Shimabara Rebellion eruption (1637)

The Shimabara Rebellion began on 17 December 1637 in the Shimabara Domain when Catholic peasants and rōnin, led by Amakusa Shirō, revolted against oppressive taxation and religious persecution. The uprising culminated in a shogunate siege of Hara Castle, ending on 15 April 1638.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Daimyō Matsukura Katsuie enforced policies inherited from his father that drastically raised taxes to build Shimabara Castle and violently prohibited Christianity. This created deep discontent among the local population, particularly among impoverished peasants and rōnin who began plotting in secret on Yushima island.

Eruption of the Rebellion. The uprising broke out on 17 December 1637 with the assassination of magistrate Hayashi Hyōzaemon. An alliance of local rōnin and mostly Catholic peasants, led by Amakusa Shirō, rebelled against the Tokugawa shogunate due to discontent over Katsuie's policies. The rebels subsequently marched on nearby Tomioka Castle.

Suppression and Siege. The shogunate mobilized over 125,000 troops to suppress the rebels. After a major rebel victory in February 1638, the conflict ended with a lengthy siege of Hara Castle. Kuroda clan troops stormed the fortress in April 1638, routing the remaining rebels on 15 April.

People involved

Sources

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