions, both of which may well have proved fatal in and of themselves - the Shimazu clan and internal weakness within the Ôtomo itself. To touch on the latter problem first, the Ôtomo do not appear to have ever achieved the sort of control over their retainers that other successful Sengoku daimyo did. Some of their most important vassals, notably the Tachibana (formerly known as the Hekki) and Tamura, were hardly vassals at all, rather allies who operated with a degree of independence that all but made them daimyo themselves.  

After nearly a decade of fighting, [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] had defeated the Ito clan and forced the daimyo, [[Ito Yoshisuke]], to flee north and take shelter in the Ôtomo’s domain. [[Otomo Yoshimune|Ôtomo Yoshimune]], perhaps looking to prove himself as a leader, decided to attack Hyûga before the Shimazu had an opportunity to consolidate their gains. Yoshimune called up an army and prepared to take the field, ignoring the objections of his retainers who felt this sort of campaign would only encourage the Ôtomo’s other enemies to attack. With as many as 40,000 men under arms, Yoshimune marched into Hyûga, to be followed by his father, who was said to have desired the founding of a model Christian town in Hyûga.  

After nearly a decade of fighting, [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] had defeated the Ito clan and forced the daimyo, [[Ito Yoshisuke]], to flee north and take shelter in the Ôtomo’s domain. [[Otomo Yoshimune|Ôtomo Yoshimune]], perhaps looking to prove himself as a leader, decided to attack Hyûga before the Shimazu had an opportunity to consolidate their gains. Yoshimune called up an army and prepared to take the field, ignoring the objections of his retainers who felt this sort of campaign would only encourage the Ôtomo’s other enemies to attack. With as many as 40,000 men under arms, Yoshimune marched into Hyûga, to be followed by his father, who was said to have desired the founding of a model Christian town in Hyûga.  

The first resistance they encountered was that of [[Tsuchimochi Chikanari]], lord of [[Matsuo Castle]] (present day Nobeoka). A warrior of some ability who had earlier betrayed Ito Yoshisuke and joined the Shimazu, Chikanari was overwhelmed by the Ôtomo host and his lands earmarked by Sôrin for the planned Christian paradise. At this point, Sôrin and Yoshimune sent the main army on ahead, under the command of [[Tawara Chikataka]]. Tawara, a man who had in the past showed himself at least reasonably capable, was Sôrin’s brother-in-law (through Sôrin’s new wife) and politically sound. In the meantime, Sôrin and Yoshimune set about destroying all of the Buddhist and Shinto shrines in the Tsuchimochi lands, an activity that angered the local population and caused disquiet among the Ôtomo retainers.

The first resistance they encountered was that of [[Tsuchimochi Chikanari]], lord of [[Matsuo castle]] (present day Nobeoka). A warrior of some ability who had earlier betrayed Ito Yoshisuke and joined the Shimazu, Chikanari was overwhelmed by the Ôtomo host and his lands earmarked by Sôrin for the planned Christian paradise. At this point, Sôrin and Yoshimune sent the main army on ahead, under the command of [[Tawara Chikataka]]. Tawara, a man who had in the past showed himself at least reasonably capable, was Sôrin’s brother-in-law (through Sôrin’s new wife) and politically sound. In the meantime, Sôrin and Yoshimune set about destroying all of the Buddhist and Shinto shrines in the Tsuchimochi lands, an activity that angered the local population and caused disquiet among the Ôtomo retainers.

Tawara crossed the Omaru River and paused before Taka-jô, the only castle aside to offer resistance thus far. The 3,000-man garrison was under the command of the skilled [[Shimazu Iehisa]], who was determined to hold out as long as possible, giving his elder brother Yoshihisa time to prepare the Shimazu army. Tawara, not unwisely, decided to bypass Taka-jô, leaving a screening force to keep Iehisa pinned down and, hopefully, to wither on the vine. At the same time, it seems that Tawara was confident that the Shimazu, whose reputation was traditionally none too impressive, posed little threat. Consequently little effort was made to gather intelligence on what was transpiring beyond the southern Hyûga hills that lay before the Ôtomo army. In fact, Yoshihisa had rallied an army and driven north, executing a series of maneuvers that led to the [[Battle of Mimigawa]]. The battle ended in a complete disaster for the Ôtomo - thousands of troops were killed and thousands of others scattered, with the ‘Seven-Province Host’ in pell-mell retreat. Sôrin and his son joined the flight and returned to Bungo crest-fallen. The fortunes of the Ôtomo had taken a sudden and dramatic turn for the worse, and declined with every year thereafter. The following year the Ôtomo were largely driven from Chikugo by the Ryûzôji, and suffered another rebellion by [[Akizuki Tanezane]]. In Bungo itself, dissension was rife, in many cases as a result of Sôrin’s continued support of Christianity. In fact, the Ôtomo were in such poor shape that Shimazu Yoshihisa saw fit to call for a cease-fire. The beleaguered Ôtomo readily agreed, freeing Yoshihisa to fight an enemy he considered a much more dangerous opponent – [[Ryuzoji Takanobu|Ryûzôji Takanobu]].

Tawara crossed the Omaru River and paused before Taka-jô, the only castle aside to offer resistance thus far. The 3,000-man garrison was under the command of the skilled [[Shimazu Iehisa]], who was determined to hold out as long as possible, giving his elder brother Yoshihisa time to prepare the Shimazu army. Tawara, not unwisely, decided to bypass Taka-jô, leaving a screening force to keep Iehisa pinned down and, hopefully, to wither on the vine. At the same time, it seems that Tawara was confident that the Shimazu, whose reputation was traditionally none too impressive, posed little threat. Consequently little effort was made to gather intelligence on what was transpiring beyond the southern Hyûga hills that lay before the Ôtomo army. In fact, Yoshihisa had rallied an army and driven north, executing a series of maneuvers that led to the [[Battle of Mimigawa]]. The battle ended in a complete disaster for the Ôtomo - thousands of troops were killed and thousands of others scattered, with the ‘Seven-Province Host’ in pell-mell retreat. Sôrin and his son joined the flight and returned to Bungo crest-fallen. The fortunes of the Ôtomo had taken a sudden and dramatic turn for the worse, and declined with every year thereafter. The following year the Ôtomo were largely driven from Chikugo by the Ryûzôji, and suffered another rebellion by [[Akizuki Tanezane]]. In Bungo itself, dissension was rife, in many cases as a result of Sôrin’s continued support of Christianity. In fact, the Ôtomo were in such poor shape that Shimazu Yoshihisa saw fit to call for a cease-fire. The beleaguered Ôtomo readily agreed, freeing Yoshihisa to fight an enemy he considered a much more dangerous opponent – [[Ryuzoji Takanobu|Ryûzôji Takanobu]].

By [[1586]] the fortunes of the Ôtomo had reached their nadir. Ryûzôji Takanobu had been killed, allowing Shimazu Yoshihisa to return his attentions to Bungo. In May Sôrin left Usuki, his place of retirement, and traveled to Osaka to see [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], from whom he pleaded assistance against the Shimazu. Hideyoshi had no doubt planned to march on Kyushu anyway, but Sôrin provided a convenient excuse made all the more substantial when the Shimazu refused to agree to a Toyotomi-brokered peace deal. In December 1586 the first Toyotomi troops landed on Kyushu and while these men joined Ôtomo Yoshimune in a defeat at the [[Battle of the Hetsugigawa]], the massive army that followed swept the Shimazu all the way back to Satsuma.

By [[1586]] the fortunes of the Ôtomo had reached their nadir. Ryûzôji Takanobu had been killed, allowing Shimazu Yoshihisa to return his attentions to Bungo. In May Sôrin left Usuki, his place of retirement, and traveled to Osaka to see [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], from whom he pleaded assistance against the Shimazu. Hideyoshi had no doubt planned to march on Kyushu anyway, but Sôrin provided a convenient excuse made all the more substantial when the Shimazu refused to agree to a Toyotomi-brokered peace deal. In December 1586 the first Toyotomi troops landed on Kyushu and while these men joined Ôtomo Yoshimune in a defeat at the [[Battle of Hetsugigawa]], the massive army that followed swept the Shimazu all the way back to Satsuma.

Sôrin passed away later that year, his family seemingly secure in their hereditary fiefdom of Bungo if no longer independent. Unfortunately, Yoshimune had one further mistake to make. Tasked with leading 6,000 men to Korea as part of Hideyoshi’s [[Korean Invasions|invasion]] in [[1592]], Yoshimune displayed cowardice during fighting with Chinese troops near Pyongyang. Learning of a sizable Chinese force moving into the area, Yoshimune abandoned an important fort, an action that caused him to be sent home in disgrace and then stripped of his lands. He sided with [[Ishida Mitsunari]] during the [[Sekigahara Campaign]] and was exiled afterwards. He died in [[1605]], the last head of the Ôtomo family.

Sôrin passed away later that year, his family seemingly secure in their hereditary fiefdom of Bungo if no longer independent. Unfortunately, Yoshimune had one further mistake to make. Tasked with leading 6,000 men to Korea as part of Hideyoshi’s [[Korean Invasions|invasion]] in [[1592]], Yoshimune displayed cowardice during fighting with Chinese troops near Pyongyang. Learning of a sizable Chinese force moving into the area, Yoshimune abandoned an important fort, an action that caused him to be sent home in disgrace and then stripped of his lands. He sided with [[Ishida Mitsunari]] during the [[Sekigahara Campaign]] and was exiled afterwards. He died in [[1605]], the last head of the Ôtomo family.