− | Harunobu was the daimyô of the [[Arima clan]], a small family that controlled the Shimabara area of [[Hizen province]]. [[Arima Yoshisada|Arima Yoshisada's]] son and successor, Harunobu began a persecution of the Christians in his domain after his father's death. In [[1579]], with [[Ryuzoji Takanobu|Ryûzôji Takanobu]] expanding into the area, Harunobu - like his uncle [[Omura Sumitada|Ômura Sumitada]] - turned to the Jesuits for assistance. In return, he was baptized as Protasio and ended the persecution. The arrival of Portuguese weapons and ships bought the Arima a little time, but in [[1582]] Harunobu lost his important [[Shimabara castle|Shimabara Castle]] and was reduced to holding a thin strip of the peninsula. In desperation, he turned to the [[Shimazu clan]], presently at war with the [[Ryuzoji clan|Ryûzôji]] in [[Higo province]]. The Shimazu dispatched a force under [[Shimazu Iehisa]] to Shimabara and in [[1584]] they and the [[Arima clan|Arima]], with a combined 3,000 men, defeated the much larger Ryûzôji army at [[Battle of Okitanawate|Okitanawate]], a battle in which Takanobu was killed. Afterwards Shimazu Yoshihisa suggested the Arima renounce Christianity but did not press the issue when Harunobu declined. | + | Harunobu was the daimyô of the [[Arima clan]], a small family that controlled the Shimabara area of [[Hizen province]]. [[Arima Yoshisada|Arima Yoshisada's]] son and successor, Harunobu began a persecution of the Christians in his domain after his father's death. In [[1579]], with [[Ryuzoji Takanobu|Ryûzôji Takanobu]] expanding into the area, Harunobu - like his uncle [[Omura Sumitada|Ômura Sumitada]] - turned to the [[Jesuits]] for assistance. In return, he was baptized as Protasio and ended the persecution, even going so far as to order the destruction of all ([[Buddhism|Buddhist]]) idols and the conversion of all people in the territory; by [[1582]], some 20,000 residents of Arima lands had been baptized.<ref>William Theodore de Bary, Carol Gluck, and Arthur Tiedemann (eds.), ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'', Second Edition, vol 2, Columbia University Press (2005), 148.</ref> The arrival of Portuguese weapons and ships bought the Arima a little time, but in [[1582]] Harunobu lost his important [[Shimabara castle|Shimabara Castle]] and was reduced to holding a thin strip of the peninsula. In desperation, he turned to the [[Shimazu clan]], presently at war with the [[Ryuzoji clan|Ryûzôji]] in [[Higo province]]. The Shimazu dispatched a force under [[Shimazu Iehisa]] to Shimabara and in [[1584]] they and the [[Arima clan|Arima]], with a combined 3,000 men, defeated the much larger Ryûzôji army at [[Battle of Okitanawate|Okitanawate]], a battle in which Takanobu was killed. Afterwards Shimazu Yoshihisa suggested the Arima renounce Christianity but did not press the issue when Harunobu declined. |
| Arima attached himself to [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] after the latter invaded Kyushu ([[1587]]) and in [[1593]] led some 2,000 men to [[Korean Invasions|Korea]] under [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. Harunobu supported the Western side in the [[Sekigahara Campaign]] ([[1600]]) but did not suffer the loss of any land as a result. | | Arima attached himself to [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] after the latter invaded Kyushu ([[1587]]) and in [[1593]] led some 2,000 men to [[Korean Invasions|Korea]] under [[Konishi Yukinaga]]. Harunobu supported the Western side in the [[Sekigahara Campaign]] ([[1600]]) but did not suffer the loss of any land as a result. |