Otomo Yoshimune

Japanese: 大友義統 - おおとも・よしむね

Year of death: July 19, 1605 (September 2, 1605)
Year of birth: Eiroku 1 (1558)
A military commander in the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. The eldest son of the daughter of Sorin and Nada Akimoto. Commonly known as Chojumaru, he was the head of the Left Guard. In 1573, he inherited the family headship and six provinces, including Bungo. With the assistance of his uncle Tahara Shoshin, he governed the provinces, but after a major defeat at the hands of the Shimazu clan in the Battle of Hyuga Mimigawa in 1583, rebellions broke out one after another. He was preoccupied with fighting against the Ryuzoji and Shimazu clans, and in 1584, he was invaded by the Shimazu clan, but the following year, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi pacified Kyushu, he was granted control of Bungo. Hideyoshi gave him one character of his given name and he changed his name to Yoshimune. He initially became a Christian, but when the ban on Christianity was issued, he suddenly began to persecute Christians. During the invasion of Korea in 1593, he was blamed for retreating from the Battle of Pyongyang and was stripped of his title. During the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he was defeated at Ishigakihara and imprisoned by the Satake clan. Frois described him as "mediocre" and "unable to accomplish anything without advice." <References> "Enlarged and revised/chronological Otomo historical materials" volumes 20-29

(Fukukawa Ittoku)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：慶長10.7.19(1605.9.2)
生年：永禄1(1558)
戦国・安土桃山時代の武将。宗麟と奈多鑑基の娘の長男。通称長寿丸。左兵衛督。天正1(1573)年,家督と豊後以下6カ国を相続。叔父田原紹忍の補佐で分国を統治するが,同6年日向耳川の戦で島津氏に大敗したのち,反乱が続出。竜造寺,島津氏との戦いに明け暮れ,天正14年には島津氏の侵攻を受けるが,翌年,豊臣秀吉が九州を平定すると豊後を安堵される。秀吉より諱の1字をもらい吉統と改名。初めキリシタンとなるが,禁教令が出されると一転その迫害に回る。文禄2(1593)年の朝鮮出兵時,平壌攻防戦からの退却を責められ改易。慶長5(1600)年関ケ原の戦の際,石垣原で敗れ佐竹に幽閉。「凡庸で」「助言なしには何事もなしえない」とはフロイスの評である。<参考文献>『増補訂正/編年大友史料』20～29巻

(福川一徳)

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