Matsudaira Tadakazu
Encyclopedia
Viscount
was the 8th and final daimyō
of Shimabara Domain
in Hizen Province
, Kyūshū
, Japan (modern-day Nagasaki Prefecture
).
Tokugawa Nariaki
, and was thus the younger brother of Shōgun
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
. In 1861, when the 7th daimyō of Shimabara, Matsudaira Tadachika
died without heir, Tadakazu was selected as his replacement, and was posthumously adopted as his son. He assumed the office of daimyō on December 16, 1861 and was awarded lower 6th court rank the same day.
With increasing anti-Shogunal activities on part of Satsuma Domain to the south and Chōshū Domain to the east, and with neighboring Saga Domain
showing signs of leaning towards the anti-Tokugawa Alliance
, the situation in Shimabara domain was increasingly uncertain. To compound the situation, Tadakazu was ordered by Edo
to lead his forces against Chōshū in both the First Chōshū Punitive Expedition of 1864, and Second Chōshū Punitive Expedition in 1866. Both expeditions were extremely unpopular among his samurai, many of whom had fallen under the influence of the Sonnō jōi
movement.
In 1868, with the start of the Boshin War
, he pledged Shimabara domain in support of Emperor Meiji
, and proved his loyalty by committing his troops to the northern campaign against the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei
, fighting at Akita
and Morioka
.
In June 1869, the title of daimyō was abolished, and he was appointed domain governor. However, in 1871, Shimabara domain itself was abolished with the abolition of the han system
, and became part of the new Nagasaki Prefecture
. Tadakazu relocated to Tokyo
. He later served as chief priest
of Nikkō Tōshō-gū
in the Meiji period
; he was also created viscount
(shishaku) under the kazoku
peerage system.
Matsudaira Tadakazu died in June 1917, and his grave is at the temple of Honko-ji in Kōta, Aichi
.
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
was the 8th and final daimyō
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 Shimabara Domain
Shimabara Domain
The ' was a feudal domain of Edo period Japan, located in Hizen Province, Kyūshū, occupying most of Shimabara Peninsula.-History:The Arima clan, who were Kirishitan daimyō, ruled over Shimabara Domain in the late Muromachi period from Hinoe Castle and Hara Castle...
in Hizen Province
Hizen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...
, Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Japan (modern-day Nagasaki Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
).
Biography
Tadakazu was the 16th son of the Mito DomainMito Domain
was a prominent feudal domain in Japan during the Edo period. Its capital was the city of Mito, and it covered much of present-day Ibaraki Prefecture. Beginning with the appointment of Tokugawa Yorifusa by his father, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, in 1608, the Mito branch of the Tokugawa clan...
Tokugawa Nariaki
Tokugawa Nariaki
Tokugawa Nariaki was a prominent Japanese daimyo who ruled the Mito domain and contributed to the rise of nationalism and the Meiji restoration.- Clan leader :...
, and was thus the younger brother of Shōgun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...
. In 1861, when the 7th daimyō of Shimabara, Matsudaira Tadachika
Matsudaira Tadachika
' was a Japanese fudai daimyo of the Edo period. He was highly influential in the Tokugawa shogunate under Shogun Ieshige.Tadachika served as Kyoto shoshidai from 1717 through 1724. He was promoted to rōjū in 1724 when he moved from Kyoto to Edo....
died without heir, Tadakazu was selected as his replacement, and was posthumously adopted as his son. He assumed the office of daimyō on December 16, 1861 and was awarded lower 6th court rank the same day.
With increasing anti-Shogunal activities on part of Satsuma Domain to the south and Chōshū Domain to the east, and with neighboring Saga Domain
Saga Domain
Saga Domain was a han, or feudal domain, in Tokugawa period Japan. Largely contiguous with Hizen Province on Kyūshū, the domain was governed from Saga Castle in the capital city of Saga by the Nabeshima clan of tozama daimyō...
showing signs of leaning towards the anti-Tokugawa Alliance
Satcho Alliance
The ', or Satchō Alliance was a military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan....
, the situation in Shimabara domain was increasingly uncertain. To compound the situation, Tadakazu was ordered by Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
to lead his forces against Chōshū in both the First Chōshū Punitive Expedition of 1864, and Second Chōshū Punitive Expedition in 1866. Both expeditions were extremely unpopular among his samurai, many of whom had fallen under the influence of the Sonnō jōi
Sonno joi
is a Japanese political philosophy and a social movement derived from Neo-Confucianism; it became a political slogan in the 1850s and 1860s in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu, during the Bakumatsu period.-Origin:...
movement.
In 1868, with the start of the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
, he pledged Shimabara domain in support of Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
, and proved his loyalty by committing his troops to the northern campaign against the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei
Ouetsu Reppan Domei
-External links:**...
, fighting at Akita
Akita, Akita
is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...
and Morioka
Morioka, Iwate
is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....
.
In June 1869, the title of daimyō was abolished, and he was appointed domain governor. However, in 1871, Shimabara domain itself was abolished with the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
, and became part of the new Nagasaki Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
. Tadakazu relocated to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. He later served as chief priest
Kannushi
A , also called , is the person responsible for the maintenance of a Shinto shrine as well as for leading worship of a given kami. The characters for kannushi are sometimes also read jinshu with the same meaning....
of Nikkō Tōshō-gū
Nikko Tosho-gu
is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Tōshō-gū is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Initially built in 1617, during the Edo period, while Ieyasu's son Hidetada...
in the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
; he was also created viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
(shishaku) under the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
peerage system.
Matsudaira Tadakazu died in June 1917, and his grave is at the temple of Honko-ji in Kōta, Aichi
Kota, Aichi
is a town located in Nukata District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of July 2011, the town had an estimated population of 38,205 and population density of 673 persons per km². The total area was 56.78 km².-Neighboring municipalities:*Okazaki*Gamagōri*Nishio...
.