Tachibana Muneshige

Tachibana Muneshige (立花宗茂, December 18, 1567 – November 15, 1643), known in his youth as Senkumamaru (千熊丸) and alternatively called Tachibana Munetora (立花宗虎 or 立花統虎), was a samurai during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and an Edo-period daimyō.

Tachibana Muneshige
立花宗茂
Tachibana Muneshige
Head of Tachibana clan
In office 1581–1642
Preceded by	Tachibana Ginchiyo
Succeeded by	Tachibana Tadashige
Lord of Tanagura
In office 1603–1620
Succeeded by	Niwa Nagashige
Lord of Yanagawa
In office 1620–?
Preceded by	Tanaka Tadamasa
Succeeded by	Tachibana Tadashige
Personal details
Born	Senkumamaru (千熊丸) December 18, 1567
Died	November 15, 1643(1643-11-15) (aged 75)
Nationality	Japanese
Spouse	Tachibana Ginchiyo
Parent	Takahashi Shigetane (father)
Relatives	Tachibana Dōsetsu (father-in-law)
Other name	Tachibana Munetora (立花宗虎 or 立花統虎)
Military service
Allegiance	Tachibana clan Ōtomo clan Toyotomi clan Western Army Tokugawa shogunate
Unit	Takahashi clan
Battles/wars	Kyūshū Campaign Siege of Odawara Korean Campaign Siege of Ōtsu Siege of Yanagawa Siege of Osaka Shimabara Rebellion

He was the eldest biological son of Takahashi Shigetane, a senior retainer of Ōtomo clan.[1] He was adopted by Tachibana Dōsetsu,[1] and later married his daughter Tachibana Ginchiyo, succeeding the Tachibana clan.

In 1600, at Sekigahara campaign, he sided to 'Western army'.[1] However, Muneshige surrendered at Siege of Yanagawa under the assumption that he could then switch sides and aid the Tokugawa-loyal forces against the Shimazu clan of Satsuma. After the battle of Sekigahara, he was deprived of the Yanagawa Domain for punishment by Tokugawa Ieyasu.[1]

In 1637, Muneshige served in the shogunate army at the Shimabara Rebellion (1637-1638), a revolt involving mostly Japanese peasants, most of them Catholics. He was then given small territory in Tanagura.[1]

He participated in the Siege of Osaka and later he was brought back to the former territory, Yanagawa.[1]