[:it]Shimazu Yoshihiro (21 agosto 1535 – 30 agosto 1619), conosciuto anche come Shimazu Tadahira e Hyogo no kami. Secondogenito di Shimazu Takahisa, egli era il 17° capo clan degli Shimazu.

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Ha cominciato servendo suo fratello Yoshihisa in molte campagne militari. Durante la battaglia di Kizaki, la “Okehazama del Kyūshū” nel 1572, 300 uomini di Yoshihiro sconfissero I tremila soldati di Itō Yoshisuke. Nel 1577 ha ottenuto la supremazia degli Shimazu sulla provincia di Hyūga. Successivamente ha partecipato alle battaglie di Takabaru (1576), Mimigawa (1576), Minamata (1581), e Hetsugigawa (1587).

La vita di Shimazu Yoshihiro: Dal 1587 al 1600

Nel 1587 venne nominato daimyō a seguito della sottomissione degli Shimazu a Hideyoshi. Successivamente guidò 10.000 uomini nella prima campagna coreana (1592-93) dalla sua nave Kotaka-maru. Durante questa battaglia, un certo numero di servitori tra cui suo fratello Toshihisa, protestarono alla chiamata alle armi per questo furono puniti da Yoshihiro. Ha poi combattuto la seconda campagna coreana nelle battaglie di Namwon e Sacheon. Con queste battaglie ha rapito alcuni vasai coreani come prigionieri di guerra. Questo, creò un nuovo stile di vasi detto Satsuma-yaki che aumentò successivamente il commercio della provincia.

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Durante la battaglia di Sekigahara del 1600, secondo il romanzo Rakusuishū del periodo Edo, Yoshihiro sembra sia stato dalla parte di Tokugawa Ieyasu. Successivamente umiliato da Torii Mototada all’arrivo al castello di Fushimi, passò dalla parte di Ishida Mitsunari prima che Mōri Terumoto dichiarasse guerra persuadendo Uesugi Kagekatsu ad allearsi con loro.

Yoshihiro e Mitsunari

Secondo il suo subordinato Kando Kutarō, Yoshihiro era molto amico di Mitsunari. Tuttavia, i romanzieri del periodo Edo, distorsero la realtà dicendo che Mitsunari non avesse ascoltato nessuno dei piani di Yoshihiro, tra cui il noto attacco notturno a sorpresa del giorno prima della vera battaglia. Invece, quel giorno, Yoshihiro e i suoi 1500 samurai semplicemente stavano presiedendo la loro zona senza combattere. Yoshihiro fu preso d’assalto da almeno 30.000 truppe di Ieyasu per questo cercò molte volte di arrivare allo stesso Ieyasu. Yoshihiro si ritirò e le sue truppe simularono un finto ritiro chiamato Sutegamari quando un certo numero di uomini morirono respingendo gli attacchi. Toyohisa e la maggior parte delle truppe morirono permettendo a Yoshihiro di ritirarsi con la moglie. Si spostò quindi dalla provincia di Settsu per tornare nella provincia di Satsuma.

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Shiramine Jun, importante storico giapponese ha scritto che Yoshihiro era stato coinvolto nella lotta di potere tra Shimazu Yoshihisa e Ijuin Tadamune. Infatti, per questo motivo, Yoshihiro perse l’appoggio di Yoshihisa durante la campagna di Sekigahara.

Ieyasu, notando il comportamento di Yoshihiro sul campo di battaglia, fece in modo che il clan Shimazu mantenesse il suo dominio. Infatti, scelse come successore proprio il figlio di Yoshihiro, Shimazu Tadatsune. Nel 1609, Yoshihiro e Tadatsune iniziarono una spedizione punitiva contro il regno delle Ryūkyū.
Sembra abbia combattuto in 52 battaglie durante la sua vita e che fu un abile comandante.

La Morte

Yoshihiro si ritirò a Sakurajima e iniziò a insegnare alle giovani generazioni. Morì nel 1619 provocando il suicidio di molti suoi servitori che lo avevano affiancato per tutto il resto della sua vita.[:en]Shimazu Yoshihiro (August 21, 1535 – August 30, 1619), also known as Shimazu Tadahira and Hyogo no kami. Second son of Shimazu Takahisa, he was the 17th Shimazu clan leader.

photo credits: japanworld.info

He began serving his brother Yoshihisa in many military campaigns. During the battle of Kizaki, the “Okehazama of Kyūshū” in 1572, 300 men of Yoshihiro defeated Itō Yoshisuke’s three thousand soldiers. In 1577 he obtained the supremacy of the Shimazu over the province of Hyūga. Later he participated in the battles of Takabaru (1576), Mimigawa (1576), Minamata (1581), and Hetsugigawa (1587).

The life of Shimazu Yoshihiro: From 1587 to 1600

In 1587 he was appointed daimyō following the submission of the Shimazu to Hideyoshi. He later led 10,000 men in the first Korean campaign (1592-93) from his ship Kotaka-maru. During this battle, a number of servants including his brother Toshihisa protested the call to arms and for this, they were punished by Yoshihiro. He then fought the second Korean campaign in the battles of Namwon and Sacheon. With these battles, he kidnapped some Korean potters as prisoners of war. This created a new style of vases called Satsuma-yaki which subsequently increased trade in the province.

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During the battle of Sekigahara in the 1600s, according to the novel Rakusuishū of the Edo period, Yoshihiro appears to have been on the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Later humiliated by Torii Mototada on arrival at Fushimi’s castle, he moved over to Ishida Mitsunari before Mōri Terumoto declared war by persuading Uesugi Kagekatsu to ally with them.

Yoshihiro and Mitsunari

According to his subordinate Kando Kutarō, Yoshihiro was a close friend of Mitsunari. However, novelists of the Edo period distorted reality by saying that Mitsunari had not listened to any of Yoshihiro’s plans, including the notorious surprise night attack of the day before the real battle. Instead, that day, Yoshihiro and his 1500 samurai simply presided over their area without a fight. Yoshihiro was stormed by at least 30,000 Ieyasu troops, so he tried many times to get to the same Ieyasu. Yoshihiro retired and his troops simulated a false retreat called Sutegamari when a number of men died repelling the attacks. Toyohisa and most of the troops died allowing Yoshihiro to retire with his wife. He then moved from the province of Settsu to return to the province of Satsuma.

photo credits: japanworld.info

Shiramine Jun, an important Japanese historian, wrote that Yoshihiro had been involved in the power struggle between Shimazu Yoshihisa and Ijuin Tadamune. In fact, for this reason, Yoshihiro lost the support of Yoshihisa during the Sekigahara campaign.

Ieyasu, noting Yoshihiro’s behavior on the battlefield, caused the Shimazu clan to maintain his rule. In fact, he chose Yoshihiro’s son Shimazu Tadatsune as his successor. In 1609, Yoshihiro and Tadatsune began a punitive expedition against the Ryūkyu kingdom.
He appears to have fought in 52 battles during his lifetime and was a skilled commander.

The death

Yoshihiro retired to Sakurajima and started teaching the younger generation. He died in 1619 causing the suicide of many of his servants who had joined him for the rest of his life.[:ja]Shimazu Yoshihiro (August 21, 1535 – August 30, 1619), also known as Shimazu Tadahira and Hyogo no kami. Second son of Shimazu Takahisa, he was the 17th Shimazu clan leader.

photo credits: japanworld.info

He began serving his brother Yoshihisa in many military campaigns. During the battle of Kizaki, the “Okehazama of Kyūshū” in 1572, 300 men of Yoshihiro defeated Itō Yoshisuke’s three thousand soldiers. In 1577 he obtained the supremacy of the Shimazu over the province of Hyūga. Later he participated in the battles of Takabaru (1576), Mimigawa (1576), Minamata (1581), and Hetsugigawa (1587).

The life of Shimazu Yoshihiro: From 1587 to 1600

In 1587 he was appointed daimyō following the submission of the Shimazu to Hideyoshi. He later led 10,000 men in the first Korean campaign (1592-93) from his ship Kotaka-maru. During this battle, a number of servants including his brother Toshihisa protested the call to arms and for this, they were punished by Yoshihiro. He then fought the second Korean campaign in the battles of Namwon and Sacheon. With these battles, he kidnapped some Korean potters as prisoners of war. This created a new style of vases called Satsuma-yaki which subsequently increased trade in the province.

photo credits: facebook.com

During the battle of Sekigahara in the 1600s, according to the novel Rakusuishū of the Edo period, Yoshihiro appears to have been on the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Later humiliated by Torii Mototada on arrival at Fushimi’s castle, he moved over to Ishida Mitsunari before Mōri Terumoto declared war by persuading Uesugi Kagekatsu to ally with them.

Yoshihiro and Mitsunari

According to his subordinate Kando Kutarō, Yoshihiro was a close friend of Mitsunari. However, novelists of the Edo period distorted reality by saying that Mitsunari had not listened to any of Yoshihiro’s plans, including the notorious surprise night attack of the day before the real battle. Instead, that day, Yoshihiro and his 1500 samurai simply presided over their area without a fight. Yoshihiro was stormed by at least 30,000 Ieyasu troops, so he tried many times to get to the same Ieyasu. Yoshihiro retired and his troops simulated a false retreat called Sutegamari when a number of men died repelling the attacks. Toyohisa and most of the troops died allowing Yoshihiro to retire with his wife. He then moved from the province of Settsu to return to the province of Satsuma.

photo credits: japanworld.info

Shiramine Jun, an important Japanese historian, wrote that Yoshihiro had been involved in the power struggle between Shimazu Yoshihisa and Ijuin Tadamune. In fact, for this reason, Yoshihiro lost the support of Yoshihisa during the Sekigahara campaign.

Ieyasu, noting Yoshihiro’s behavior on the battlefield, caused the Shimazu clan to maintain his rule. In fact, he chose Yoshihiro’s son Shimazu Tadatsune as his successor. In 1609, Yoshihiro and Tadatsune began a punitive expedition against the Ryūkyu kingdom.
He appears to have fought in 52 battles during his lifetime and was a skilled commander.

The death

Yoshihiro retired to Sakurajima and started teaching the younger generation. He died in 1619 causing the suicide of many of his servants who had joined him for the rest of his life.[:]