Sakai Tadayo
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese daimyo
of the Sengoku period, and high ranking government advisor, holding the title of Rōjū
, and later Tairō
.
The son of Sakai Shigetada, Tadayo was born in Nishio
, Mikawa Province
; his childhood name was Manchiyo. He became a trusted elder (rōjū) in Toyotomi Hideyoshi
's government, alongside Tokugawa Ieyasu
. Under Hideyoshi, he was made lord of Kawagoe castle
(in Musashi province
, today Saitama prefecture
) and later of Nagoya castle
in Kyūshū
's Hizen province
. In 1600, in the lead-up to the decisive Sekigahara campaign, he fought against the Tokugawa at Aizu
, and submitted to them at the siege of Ueda
. Thus, having joined the Tokugawa prior to the battle of Sekigahara itself, Sakai was made a fudai
daimyo, and counted among the Tokugawa's more trusted retainers. He served under Ieyasu for a time, and under the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada
, as a hatamoto
.
Sakai's father died in 1617, and so he inherited his father's domain of Maebashi in Harima province
, which had been assessed at 33,000 koku
, and was now changed to 85,000 koku by the shogunate. In 1632, following a shakeup of positions within the bureaucracy, Sakai became nishi no maru rusui, placing him in charge of the western districts of Edo castle
, the seat of the shogunal government. However, two years later, the Western districts were burnt down while the shogun was away in Kyoto. Sakai was stripped of his position, and exiled to Kan'ei-ji
.
Appealing to the Gosanke
(the heads of the three branch families of the Tokugawa), Sakai was invited to return to the castle two years later, in 1636. Along with Doi Toshikatsu
and Sakai Tadakatsu
, he was appointed to the newly created post of Tairō (Great Elder). He died within weeks of being appointed, however, at the age of 64. His eldest son, Sakai Tadayuki
, died around the same time, and so the next oldest son, Sakai Tadakiyo
succeeded his father.
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 Sengoku period, and high ranking government advisor, holding the title of Rōjū
Roju
The ', usually translated as Elder, was one of the highest-ranking government posts in Tokugawa Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council as a whole; under the first two shoguns, there were only two Rōjū...
, and later Tairō
Tairo
Tairō was a high-ranking official position in the bakuhan taisei government of Japan. The tairō would preside over the governing Rōjū council in the event of an emergency. A tairō would be nominated from among a group of samurai families who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu...
.
The son of Sakai Shigetada, Tadayo was born in Nishio
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:...
, 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....
; his childhood name was Manchiyo. He became a trusted elder (rōjū) in Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
's government, alongside Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa 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...
. Under Hideyoshi, he was made lord of Kawagoe castle
Kawagoe castle
' is a flatland Japanese castle in the city of Kawagoe, in Japan's Saitama Prefecture. It is the closest castle to Tokyo to be accessible to visitors, as Edo castle is now the Imperial palace, and largely inaccessible....
(in Musashi province
Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
, today Saitama prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
) and later of Nagoya castle
Nagoya Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Nagoya, central Japan. During the Edo period, Nagoya Castle was the center of one of the most important castle towns in Japan—Nagoya-juku— and it included the most important stops along the Minoji, which linked the Tōkaidō with the Nakasendō.-History:In...
in 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....
's 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...
. In 1600, in the lead-up to the decisive Sekigahara campaign, he fought against the Tokugawa at Aizu
Aizu
is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The principal city of the area is Aizuwakamatsu.During the Edo period, Aizu was a feudal domain known as and part of Mutsu Province.-History:...
, and submitted to them at the siege of Ueda
Siege of Ueda
The siege of Ueda was staged in 1600 by Tokugawa Hidetada, son of the warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu, against Ueda castle in Shinano province, which was controlled by the Sanada family....
. Thus, having joined the Tokugawa prior to the battle of Sekigahara itself, Sakai was made a fudai
Fudai
was a class of daimyo who were hereditary vassals of the Tokugawa in Edo period Japan. It was primarily the fudai who filled the ranks of the Tokugawa administration.-Origins:...
daimyo, and counted among the Tokugawa's more trusted retainers. He served under Ieyasu for a time, and under the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada
Tokugawa Hidetada
was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...
, as a hatamoto
Hatamoto
A was a samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate of feudal Japan. While all three of the shogunates in Japanese history had official retainers, in the two preceding ones, they were referred to as gokenin. However, in the Edo period, hatamoto were the upper vassals of the Tokugawa...
.
Sakai's father died in 1617, and so he inherited his father's domain of Maebashi in Harima province
Harima Province
or Banshu was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyōgo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tamba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji....
, which had been assessed at 33,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
, and was now changed to 85,000 koku by the shogunate. In 1632, following a shakeup of positions within the bureaucracy, Sakai became nishi no maru rusui, placing him in charge of the western districts of 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...
, the seat of the shogunal government. However, two years later, the Western districts were burnt down while the shogun was away in Kyoto. Sakai was stripped of his position, and exiled to Kan'ei-ji
Kan'ei-ji
-External links:** * National Diet Library: ; *...
.
Appealing to the Gosanke
Gosanke
The , also called simply Gosanke or even Sanke, were three branches of the Tokugawa clan of Japan descended from clan founder Tokugawa Ieyasu's three youngest sons, Yoshinao, Yorinobu and Yorifusa and allowed to provide a shogun in case of need. The three houses were called Owari House of Tokugawa,...
(the heads of the three branch families of the Tokugawa), Sakai was invited to return to the castle two years later, in 1636. Along with Doi Toshikatsu
Doi Toshikatsu
was a top-ranking official in Japan's Tokugawa shogunate during its early decades, and one of the chief advisors to the second Tokugawa shogun, Hidetada....
and Sakai Tadakatsu
Sakai Tadakatsu
, also known as Sanuki-no-kami, was tairō, rōjū, master of Wakasa-Obama castle and daimyo of Obama Domain in Wakasa province in the mid-17th century...
, he was appointed to the newly created post of Tairō (Great Elder). He died within weeks of being appointed, however, at the age of 64. His eldest son, Sakai Tadayuki
Sakai Tadayuki
was a Japanese daimyo of the mid to late Edo period, who ruled the Obama Domain.The Sakai were identified as one of the fudai or insider daimyō clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan, in contrast with the tozama or outsider clans.-Sakai clan genealogy:Tadayuki was part...
, died around the same time, and so the next oldest son, Sakai Tadakiyo
Sakai Tadakiyo
, also known as Uta-no-kami, was a daimyō in Kōzuke Province, and a high-ranking government advisor and official in the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan....
succeeded his father.