Shimazu Tadayoshi

He was born in a break-away clan of Shimazu Clan , ''Mimasaka Shimazu clan'' (伊作島津家) but after his father Shimazu Yoshihisa died, his mother married Shimazu Unkyu of another break-away clan, ''Soshu clan''(相州家). Tadayoshi came to represent two clans within the larger Shimazu clan.

Shimazu Katsuhisa , who presided over Shimazu clan, did not have a son and he was driven out by Shimazu Sanehisa , who was the head of ''Sasshu clan'' (薩州家). Sanehisa claimed to be the head of the clan without being properly recognized by rest of clan. Tadayoshi allowed his son Shimazu Takahisa to be adopted by Katsuhisa. In 1539 , during the Battle Of Ichirai , Tadayoshi defeated Katsuhisa and Takahisa was recognized by all members of Shimazu clan as the head.

After the succession by Takahisa, Tadayoshi retired to Kaseda in Satsuma Province. He held a great amount of power power, trading with Ryukyu Kingdom and Ming Dynasty . He traded massive purchases of matchlock rifles to make the clan prosperous for the planned unification of Kyushu by Takahisa.

Tadayoshi wrote an ''Iroha Uta'' poem that sung of the importance of unity. It begins with following words:
:Inishie no Michi wo Kikitemo Tonaetemo Waga Okonai ni sezuba Kahinashi
:いにしへの道を聞きても唱えへてもわが行いにせずばかひなし
It means, "Even if you learn old ways, if you cannot use them as your own, it is meaningless." It was based on Confucianism and his educational philosophy would deeply influence his four grandsons, Shimazu Yoshihisa , Shimazu Yoshihiro , Shimazu Toshihisa , and Shimazu Iehisa . It would eventually make it way into modern philosophies in the Meiji Period as Satsuma Han took part in modernizing Japan.

Tadayoshi called himself ''Shimazu Nisshinsai'' (島津日新斎) in later years and praised his four sons as "Yoshihisa the Leader," "Yoshihiro the Brave," "Toshihisa the Planner," and "Iehisa the Tactitian." Tadayoshi died in 1568.

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Shimazu Tadayoshi