other · Korea and Japan

Shimazu clan domain

1550 CE – 1600 CE (approx.) · capital Kagoshima

The domain of the Shimazu of southern Kyushu, who nearly conquered the whole island before submitting to Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587.

Origins

The Shimazu had been governors of Satsuma since the Kamakura period but had splintered into rival branches. Shimazu Takahisa reunited the clan and province by about 1550, ruling from Kagoshima. Portuguese guns reached the Shimazu vassals on Tanegashima in 1543, and Francis Xavier landed at Kagoshima in 1549.

Rule and society

Takahisa's son Yoshihisa and his brothers Yoshihiro, Toshihisa and Iehisa formed a formidable military team. They conquered Osumi and Hyuga, crushed the Otomo at Mimikawa in 1578 and the Ryuzoji at Okitanawate in 1584, and by 1586 controlled most of Kyushu. The domain drew strength from a large warrior class and trade through its ports.

Decline and legacy

Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Kyushu in 1587 and Yoshihisa surrendered, keeping Satsuma and Osumi. After fighting for the losing side at Sekigahara in 1600, the Shimazu negotiated to keep their lands as the Satsuma Domain.

Lineage

Shimazu clan domainSatsuma Domain 1600 CE – 1871 CE

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Shimazu clan domain. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/shimazu-clan-domain
MLA
“Shimazu clan domain.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/shimazu-clan-domain. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Shimazu clan domain.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/shimazu-clan-domain.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Shimazu clan domain’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/shimazu-clan-domain (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻