Chapter 7 - Light and Shadow: Christian History, Resurrected. The Shimabara-Amakusa Uprising- Tragedy for 37,000

About Chapter 7

In 1637, the pregnant wife of the head of Kuchinotsu was killed on orders from the Magistrate because her husband was unable to pay his land taxes. This incident sparked a number of revolts by villagers of the Shimabara Peninsula and the district of Amakusa. The person who would come to lead the masses was Shiro Amakusa, a young man just fifteen or sixteen years of age.

To the shogunate government and other powers, this was seen as nothing more than a minor peasants’ revolt. However, the rebel forces were led by the former samurai who had been retainers of Christian Daimyo such as Arima and Konishi and were fully armed and well-organized. The situation grew more and more serious.