Changes

Ômura took this even further in 1580. By that year, Ryûzôji Takanobu had become the most dynamic lord of northern Kyushu, and his advances into the Sonogi area compelled Sumitada to make a remarkable donation to the Jesuits. On 9 June he ceded rights to the port of Nagasaki, including the transfer of all judicial authority to the Jesuits.  

Ômura took this even further in 1580. By that year, Ryûzôji Takanobu had become the most dynamic lord of northern Kyushu, and his advances into the Sonogi area compelled Sumitada to make a remarkable donation to the Jesuits. On 9 June he ceded rights to the port of Nagasaki, including the transfer of all judicial authority to the Jesuits.  

This dramatic move followed in the wake of two Ryûzôji incursions ([[1577]], [[1578]]) and was not made so much to preserve the survival of the Ômura house as to preserve the Christian presence in Hizen. Above and beyond any possible pious motivations, Sumitada stood to gain much through continued trade with the Portuguese, especially if this were combined with an end of the war with the Ryûzôji. Concerned that Takanobu would drive out the foreigners once the Ômura submitted, Sumitada officially 'gave' Nagasaki to the Jesuits, maintaining the rights to collect duty tariffs on the goods that passed through the port. Later that year, Ômura went to [[Saga province|Saga]] and submitted to the Ryûzôji.  

This dramatic move followed in the wake of two Ryûzôji incursions ([[1577]], [[1578]]) and was not made so much to preserve the survival of the Ômura house as to preserve the Christian presence in Hizen. Above and beyond any possible pious motivations, Sumitada stood to gain much through continued trade with the Portuguese, especially if this were combined with an end of the war with the Ryûzôji. Concerned that Takanobu would drive out the foreigners once the Ômura submitted, Sumitada officially 'gave' Nagasaki to the Jesuits, maintaining the rights to collect duty tariffs on the goods that passed through the port. Later that year, Ômura went to [[Saga]] and submitted to the Ryûzôji.  

Takanobu hesitated to confront the Portuguese directly, as the power of these 'Southern barbarians' was still something of an unknown element. Just as Sumitada had hoped, Takanobu left Nagasaki alone, leaving the Jesuits to report their unexpected boom to an amazed Rome.  

Takanobu hesitated to confront the Portuguese directly, as the power of these 'Southern barbarians' was still something of an unknown element. Just as Sumitada had hoped, Takanobu left Nagasaki alone, leaving the Jesuits to report their unexpected boom to an amazed Rome.  

Ômura was now a vassal of the Ryûzôji and finally allowed some breathing room. Takanobu turned his eye on the Arima of the Shimabara peninsula, a clan who, like the Ômura, had turned to the foreigners for assistance. In [[1584]] [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] led an expeditionary force to Shimabara to assist the reeling Arima, prompting Takanobu to personally lead an army to the area. Sumitada was summoned to lead his own men in support, but was late in taking to the road and managed to miss the decisive [[Battle of Okinanawate]]. Takanobu was killed during the battle and the political picture in Hizen changed drastically.  

Ômura was now a vassal of the Ryûzôji and finally allowed some breathing room. Takanobu turned his eye on the Arima of the Shimabara peninsula, a clan who, like the Ômura, had turned to the foreigners for assistance. In [[1584]] [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] led an expeditionary force to Shimabara to assist the reeling Arima, prompting Takanobu to personally lead an army to the area. Sumitada was summoned to lead his own men in support, but was late in taking to the road and managed to miss the decisive [[Battle of Okitanawate]]. Takanobu was killed during the battle and the political picture in Hizen changed drastically.  

In [[1587]] [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] invaded Kyushu and the Ômura submitted, though they suffered the loss of the Nagasaki trade. Sumitada died that same year and was succeeded by his son [[Omura Yoshiaki|Yoshiaki]] ([[1568]]-[[1615]]). Like his father, Yoshiaki was a Christian, and in that capacity was known as Dom Sancho. Yoshiaki served in the [[1592]] [[Korean Invasions|Korean invasion]], leading 1,000 men under [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. In [[1600]] he elected to remain neutral during the [[Sekigahara campaign]] and as a result was ordered to retire in favor of his son [[Omura Suminobu|Suminobu]]. Although baptized in his youth, Suminobu persecuted those Christians still residing in Ômura lands and helped put down the [[Shimabara Rebellion]] ([[1637]]-[[1638|38]]). The Omura stood as a ''daimyô'' house until the fall of the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] and the [[abolition of the han]] in the 19th century.

In [[1587]] [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] invaded Kyushu and the Ômura submitted, though they suffered the loss of the Nagasaki trade. Sumitada died that same year and was succeeded by his son [[Omura Yoshiaki|Yoshiaki]] ([[1568]]-[[1615]]). Like his father, Yoshiaki was a Christian, and in that capacity was known as Dom Sancho. Yoshiaki served in the [[1592]] [[Korean Invasions|Korean invasion]], leading 1,000 men under [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. In [[1600]] he elected to remain neutral during the [[Sekigahara campaign]] and as a result was ordered to retire in favor of his son [[Omura Suminobu|Suminobu]]. Although baptized in his youth, Suminobu persecuted those Christians still residing in Ômura lands and helped put down the [[Shimabara Rebellion]] ([[1637]]-[[1638|38]]). The Omura stood as a ''daimyô'' house until the fall of the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] and the [[abolition of the han]] in the 19th century.