Toshihisa Shimazu

Toshihisa Shimazu is a member of the Shimazu clan, and the younger brother of Yoshihisa and Yoshihiro.

Role in Games
Introduced in the Kyūshū Campaign of Samurai Warriors 2, Toshihisa and his brothers launch a fierce attack on Hideyoshi and Ginchiyo's troops. Their eventual retreat is used as a ruse to entrap the player in a coordinated ambush. In Sengoku Musou 3: Empires, Toshihisa is portrayed as the clever but easygoing brother among the Shimazu siblings.

Nobunaga's Ambition features Toshihisa as an officer of the Shimazu whose best trait is intelligence.

Historical Information
As the third son of Shimazu Takahisa, Toshihisa was a reliable retainer who cooperated with his brothers to expand their clan through constant warfare. His grandfather Tadayoshi praised him for being able to see the bigger picture and discerning the pros and cons of any situation at hand. He made his first foray on the battlefield in 1554 during the Shimazu's attack on Iwatsurugi Castle. In 1580, he was awarded for his contributions with the Keto-in clan's former lands in Satsuma Province. He also adopted Tadachika, the second son of his relative Yoshitora, as his heir and personally arranged a marriage between the boy and his eldest daughter.

Although Toshihisa was hesitant to clash with the invading Toyotomi forces, he eventually served as commander for the Shimazu's resistance until their surrender. Stripped of their minor territories and conscripted by Hideyoshi, the defeated Shimazu had little choice but to participate in many of the daimyo's battles outside their domain. Toshihisa in particular refused to meet Hideyoshi and even commanded archers to fire on the latter's palanquin during his visit. His hatred of him was said to have stemmed from the loss of Tadachika who died defending Kyūshū from the Toyotomi.

When summoned to join the Korea Campaign in 1592, Toshihisa claimed to have been too ill to join. Hideyoshi suspected him of insubordination and ordered Yoshihisa to discipline his brother. Other sources believe that the Toyotomi warlord wanted him dead for instigating the revolt of Umekita Kunikane. Rather than force his older sibling's hand, he left behind a note declaring his innocence and killed himself. His head was displayed in public together with Sen no Rikyū's. Buried in Fukusho-ji, another temple called Shingaku-ji was built in his honor; legends say he had committed seppuku within the temple's vicinity. He was then succeeded by Tadachika's son Tsunehisa.