Muneshige Tachibana

A feudal lord from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period. Founder of the Yanagawa Domain in Chikugo (Fukuoka Prefecture). Eldest son of Takahashi Joun. Born in Bungo (Oita Prefecture) in 1580 (Tensho 8). Adopted by Tachibana Akitsura in 1580 (Tensho 8), he succeeded to the family headship in 1585. In 1586, he submitted to Toyotomi Hideyoshi before the other feudal lords in Kyushu, and served as the vanguard in the Kyushu Conquest the following year. For his military achievements, Yanagawa was awarded over 130,000 koku, appointed as a chamberlain of the fourth rank, and given the title of Sakon Shogen. He participated in Hideyoshi's conquest of Odawara and the Bunroku-Keicho Wars. He sided with the Western Army in the Battle of Sekigahara and was stripped of his title, but in 1603 (Keicho 8) he was summoned by Tokugawa Hidetada and given 10,000 koku in Mutsu Tanagura (Tanagura Town, Fukushima Prefecture). In 1610 his title was increased to 30,000 koku. He participated in the Winter and Summer Sieges of Osaka. In 1620 (Genwa 6), when the Tanaka clan, who had been lords of Yanagawa Castle, were extinct and stripped of their title, he was again given over 109,000 koku in the Yanagawa area, and he recovered most of his former territory. In 1622 he became the governor of Hida. In 1604 (Kan'ei 14), he retired. In 1605 he participated in the suppression of the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion. He later shaved his head and took the name Ryusai. He married the daughter of Tachibana Kagami, but later divorced her and took the daughter of his vassal Yajima Hideyuki as his successor. After Yajima's death, he married the daughter of Hamuro Yorinobu.

[Yasunori Koya]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

安土(あづち)桃山時代～江戸初期の大名。筑後(ちくご)（福岡県）柳川（柳河）(やながわ)藩藩祖。高橋紹運(じょううん)長男。永禄(えいろく)12年豊後(ぶんご)（大分県）に生まれる。1580年（天正8）立花鑑連(あきつら)の養子となり、85年家督を継いだ。86年九州の諸大名に先だって豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉に服し、翌年の九州征伐には先鋒(せんぽう)を務めた。その戦功により柳川13万石余を与えられ、従四位下侍従(じゅしいげじじゅう)に叙任、左近将監(さこんしょうげん)と称した。秀吉の小田原攻略、文禄(ぶんろく)・慶長(けいちょう)の役に参戦。関ヶ原の戦いで西軍に属して、改易されたが、1603年（慶長8）徳川秀忠(ひでただ)に召し出されて、陸奥棚倉(むつたなぐら)（福島県棚倉町）に1万石を与えられた。1610年3万石に加増。大坂冬・夏の陣に参戦。20年（元和6）柳川城主となっていた田中氏の絶家・改易で、ふたたび柳川周辺に10万9000石余を与えられ、旧領のほとんどを回復した。22年飛騨守(ひだのかみ)。37年（寛永14）隠居。38年島原・天草一揆(いっき)の鎮圧に参加。その後剃髪(ていはつ)して立斎(りゅうさい)と号した。室は立花鑑連娘、のち離婚して家臣矢島秀行(やじまひでゆき)娘を継室とし、その没後葉室頼宣(はむろよりのぶ)娘をめとった。

［荒野泰典］

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