Shimazu

The Shimazu were the warrior lords of southern Kyūshū. Their founder Tadahisa, said to be a son of Minamoto no Yoritomo though probably of Koremune descent, became steward of the Shimazu estate in 1185 and shugo of Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga.

In 1333 the fifth head, Sadahisa, joined Emperor Go-Daigo's attack on the Chinzei tandai and later fought for Ashikaga Takauji. His division of the inheritance created rival lines, until the clan head Takahisa reunited Satsuma and Ōsumi. His son Yoshihisa nearly conquered Kyūshū, defeating the Ryūzōji in 1584; the Shimazu deployed disciplined arquebus volleys.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi checked them in 1587, but they surrendered in time to keep Satsuma, Ōsumi and part of Hyūga. After Sekigahara in 1600 they retained their domains as the Satsuma han, and in 1609 Tadatsune invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom and made it a vassal.