Takanobu Matsuura

A military commander in the Sengoku period. Son of Matsuura Okinobu, lord of Hirado Castle in Hizen (Nagasaki Prefecture). Commonly known as Gensaburo. In 1541 (Tenbun 10), he inherited the family headship at the age of 13 upon his father's death and took the title of Hizen no Kami. At the urging of Goho Ocho, a Chinese man who lived on the eastern foot of Katsuo in Hirado, he welcomed a Portuguese ship to Hirado in 1550 and began trading. The following year, he acquired military supplies from the Portuguese, including how to use guns and how to make bullets from lead, but was persecuted by the Christian sect. He had ties with the Ouchi clan, a Sengoku daimyo from Suo (Yamaguchi Prefecture) who had expanded their influence into Kyushu, and by around 1566 (Eiroku 9), he had almost pacified the Omura Bay area. In 68, he shaved his hair, adopted the Buddhist name Douka, and handed over the family headship to his eldest son Shigenobu. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi dispatched forces to Kyushu in 87 (Tensho 15), he met Hideyoshi before the generals of the Omura and Arima clans, led a fleet to attack the Shimazu clan, and was granted permission to keep his territory. During the Higo Province uprising in 89, he played an active role in suppressing the revolt together with Kato Kiyomasa and others. He died on March 6, leap year 4 of Keicho.

[Junzo Ota]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦国時代の武将。肥前(ひぜん)（長崎県）平戸(ひらど)城主松浦興信(おきのぶ)の子。通称源三郎。1541年（天文10）父の死により13歳で家督を継ぎ、肥前守(かみ)を名のる。平戸の勝尾東麓(とうろく)に居を構えた明(みん)人の五峰王直(ごほうおうちょく)の勧めで50年にポルトガル船を平戸に迎え貿易を行う。翌51年鉄砲の用法と鉛による弾丸の製法など軍需品をポルトガル人から取り入れたが、キリシタン宗門は迫害した。九州に勢力を伸ばした周防(すおう)（山口県）の戦国大名大内(おおうち)氏と通じ、66年（永禄9）ごろまでに大村湾一帯をほぼ平定した。68年には薙髪(ちはつ)して法号を道可(どうか)と称し、家督を長子鎮信(しげのぶ)に譲った。87年（天正15）豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の九州出兵には大村・有馬氏らの諸将に先んじて秀吉に謁し、船団を率いて島津攻めに従い本領を安堵(あんど)された。89年の肥後の国一揆(くにいっき)の際、加藤清正(きよまさ)らと鎮圧に活躍。慶長(けいちょう)4年閏(うるう)3月6日死没。

［太田順三］

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