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Following the establishment of Nata Shrine by [[Usa Kimimoto]] in [[729]] as a branch shrine of Usa Hachiman, the Nata became the designated house of the high priests of Usa Hachiman for the succeeding nearly nine centuries.

Following the establishment of Nata Shrine by [[Usa Kimimoto]] in [[729]] as a branch shrine of Usa Hachiman, the Nata became the designated house of the high priests of Usa Hachiman for the succeeding nearly nine centuries.

In the [[Sengoku period]], the family expanded its shrine lands (''shinryô'', lit. "[[kami]] territories"), maintained a band of warriors known as ''shinpei'' ("soldiers of the ''kami''" or "divine soldiers"), and built at least one notable fortification. They further secured their power through strategic marriages with the [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo clan]]. One such marriage was between the powerful [[Christianity|Christian]] ''daimyô'' [[Otomo Sorin|Ôtomo Sôrin]] and a daughter of [[Nata Akimoto]], known to us today only as "[[Otomo Nata Jezebel|Jezebel]]" (d. [[1587]]), an epithet given to her by the [[Jesuits]] for her active opposition to the spread of Christianity.

In the [[Sengoku period]], the family expanded its shrine lands (''shinryô'', lit. "[[kami]] territories"), maintained a band of warriors known as ''shinpei'' ("soldiers of the ''kami''" or "divine soldiers"), and built at least one notable fortification. They further secured their power through strategic marriages with the [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo clan]]. One such marriage was between the powerful [[Christianity|Christian]] ''daimyô'' [[Otomo Sorin|Ôtomo Sôrin]] and a daughter of [[Nata Akimoto]], known to us today only as "[[Otomo Nata Jezebel|Jezebel]]" (d. [[1587]]), an epithet given to her by the [[Jesuits]] for her active opposition to the spread of Christianity. Several members of the family at that time (including Akimoto's son [[Tawara Chikakata|Chikakata]]) were adopted into the [[Tawara clan|Tawara family]], another vassal family of the Ôtomo. Members of both the Nata and Tawara families held high positions in the Ôtomo household government, including as ministers of religion, and generals in the Ôtomo armies.

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