15 Facts About Arima Harunobu

Arima Harunobu was a Japanese samurai lord who was the daimyo of Shimabara Domain and the head of the Hizen-Arima clan from Hizen Province.

Arima Harunobu was the second son and successor of Arima Yoshisada.

Arima Harunobu's conversion was spurred by the prospects of the goods and military assistance offered by the Portuguese.

Arima Harunobu took the baptismal name Protasius, and later took the name John when he received Confirmation.

In 1582, Arima Harunobu teamed up with the Kyushu Christian daimyo Otomo Sorin and Omura Sumitada to send a Japanese embassy to the Pope in Rome, led by Valignano and represented by Mancio Ito.

Arima Harunobu called for the help of the Shimazu clan against the forces of Ryuzoji Takanobu.

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi expelled the Catholic fathers and outlawed the teaching of Christianity in 1587, the Arima Harunobu domain became a refuge for many Christian missionaries and believers.

Later that same year, a trading party Arima Harunobu had sent to Champa was attacked by the Portuguese while stopping at Macau.

Arima Harunobu retaliated the following year by attacking the Portuguese trading ship Madre de Deus, bound for Nagasaki from Macau.

Arima Harunobu believed him and sent him payments of gold and silver to lobby for him in the Tokugawa government.

Furious with Okamoto, Arima Harunobu presented the case to Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Ieyasu immediately imprisoned Okamoto; further investigation revealed that Arima Harunobu had various other dealings with Okamoto and they were involved in a conspiracy to assassinate the Bugyo of Nagasaki.

Arima Harunobu had him accused to the emperor of several supposed crimes.

Arima Harunobu then wrote to his unnatural son a letter full of tenderness, and asked his pardon should he ever have offended him.

Arima Harunobu afterwards had the Passion of Jesus Christ read to him, praying with tears that the many sins of his past life might be forgiven him.