Tokugawa Hidetada
Encyclopedia
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.
and the Lady Saigo (the first of his many consorts) in 1579. His exact birthdate is unknown. This was shortly after Hidetada's stepmother (Ieyasu's official wife) and his half-brother Tokugawa Nobuyasu
were executed on suspicion of plotting to assassinate Oda Nobunaga
, who was Nobuyasu's father-in-law and Ieyasu's ally. By killing his wife and son, Ieyasu declared his loyalty to Nobunaga.
The traditional power base of the Tokugawa clan was Mikawa
. In 1590, the new ruler of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
enlisted Tokugawa Ieyasu and others in attacking the domain of the Hōjō
in what became known as the Siege of Odawara (1590)
. Hideyoshi enlisted Ieyasu for this campaign by promising to exchange the five provinces under Ieyasu's control for the eight Kantō provinces, including the city of Edo
. In order to keep Ieyasu from defecting to the Hōjō side (since the Hōjō and the Tokugawa were formerly on friendly terms), Hideyoshi took the eleven-year-old Nagamaru as a hostage. In 1592 Hideyoshi presided over Nagamaru's coming of age ceremony; it was then that Ieyasu's son dropped his childhood name, Nagamaru, and assumed the name Hidetada. He was named the heir of the Tokugawa family, being the eldest surviving son of Ieyasu, and his favorite (since Ieyasu's eldest son had been previously executed, and his second son was adopted by Hideyoshi while still an infant). In 1593, Hidetada returned to his father's side.
came of age, Hideyoshi named five regents—one of whom was Hidetada's father, Ieyasu—to rule in his son's place. Hideyoshi hoped that the bitter rivalry among the regents would prevent any one of them from seizing power. But after Hideyoshi died in 1598 and Hideyori became nominal ruler, the regents forgot all vows of eternal loyalty and were soon vying for control of the nation. Tokugawa Ieyasu was one of the strongest of the five regents, and began to rally around himself an Eastern faction. A Western faction rallied around Ishida Mitsunari
. The two factions clashed at the Battle of Sekigahara
, which set the stage for Tokugawa rule.
In 1600 Hidetada led 16,000 of his father's men in a campaign to contain the Western-aligned Uesugi clan in Shinano
. Ieyasu then ordered Hidetada to march his troops to Sekigahara in anticipation of the decisive battle against the Western faction. But the Sanada Clan
managed to tie Hidetada's forces down, meaning that he arrived too late to assist in his father's narrow but decisive victory. Hidetada and Ieyasu's relationship never recovered.
In 1603 Emperor Go-Yozei granted Ieyasu the title of shogun
. Thus Hidetada became the heir to the shogunate. In 1605 Ieyasu abdicated as shogun in favor of Hidetada.
After Hidetada became shogun he married Oeyo
(of the Oda family of the Taira clan
) and they had two sons, Tokugawa Iemitsu
and Tokugawa Tadanaga
. They also had two daughters, one of whom, Sen hime
, married twice. The other daughter, Kazuko hime, married Emperor Go-Mizunoo {of descent from the Fujiwara clan}.
Much to the dismay of Ieyasu, in 1612, Shogun Hidetada engineered a marriage between Sen hime, Ieyasu's favorite granddaughter, and Toyotomi Hideyori
, who was living as a common citizen in Osaka Castle with his mother. When this failed to quell Hideyori's intrigues, Ōgosho Ieyasu and Shogun Hidetada brought an army to Osaka. Father and son once again disagreed on how to conduct this campaign against the recalcitrant Toyotomi forces in Osaka. Ieyasu favored a conservative approach while Hidetada preferred a direct, all-out assault. Hidetada prevailed; in the ensuing siege Hideyori and his mother were forced to commit suicide. Even Hideyori's infant son (Kunimatsu
), grandson of Hidetada, was not spared. Ieyasu never forgave Hidetada for this loss. Only Sen hime was spared; she later re-married and had a new family.
After Ieyasu's death in 1616, Hidetada took control of the bakufu. He strengthened the Tokugawa hold on power by improving relations with the Imperial court. To this end he married his daughter Kazuko hime to Emperor Go-Mizunoo
. The product of that marriage, a girl, eventually succeeded to the throne of Japan to become Empress Meishō
. The city of Edo
was also heavily developed under his reign.
In Genna 9 (1623) Hidetada resigned the government to his eldest son and heir, Tokugawa Iemitsu
. Like his father before him, Hidetada became Ogosho, or Retired Shogun, and retained effective power. He enacted draconian anti-Christian measures, which Ieyasu had only considered: he banned Christian books, forced Christian daimyo
to commit suicide, ordered all other Christians to apostatize, and executed the fifty-five Christians (both Japanese and foreign) who refused to renounce Christianity or to go into hiding, in Nagasaki in 1628.
Ogosho Hidetada died in Kan'ei 9, on the 24th day of the 1st month (1632).
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...
of the Tokugawa dynasty
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of 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...
, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Early life (1579–1593)
Tokugawa Hidetada was born to 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...
and the Lady Saigo (the first of his many consorts) in 1579. His exact birthdate is unknown. This was shortly after Hidetada's stepmother (Ieyasu's official wife) and his half-brother Tokugawa Nobuyasu
Tokugawa Nobuyasu
was the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. His tsūshō was . He was called also , because he had become the lord of in 1570. Because he was a son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, he is often referred to, retroactively, as .-Biography:...
were executed on suspicion of plotting to assassinate Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, who was Nobuyasu's father-in-law and Ieyasu's ally. By killing his wife and son, Ieyasu declared his loyalty to Nobunaga.
The traditional power base of the Tokugawa clan was Mikawa
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....
. In 1590, the new ruler of Japan, 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...
enlisted Tokugawa Ieyasu and others in attacking the domain of the Hōjō
Late Hojo clan
The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...
in what became known as the Siege of Odawara (1590)
Siege of Odawara (1590)
The third ' occurred in 1590, and was the primary action in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign to eliminate the Hōjō clan as a threat to his power. The months leading up to it saw hasty but major improvements in the defense of the castle, as Hideyoshi's intentions became clear...
. Hideyoshi enlisted Ieyasu for this campaign by promising to exchange the five provinces under Ieyasu's control for the eight Kantō provinces, including the city of 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...
. In order to keep Ieyasu from defecting to the Hōjō side (since the Hōjō and the Tokugawa were formerly on friendly terms), Hideyoshi took the eleven-year-old Nagamaru as a hostage. In 1592 Hideyoshi presided over Nagamaru's coming of age ceremony; it was then that Ieyasu's son dropped his childhood name, Nagamaru, and assumed the name Hidetada. He was named the heir of the Tokugawa family, being the eldest surviving son of Ieyasu, and his favorite (since Ieyasu's eldest son had been previously executed, and his second son was adopted by Hideyoshi while still an infant). In 1593, Hidetada returned to his father's side.
Early Military Achievements and Sekigahara (1593–1605)
Knowing his death would come before his son Toyotomi HideyoriToyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
came of age, Hideyoshi named five regents—one of whom was Hidetada's father, Ieyasu—to rule in his son's place. Hideyoshi hoped that the bitter rivalry among the regents would prevent any one of them from seizing power. But after Hideyoshi died in 1598 and Hideyori became nominal ruler, the regents forgot all vows of eternal loyalty and were soon vying for control of the nation. Tokugawa Ieyasu was one of the strongest of the five regents, and began to rally around himself an Eastern faction. A Western faction rallied around Ishida Mitsunari
Ishida Mitsunari
Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...
. The two factions clashed at 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...
, which set the stage for Tokugawa rule.
In 1600 Hidetada led 16,000 of his father's men in a campaign to contain the Western-aligned Uesugi clan in Shinano
Shinano Province
or is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces...
. Ieyasu then ordered Hidetada to march his troops to Sekigahara in anticipation of the decisive battle against the Western faction. But the Sanada Clan
Sanada clan
The was a Japanese clan which rose to prominence in the Sengoku period. During the Edo era, the Sanada ruled the Matsushiro Domain, where they remained until the Meiji Restoration.-Sengoku period:...
managed to tie Hidetada's forces down, meaning that he arrived too late to assist in his father's narrow but decisive victory. Hidetada and Ieyasu's relationship never recovered.
In 1603 Emperor Go-Yozei granted Ieyasu the title of shogun
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...
. Thus Hidetada became the heir to the shogunate. In 1605 Ieyasu abdicated as shogun in favor of Hidetada.
Shogun Hidetada (1605–1623)
In order to avoid his predecessor's fate, Ieyasu established a dynastic pattern soon after becoming shogun by abdicating in favor of Hidetada in 1605. Ieyasu retained significant power until his death in 1616; but Hidetada nevertheless assumed a role as formal head of the bakufu bureaucracy.Oeyo
, , or : 1573 – September 15, 1626) was a prominently-placed female figure in late-Sengoku period. She married three times, first to Saji Kazunari, then to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's nephew Toyotomi Hidekatsu. Her third and last husband Tokugawa Hidetada became the second Tokugawa shogun...
(of the Oda family of the Taira clan
Taira clan
The was a major Japanese clan of samurai in historical Japan.In reference to Japanese history, along with Minamoto, Taira was a hereditary clan name bestowed by the emperors of the Heian Period to certain ex-members of the imperial family when they became subjects...
) and they had two sons, Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
and Tokugawa Tadanaga
Tokugawa Tadanaga
was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. The son of the second shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, his elder brother was the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.- Life :...
. They also had two daughters, one of whom, Sen hime
Hime
is the Japanese word for princess or a lady of higher birth. Daughters of a monarch are actually referred to by other terms, e.g. , literally king's daughter, even though Hime can be used to address Ōjo....
, married twice. The other daughter, Kazuko hime, married Emperor Go-Mizunoo {of descent from the Fujiwara clan}.
Much to the dismay of Ieyasu, in 1612, Shogun Hidetada engineered a marriage between Sen hime, Ieyasu's favorite granddaughter, and Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
, who was living as a common citizen in Osaka Castle with his mother. When this failed to quell Hideyori's intrigues, Ōgosho Ieyasu and Shogun Hidetada brought an army to Osaka. Father and son once again disagreed on how to conduct this campaign against the recalcitrant Toyotomi forces in Osaka. Ieyasu favored a conservative approach while Hidetada preferred a direct, all-out assault. Hidetada prevailed; in the ensuing siege Hideyori and his mother were forced to commit suicide. Even Hideyori's infant son (Kunimatsu
Toyotomi Kunimatsu
a member of the Japanese clan of Toyotomi following the Edo period of the 17th century. Kunimatsu was famed for being the son of Toyotomi Hideyori . Following the year of 1615 during the Siege of Osaka, Hideyori ended up having his castle taken by that of Tokugawa Ieyasu, ending in his suicide...
), grandson of Hidetada, was not spared. Ieyasu never forgave Hidetada for this loss. Only Sen hime was spared; she later re-married and had a new family.
After Ieyasu's death in 1616, Hidetada took control of the bakufu. He strengthened the Tokugawa hold on power by improving relations with the Imperial court. To this end he married his daughter Kazuko hime to Emperor Go-Mizunoo
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
. The product of that marriage, a girl, eventually succeeded to the throne of Japan to become Empress Meishō
Empress Meisho
was the 109th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Meishō's reign spanned the years from 1629 to 1643.In the history of Japan, Meishō was the seventh of eight women to become empress regnant. The six female monarchs who reigned before Meishō-tennō were Suiko, ...
. The city of 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...
was also heavily developed under his reign.
Ogosho Hidetada (1623–1632)
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
. Like his father before him, Hidetada became Ogosho, or Retired Shogun, and retained effective power. He enacted draconian anti-Christian measures, which Ieyasu had only considered: he banned Christian books, forced Christian daimyo
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...
to commit suicide, ordered all other Christians to apostatize, and executed the fifty-five Christians (both Japanese and foreign) who refused to renounce Christianity or to go into hiding, in Nagasaki in 1628.
Ogosho Hidetada died in Kan'ei 9, on the 24th day of the 1st month (1632).
Eras of Hidetada's bakufu
The years in which Hidetada was shogun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- KeichōKeichowas a after Bunroku and before Genna. This period spanned from October 1596 to July 1615. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* 1596 : The era name was changed to Keichō to mark the passing of various natural disasters...
(1596–1615) - GennaGennawas a coming after Keichō and before Kan'ei. This period spanned the years from July 1615 to February 1624. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(1615–1624)