Matsura Takanobu | |
|---|---|
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| Daimyō of Hirado | |
| In office 1541–1568 | |
| Preceded by | Matsura Okinobu |
| Succeeded by | Matsura Shigenobu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1529 |
| Died | April 1, 1599(1599-04-01) (aged 69–70) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Matsura Takanobu (松浦 隆信; 1529 – April 1, 1599) orTaqua Nombo was a 16th-century Japanesesamurai and 25th hereditary lord of theMatsura clan ofHirado. He was one of the most powerful feudal lords ofKyūshū and one of the first to allow trading with Europeans, particularly thePortuguese, through whom he amassed great profits in the import of western firearms. He was also an early host and patron to theJesuits, who he hoped would help secure an increase in trade with the Portuguese and other European traders.[1]
After becoming lord of Hirado in 1543, the 14-year-old Takanobu was advised byYasumasa Toyohisa. Toyohisa was a well-known samurai and cousin of the previous lord of Hirado and, under his guidance, the domains of theKoteda family were increased to include much ofIkitsuki, together with the islands ofTakushima,Ojika,Noshima as well as the areas of Kasuga, Shishi and Iira inHirado. That same year he became an ally of the powerfulwakō leaderWang Zhi, inviting him to live in Hirado and allowing his band to dominate the outlying islands off Kyūshū.[2]
During the 1550s, he was involved in a fierce rivalry with the rivalŌmura clan, the Christian convertŌmura Sumitada, who also competed for Portuguese trade. This led to many armed conflicts, including one attempt at taking the Portugueseblack ship in theBattle of Fukuda Bay by Takanobu. This rivalry lasted for over three decades, and long after Takanobu had retired, until Ōmura eventually won out by cedingNagasaki to the Jesuits in 1580, making it the Portugueseport of call henceforth.
Although initially tolerant to theKirishitan movement introduced to Japan (Takanobu welcomedFrancis Xavier to Hirado in 1550[3] and his retainerKoteda Yasumasa converted to Catholicism in 1551), he expelled the Jesuits from his domain in 1558. The evangelism of the Jesuits' followers resulted in the destruction of three Buddhist temples,[citation needed] who then threw artifacts into the sea. A speech given by a Zen priest fromYasumandake spoke out against FatherGaspar Vilela and resulted in several mobs of Buddhist followers stoning the three churches in the area and, in one instance, toppling the cross from one church. This recent surge in religious violence forced Takanobu to ask Vilela to leave. He later forcedKato Saemon, lord of the district ofKato, into retirement in Nagasaki due to pressure from his brothers.
In 1568, he stepped down in favor of his sonShigenobu. His great-grandson, baptized in 1591 and also named Matsura Takanobu, was the 3rddaimyō ofHirado Domain under theTokugawa shogunate.
Matsura Takanobu died in 1599.[4]
| Preceded by Matsura Okinobu | Daimyō of Hirado 1541–1568 | Succeeded by |
