Hosokawa Katsumoto
Encyclopedia
was one of the Kanrei
, the Deputies to the Shogun
, during Japan's Muromachi Period
. He is famous for his involvement in the creation of Ryōan-ji
, a temple famous for its rock garden, and for his involvement in the Ōnin War
, which sparked the 130-year Sengoku period
.
His conflicts with his father-in-law, Yamana Sōzen, who resented the power Hosokawa had as Kanrei, were among those that ignited the Ōnin War
in 1467. When the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa
had a son
in 1464, Yamana took this as an opportunity to oppose Hosokawa further, supporting the child as heir to the Shogunate. Hosokawa had always worked closely with the Shogun's brother Ashikaga Yoshimi
, and supported his claim to the shogunate.
In 1467, open war broke out in the capital of Kyoto, between Hosokawa and Yamana, who each commanded roughly 80,000 men. The Shogun declared that the first to make war in the capital would be branded a rebel, and so the two armies remained immobile for some time, but within a few months, the tensions had risen too far, and war simply could not be delayed any further. Hosokawa made the first obvious attack within the capital, attacking the mansion of a Yamana general by the name of Isshiki. Fighting erupted between the two camps, and over the course of the next few days, many were killed, and many buildings destroyed, either by the soldiers or by looters. Each army gradually carved out a section of the city that they held and defended against the other; Hosokawa's army came to be known as the Eastern Army, as Yamana's so-called "Western Army" controlled western sections of Kyoto. But not all the fighting took place within the city; Hosokawa sent men onto the main roads, and into Yamana's home provinces, to prevent his reinforcements from reaching the main battles.
Though Hosokawa attacked first, he convinced the Shogun to brand Yamana, not himself, with the stigma of being a rebel against the Shogunate. He even persuaded Yoshimasa to make him the general of the official Shogunal attacks on Yamana, but failed to grant him any tangible support. Some of Yamana's followers deserted, joining Hosokawa's morally superior side, but many more switched sides as a result of the work of Hosokawa's emissaries to the provinces where Yamana and his allies drew their armies.
By New Year's of 1468, nearly a year since the war began, the fighting tapered off. For much of that year, the two forces engaged in glaring contests and limited sorties, both desiring to rebuild and to act only defensively. Both spent the next several years in political, not military, conflict, and in 1469, the Shogun named his son Yoshihisa
, his heir. But Hosokawa was weary of battle, and wished for peace. Peace was had, and a few years later, in 1473, both Hosokawa and Yamana died.
Kanrei
or, more rarely, kanryō, was a high political post in feudal Japan; it is usually translated as Shogun's Deputy. After 1349, there were actually two Kanrei, the Kyoto Kanrei and the Kantō Kanrei....
, the Deputies to the Shogun
Ashikaga shogunate
The , also known as the , was a Japanese feudal military regime, ruled by the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan.This period is also known as the Muromachi period and gets its name from Muromachi Street of Kyoto where the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu established his residence...
, during Japan's Muromachi Period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
. He is famous for his involvement in the creation of Ryōan-ji
Ryoan-ji
is a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. Belonging to the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism, the temple and karesansui garden is one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site....
, a temple famous for its rock garden, and for his involvement in the Ōnin War
Onin War
The ' was a civil war that lasted 10 years during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen escalated into a nationwide war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyo in many regions of Japan....
, which sparked the 130-year Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
.
His conflicts with his father-in-law, Yamana Sōzen, who resented the power Hosokawa had as Kanrei, were among those that ignited the Ōnin War
Onin War
The ' was a civil war that lasted 10 years during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen escalated into a nationwide war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyo in many regions of Japan....
in 1467. When the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa
Ashikaga Yoshimasa
was the 8th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1449 to 1473 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimasa was the son of the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori....
had a son
Ashikaga Yoshihisa
was the 9th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1473 to 1489 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshihisa was the son of the eighth shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa....
in 1464, Yamana took this as an opportunity to oppose Hosokawa further, supporting the child as heir to the Shogunate. Hosokawa had always worked closely with the Shogun's brother Ashikaga Yoshimi
Ashikaga Yoshimi
was the brother of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, and a rival for the succession in a dispute that would lead to the Ōnin War.Yoshimi was the abbot of a Jōdo monastery when he was first approached by Hosokawa Katsumoto, who wished to support his bid to become Shogun. He originally sought to stick to...
, and supported his claim to the shogunate.
In 1467, open war broke out in the capital of Kyoto, between Hosokawa and Yamana, who each commanded roughly 80,000 men. The Shogun declared that the first to make war in the capital would be branded a rebel, and so the two armies remained immobile for some time, but within a few months, the tensions had risen too far, and war simply could not be delayed any further. Hosokawa made the first obvious attack within the capital, attacking the mansion of a Yamana general by the name of Isshiki. Fighting erupted between the two camps, and over the course of the next few days, many were killed, and many buildings destroyed, either by the soldiers or by looters. Each army gradually carved out a section of the city that they held and defended against the other; Hosokawa's army came to be known as the Eastern Army, as Yamana's so-called "Western Army" controlled western sections of Kyoto. But not all the fighting took place within the city; Hosokawa sent men onto the main roads, and into Yamana's home provinces, to prevent his reinforcements from reaching the main battles.
Though Hosokawa attacked first, he convinced the Shogun to brand Yamana, not himself, with the stigma of being a rebel against the Shogunate. He even persuaded Yoshimasa to make him the general of the official Shogunal attacks on Yamana, but failed to grant him any tangible support. Some of Yamana's followers deserted, joining Hosokawa's morally superior side, but many more switched sides as a result of the work of Hosokawa's emissaries to the provinces where Yamana and his allies drew their armies.
By New Year's of 1468, nearly a year since the war began, the fighting tapered off. For much of that year, the two forces engaged in glaring contests and limited sorties, both desiring to rebuild and to act only defensively. Both spent the next several years in political, not military, conflict, and in 1469, the Shogun named his son Yoshihisa
Ashikaga Yoshihisa
was the 9th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1473 to 1489 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshihisa was the son of the eighth shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa....
, his heir. But Hosokawa was weary of battle, and wished for peace. Peace was had, and a few years later, in 1473, both Hosokawa and Yamana died.