Itakura Shigemune
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese daimyo
of the early Edo period
. Shigemune's daimyō family claimed descent from the Shibukawa branch of the Seiwa-Genji. The Itakura identified its clan origins in Mikawa province
. The descendants of Itakura Katsushige
, including the descendants of his eldest son Shigemune, were known as the elder branch of the clan. In 1622, his service was rewarded by his assignment as daimyō of Sekiyado Domain
. Shigemune's court title was Suo no Kami.
's pages at a young age, and Ieyasu is said to have liked Shigemune greatly. Shigemune took part in both the Battle of Sekigahara
and the Siege of Osaka Castle.
In 1620, Shigemune was appointed to the position as the third Kyoto Shoshidai
; and he would continue in this significant role for over 30 years (1620-1654). As shoshidai, he was actively and personally engaged as the head of a network of spies tasked to discover and report any covert sources of sedition, insurrection or other kinds of unrest.
In the subtle currents of shogunate politics, he is said to have gone to great lengths to develop a sense of impartiality in judgement. When approached with a case to judge, he would place a lantern between himself and the speaker, and busy himself with making tea, so that he would not let external appearances interfere with his sense of justice.
Shigemune was expected to guard the palace and to supervise court officials; but over time, he learned that this office was no sinecure. For example, when Emperor Go-Komyo
took fencing lessons, Shigemune is reported to have threatened to commit suicide, and Go-Kōmyō is said to have replied, "I have never seen a military man kill himself, and the spectacle will be interesting. You had better have a platform erected in the palace grounds so that your exploit can be witnessed." Both men somehow found a way to survive this impasse.
Shigemune died at Sekiyado
.
The merit earned by Shigemune's loyal service to the shogunate was remembered years later when devastation of the Itakura family was threatened by the otherwise unpardonable actions of a descendant. In 1739, Hosokawa Munetake of Higo was killed inside Edo castle
by Itakura Katsukane, and the killer was ordered to commit suicide as just punishment; however, Shogun Yoshimune
personally intervened to mitigate untoward adverse consequences for the killer's fudai family.
Shigemune's grave is at Kōetsu-ji temple, in Kyoto
. He also has a grave at Chōen-ji, in Nishio, Aichi
.
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of the early Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. Shigemune's daimyō family claimed descent from the Shibukawa branch of the Seiwa-Genji. The Itakura identified its clan origins in Mikawa province
Mikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
. The descendants of Itakura Katsushige
Itakura Katsushige
was a Japanese daimyō of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period to early Edo period. He fought at the side of Ieyasu Tokugawa at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.Katsuhige's daimyō family claimed descent from the Shibukawa branch of the Seiwa-Genji...
, including the descendants of his eldest son Shigemune, were known as the elder branch of the clan. In 1622, his service was rewarded by his assignment as daimyō of Sekiyado Domain
Sekiyado Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Shimōsa Province , Japan. It was centered on Sekiyado Castle in what is now the city of Noda, Chiba....
. Shigemune's court title was Suo no Kami.
Biography
Shigemune was the eldest son of Itakura Katsushige. He was chosen to be one of Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
's pages at a young age, and Ieyasu is said to have liked Shigemune greatly. Shigemune took part in both the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
and the Siege of Osaka Castle.
In 1620, Shigemune was appointed to the position as the third Kyoto Shoshidai
Kyoto Shoshidai
The was an important administrative and political office in the early modern government of Japan. However, the significance and effectiveness of the office is credited to the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, who developed these initial creations as bureaucratic elements in a consistent and...
; and he would continue in this significant role for over 30 years (1620-1654). As shoshidai, he was actively and personally engaged as the head of a network of spies tasked to discover and report any covert sources of sedition, insurrection or other kinds of unrest.
In the subtle currents of shogunate politics, he is said to have gone to great lengths to develop a sense of impartiality in judgement. When approached with a case to judge, he would place a lantern between himself and the speaker, and busy himself with making tea, so that he would not let external appearances interfere with his sense of justice.
Shigemune was expected to guard the palace and to supervise court officials; but over time, he learned that this office was no sinecure. For example, when Emperor Go-Komyo
Emperor Go-Komyo
was the 110th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Kōmyō's reign spanned the years from 1643 through 1654.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 14th century Nanboku-chō Emperor Kōmyō and go- , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called...
took fencing lessons, Shigemune is reported to have threatened to commit suicide, and Go-Kōmyō is said to have replied, "I have never seen a military man kill himself, and the spectacle will be interesting. You had better have a platform erected in the palace grounds so that your exploit can be witnessed." Both men somehow found a way to survive this impasse.
Shigemune died at Sekiyado
Sekiyado Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Shimōsa Province , Japan. It was centered on Sekiyado Castle in what is now the city of Noda, Chiba....
.
The merit earned by Shigemune's loyal service to the shogunate was remembered years later when devastation of the Itakura family was threatened by the otherwise unpardonable actions of a descendant. In 1739, Hosokawa Munetake of Higo was killed inside Edo castle
Edo Castle
, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
by Itakura Katsukane, and the killer was ordered to commit suicide as just punishment; however, Shogun Yoshimune
Tokugawa Yoshimune
was the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1716 until his abdication in 1745. He was the son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the grandson of Tokugawa Yorinobu, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Lineage:...
personally intervened to mitigate untoward adverse consequences for the killer's fudai family.
Shigemune's grave is at Kōetsu-ji temple, in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. He also has a grave at Chōen-ji, in Nishio, Aichi
Nishio, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city has an estimated population of 165,443 and a population density of 1,030 persons per km². The total area is 160.34 km².-Geography:...
.