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In this Japanese name, the family name is Tokugawa. in modern times usually consist of a Family name ( Surname) followed by a Given name. A family name or last name is a type of Surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Shogun (1st)
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Term 1603 – 1605
Predecessor Sengoku period
Successor Shogun:
Tokugawa Hidetada
Issue
Matsudaira Nobuyasu
Kamohime
Yūki Hideyasu
Toku-hime
Tokugawa Hidetada
Others
Born 31 January 1543(1543-01-31)
Died 01 June 1616
Father Matsudaira Hirotada

Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川 家康? January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) 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. was the second Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623 was the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. His tsūshō ("common name" was. ( March 1, 1574 – June 2, 1607) was a Japanese Daimyo who lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods Born the Note that Toku-hime refers to the daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu born in 1565 Tokuhime refers to the daughter of Oda Nobunaga, born around 1558 was the second Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623 Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected was the lord of Okazaki Castle in Mikawa province, Japan during the Sengoku Period of the 16th century Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" 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 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Background and pretext Even though Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan and consolidated his power following the Siege of Odawara in 1590 his ill-fated The, also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan 's political and social structure Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but remained in power until his death in 1616. His given name is sometimes spelled Iyeyasu, according to the historical pronunciation of we. ゑ, in Hiragana, or ヱ in Katakana, is an obsolete Japanese Kana, each of which represent one mora.

Contents

Biography

Early life (1543–1556)

Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in Mikawa on the 26th day of the twelfth month of the eleventh year of Tenbun, according to the Japanese calendar. is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. or Temmun was a after Kyōroku and before Kōji. This period spanned the years from 1532 through 1555. Since January 1, 1873, Japan has used the Gregorian calendar, with local names for the months and mostly fixed holidays Originally named Matsudaira Takechiyo (松平竹千代), he was the son of Matsudaira Hirotada (松平広忠), the daimyo of Mikawa, and O-Dai-no-kata (於大の方), the daughter of a neighboring samurai lord Mizuno Tadamasa (水野忠政).  was the founder and first Shogun  of the Tokugawa shogunate was the lord of Okazaki Castle in Mikawa province, Japan during the Sengoku Period of the 16th century The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings (1493&ndashAug 22 1543 was a Samurai lord of feudal Japan. He ruled Kariya Castle. Oddly, his mother and father were stepbrother and stepsister to each other. They were just 17 and 15 years old, respectively, when Ieyasu was born. Two years later, O-Dai-no-kata was sent back to her family and the couple never lived together again. Both husband and wife remarried and both had children so Ieyasu ended up with 11 half-brothers and sisters.

The Matsudaira family was split in 1550: one side wanted to be vassals of the Imagawa clan, while the other side preferred the Oda. The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from Emperor Seiwa (850-880 The was a family of Japanese Daimyo who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century As a result, much of Ieyasu's early years were spent in danger as wars with the Oda and Imagawa clans were fought. This family feud was the reason behind the murder of Hirotada's father (Takechiyo's grandfather), Matsudaira Kiyoyasu (松平清康). Matsudaira Kiyoyasu (Japanese 松平清康 September 28 1511 – December 29 1535) was the 7th lord over the Matsudaira clan during Unlike his father and the majority of his branch of the family, Ieyasu's father, Hirotada, favored the Imagawa clan.

In 1548, when the Oda clan invaded Mikawa, Hirotada turned to Imagawa Yoshimoto, the head of the Imagawa clan, for help to repel the invaders. Yoshimoto agreed to help under the condition that Hirotada send his son Ieyasu (Takechiyo) to Sumpu as a hostage. is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is a City designated by government ordinance (a "designated city" Hirotada agreed. Oda Nobuhide, the leader of the Oda clan, learned of this arrangement and had Ieyasu abducted from his entourage en route to Sumpu. was a warlord and magistrate of lower Owari Province during the Sengoku period of Japan. Ieyasu was just six years old at the time.

Nobuhide threatened to execute Ieyasu unless his father severed all ties with the Imagawa clan. Hirotada replied that sacrificing his own son would show his seriousness in his pact with the Imagawa clan. Despite this refusal, Nobuhide chose not to kill Ieyasu but instead held him for the next three years at the Manshoji Temple in Nagoya. is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan.

In 1549, at the age of 24, Ieyasu's father Hirotada died of natural causes. At about the same time, Oda Nobuhide died during an epidemic. The deaths dealt a heavy blow to the Oda clan. An army under the command of Imagawa Sessai laid siege to the castle where Oda Nobuhiro, Nobuhide's eldest son and the new head of the Oda, was living. With the castle about to fall, Imagawa Sessai offered a deal to Oda Nobunaga (Oda Nobuhide's second son). ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history Sessai offered to give up the siege if Ieyasu was handed over to the Imagawa clan. Nobunaga agreed and so Ieyasu (now nine) was taken as a hostage to Sumpu. Here he lived a fairly good life as hostage and potentially useful future ally of the Imagawa clan until he was 15.

Rise to power (1556–1584)

In 1556, Ieyasu came of age, and, following tradition, changed his name to Matsudaira Jirōsaburō Motonobu (松平次郎三郎元信). One year later, at the age of 16 (according to East Asian age reckoning), he married his first wife and changed his name again to Matsudaira Kurandonosuke Motoyasu (松平蔵人佐元康). East Asian age reckoning ( Mongolian: Khii nas is a concept that originated in China and is used in East Asian countries Allowed to return to his native Mikawa, the Imagawa ordered him to fight the Oda clan in a series of battles. Ieyasu won his first battle at the Siege of Terabe and later succeeded in delivering supplies to a border fort through a bold night attack. The Siege of Terabe took place in 1558. This was the first battle that Tokugawa Ieyasu was involved in

In 1560 the leadership of the Oda clan had passed to the brilliant leader Oda Nobunaga. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history Yoshimoto, leading a large Imagawa army (perhaps 20,000 strong) then attacked the Oda clan territory. Ieyasu with his Mikawa troops captured a fort at the border and then stayed there to defend it. As a result, Ieyasu and his men were not present at the Battle of Okehazama where Yoshimoto was killed by Oda Nobunaga's surprise assault. The took place in June 1560. In this battle Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as one of the front-running warlords in the

With Yoshimoto dead, Ieyasu decided to ally with the Oda clan. A secret deal was needed because Ieyasu's wife and infant son, Nobuyasu were held hostage in Sumpu by the Imagawa clan. was the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. His tsūshō ("common name" was. In 1561, Ieyasu openly broke with the Imagawa and captured the fortress of Kaminojo. Ieyasu was then able to exchange his wife and son for the wife and daughter of the ruler of Kaminojo castle.

For the next few years Ieyasu set about reforming the Matsudaira clan and pacifying Mikawa. He also strengthened his key vassals by awarding them land and castles in Mikawa. They were: Honda Tadakatsu, Ishikawa Kazumasa, Koriki Kiyonaga, Hattori Hanzō, Sakai Tadatsugu, and Sakakibara Yasumasa. ( 1548 – December 3[[ 610]] also called Honda Heihachirō (本多平八郎 was a Japanese General (and later a Daimyo) of the (1534-1609 Ishikawa Kazumasa a very notable retainer under Tokugawa Ieyasu, even serving him since his childhood since they were both hostages under the Imagawa ( 1530 - March 12, 1608) was a Japanese Daimyo during the Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo periods A native of also known as, the son of Hattori Yasunaga was a famous Samurai. was one of the most favored and most and successful military commanders serving Tokugawa Ieyasu in the late- Sengoku period. ( 1548 - June 19, 1606) was a Japanese Daimyo of the late Sengoku period through early Edo period, who served the Tokugawa

Ieyasu defeated the military forces of the Mikawa Monto within Mikawa province. The Monto were a warlike group of monks that were ruling Kaga Province and had many temples elsewhere in Japan. was an old province in the area that is today the southern part of Ishikawa Prefecture. They refused to obey Ieyasu's commands and so he went to war with them, defeating their troops and pulling down their temples. In one battle Ieyasu was nearly killed when he was struck by a bullet which did not penetrate his armor. Both Ieyasu's Mikawa troops and the Monto forces were using the new gunpowder weapons which the Portuguese had introduced to Japan just 20 years earlier.

In 1567, Ieyasu changed his name yet again, his new family name was Tokugawa and his given name was now Ieyasu. A family name or last name is a type of Surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs In so doing, he claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not No proof has actually been found for this claimed descent from Seiwa tennō, the 56th Emperor of Japan. [1]

Ieyasu remained an ally of Oda Nobunaga and his Mikawa soldiers were part of Nobunaga's army which captured Kyoto in 1568. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. At the same time Ieyasu was expanding his own territory. He and Takeda Shingen, the head of the Takeda clan in Kai Province made an alliance for the purpose of conquering all the Imagawa territory. ( December 1, 1521 &ndash May 13, 1573) of Shinano and Kai Provinces was a preeminent Daimyo or feudal lord The was a famous clan of Daimyō (feudal lords in Japan's late Heian Period to Sengoku period. In 1570, Ieyasu's troops captured Tōtōmi Province while Shingen's troops captured Suruga province (including the Imagawa capital of Sumpu). is a former province in the area of Japan that is today western Shizuoka prefecture. was an old province in the area that is today the eastern part of Shizuoka prefecture.

Ieyasu ended his alliance with Takeda and sheltered their former enemy, Imagawa Ujizane; he also allied with Uesugi Kenshin of the Uesugi clan—an enemy of the Takeda clan. was a Japanese Daimyo who lived from the mid- Sengoku through early Edo periods He was the son of Imagawa Yoshimoto, and the father of Imagawa Norimochi was a Daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku Period of Japan. Later that year, Ieyasu led 5,000 of his own men supporting Nobunaga at the Battle of Anegawa against the Azai and Asakura clans. The 1570 came as a reaction to Oda Nobunaga 's sieges of the castles of Odani and Yokoyama which belonged to the Azai and Asakura clans The was a line of Daimyo (feudal lords during Japan 's Sengoku period that was based in Ōmi Province (present day Shiga Prefecture) The are descendants of Prince Kusakabe (662-689 son of Emperor Temmu (631-686

In October 1571, Takeda Shingen, now allied with the Hōjō clan, attacked the Tokugawa lands of Tōtōmi. The was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region Ieyasu asked for help from Nobunaga, who sent him some 3,000 troops. Early in 1573 the two armies met at the Battle of Mikatagahara. The (January 1573 Mikawa Province Japan was one of the most famous battles of daimyo Takeda Shingen 's campaigns and one of the best demonstrations of his cavalry-based The Takeda army, under the expert direction of Shingen, hammered at Ieyasu's troops till they were broken. Ieyasu fled with just 5 men to a nearby castle. This was a major loss for Ieyasu, but Shingen was unable to exploit his victory because Ieyasu quickly gathered a new army and refused to fight Shingen again on the battlefield.

Fortune smiled on Ieyasu a year later when Takeda Shingen died at a siege early in 1573. Shingen was succeeded by his less capable son Takeda Katsuyori. was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku Period, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. In 1575, the Takeda army attacked Nagashino Castle in Mikawa province. Ieyasu appealed to Nobunaga for help and the result was that Nobunaga personally came at the head of his very large army (about 30,000 strong). The Oda-Tokugawa force of 38,000 won a great victory on June 28, 1575, at the Battle of Nagashino, though Takeda Katsuyori survived the battle and retreated back to Kai province. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. The took place in 1575 at Nagashino Castle in the Mikawa province of Japan.

For the next seven years, Ieyasu and Katsuyori fought a series of small battles. Ieyasu's troops managed to wrest control of Suruga province away from the Takeda clan.

In 1579, Ieyasu's wife, and his eldest son, Matsudaira Nobuyasu, were accused of conspiring with Takeda Katsuyori to assassinate Nobunaga. was the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. His tsūshō ("common name" was. Ieyasu's wife was executed and Nobuyasu was forced to commit seppuku. is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by Disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for Samurai. Ieyasu then named his third and favorite son, Tokugawa Hidetada, as heir, since his second son was adopted by another rising power: Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the future ruler of all Japan. was the second Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623

The end of the war with Takeda came in 1582 when a combined Oda-Tokugawa force attacked and conquered Kai province. Takeda Katsuyori, as well as his eldest son Takeda Nobukatsu, were defeated at the Battle of Temmokuzan and then committed seppuku. The 1582 in Japan, also known as the Battle of Toriibata, is regarded as the last stand of the Takeda family. is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by Disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for Samurai.

In late 1582, Ieyasu was near Osaka and far from his own territory when he learned that Nobunaga had been assassinated by Akechi Mitsuhide. is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū nicknamed Jūbei or, was a Samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. Ieyasu managed the dangerous journey back to Mikawa, avoiding Mitsuhide's troops along the way, as they were trying to find and kill him. One week after he arrived in Mikawa, Ieyasu's army marched out to take revenge on Mitsuhide. But they were too late, Hideyoshi—on his own—defeated and killed Akechi Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki. The was fought in 1582 in Yamazaki, Japan, located in current day Kyoto Prefecture.

The death of Nobunaga meant that some provinces, ruled by Nobunaga's vassals, were ripe for conquest. The leader of Kai province made the mistake of killing one of Ieyasu's aides. Ieyasu promptly invaded Kai and took control. Hōjō Ujimasa, leader of the Hōjō clan responded by sending his much larger army into Shinano and then into Kai province. ( 1538 - August 10, 1590) was the fourth head of the Late Hōjō clan, and Daimyo of Odawara. is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture. No battles were fought between Ieyasu's forces and the large Hōjō army and, after some negotiation, Ieyasu and the Hōjō agreed to a settlement which left Ieyasu in control of both Kai and Shinano provinces, while the Hōjō took control of Kazusa province (as well as bits of both Kai and Shinano province).

At the same time (1583) a war for rule over Japan was fought between Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie. or was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga. Ieyasu did not take a side in this conflict, building on his reputation for both caution and wisdom. Hideyoshi defeated Katsuie at the Battle of Shizugatake—with this victory, Hideyoshi became the single most powerful daimyo in Japan. The was a battle in Sengoku period Japan between supporters of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobutaka. The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings

Ieyasu and Hideyoshi (1584–1598)

In 1584, Ieyasu decided to support Oda Nobukatsu, the eldest son and heir of Oda Nobunaga, against Hideyoshi. was a Japanese Samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period He was the second son of Oda Nobunaga. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history This was a dangerous act and could have resulted in the annihilation of the Tokugawa.

Main article: Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
Hideyoshi and Ieyasu played go at this board.
Hideyoshi and Ieyasu played go at this board. The consisted of two battles in 1584 between the forces of Hashiba Hideyoshi (who would become Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1586) and the forces of Oda Nobukatsu

Tokugawa troops took the traditional Oda stronghold of Owari, Hideyoshi responded by sending an army into Owari. The Komaki Campaign was the only time any of the great unifiers of Japan fought each other: Hideyoshi vs. Ieyasu. In the event, Ieyasu won the only notable battle of the campaign at Nagakute. After months of fruitless marches and feints, Hideyoshi settled the war through negotiation. First he made peace with Oda Nobuo, and then he offered a truce to Ieyasu. The deal was made at the end of the year; as part of the terms Ieyasu's second son, O Gi Maru, became an adopted son of Hideyoshi.

Ieyasu's aide, Ishikawa Kazumasa, chose to join the pre-eminent daimyo and so he moved to Osaka to be with Hideyoshi. (1534-1609 Ishikawa Kazumasa a very notable retainer under Tokugawa Ieyasu, even serving him since his childhood since they were both hostages under the Imagawa However, only a few other Tokugawa retainers followed this example.

Hideyoshi was understandably distrustful of Ieyasu, and five years passed before they fought as allies. The Tokugawa did not participate in Hideyoshi's successful invasions of Shikoku and Kyūshū. is the smallest (225 km long and between 50 and 150 km wide and least populous (4141955 as of 2005 of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands.

In 1590 Hideyoshi attacked the last independent daimyo in Japan, Hōjō Ujimasa. ( 1538 - August 10, 1590) was the fourth head of the Late Hōjō clan, and Daimyo of Odawara. The Hōjō clan ruled the eight provinces of the Kantō region in eastern Japan. Hideyoshi ordered them to submit to his authority and they refused. Ieyasu, though a friend and occasional ally of Ujimasa, joined his large force of 30,000 samurai with Hideyoshi's enormous army of some 160,000. Hideyoshi attacked several castles on the borders of the Hōjō clan with most of his army laying siege to the castle at Odawara. 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 Hideyoshi's army captured Odawara after six months (oddly for the time period, deaths on both sides were few). During this siege, Hideyoshi offered Ieyasu a radical deal. He offered Ieyasu the eight Kantō provinces which they were about to take from the Hōjō in return for the five provinces that Ieyasu currently controlled (including Ieyasu's home province of Mikawa). The is a Geographical area of Honshū, the largest Island of Japan. Ieyasu accepted this proposal. Bowing to the overwhelming power of the Toyotomi army, the Hōjō accepted defeat, the top Hōjō leaders killed themselves and Ieyasu marched in and took control of their provinces, so ending the clan's over 100 year reign.

Ieyasu now gave up control of his five provinces (Mikawa, Tōtōmi, Suruga, Shinano, and Kai) and moved all his soldiers and vassals to the Kantō region. He himself occupied the castle town of Edo in Kantō. literally bay - Door, " Estuary " edo once also spelled Yedo or Yeddo, is the This was possibly the riskiest move Ieyasu ever made — to leave his home province and rely on the uncertain loyalty of the formerly Hōjō samurai in Kantō. In the event, it worked out brilliantly for Ieyasu. He reformed the Kantō provinces, controlled and pacified the Hōjō samurai and improved the underlying economic infrastructure of the lands. Also, because Kantō was somewhat isolated from the rest of Japan, Ieyasu was able to maintain a unique level of autonomy from Hideyoshi's rule. Within a few years, Ieyasu had become the second most powerful daimyo in Japan. There is a Japanese proverb which likely refers to this event "Ieyasu won the Empire by retreating. " [2]

In 1592, Hideyoshi invaded Korea as a prelude to his plan to attack China (see Hideyoshi's attack on Korea for more information about this campaign). Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Two Japanese invasions of Korea and subsequent battles on the Korean peninsula took place during the years 1592-1598 The Tokugawa samurai never took part in this campaign. Early in 1593, Ieyasu was summoned to Hideyoshi's court in Nagoya (in Kyūshū, different from similarly spelled city in Owari Province), as a military advisor. or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. He stayed there, off and on for the next five years. Despite his frequent absences, Ieyasu's sons, loyal retainers and vassals were able to control and improve Edo and the other new Tokugawa lands.

In 1593, Hideyoshi fathered a son and heir, Toyotomi Hideyori. "Heir" and "Heiress" redirect here For the men and women fragrances endorsed by Paris Hilton see Heiress (fragrance. Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼 Toyotomi Hideyori) 1593 - June 5, 1615, was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi

In 1598, with his health clearly failing, Hideyoshi called a meeting that would determine the Council of Five Elders who would be responsible for ruling on behalf of his son after his death. The council of five elders, also known as the five Tairō (五大老 go-tairō) was formed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to rule Japan in the place of his The five that were chosen as regents (tairō) for Hideyori were Maeda Toshiie, Mōri Terumoto, Ukita Hideie, Uesugi Kagekatsu, and Ieyasu himself, who was the most powerful of the five. Tairō (大老 lit "great elder" was a high-ranking official position in the Bakuhan taisei government of Japan. was one of the leading Generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元 January 22, 1553 &ndash April 27, 1625) was the son of Mōri Takamoto, fought against Toyotomi Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家 1573 - December 17, 1655) was the Daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama Uesugi Kagekatsu (上杉 景勝 January 8 1556 - March 19 1623) was a Daimyo during the Sengoku and Edo periods This change in the pre-Sekigahara power structure became pivotal as Ieyasu turned his attention towards Kansai; and at the same time, other ambitious (albeit ultimately unrealized) plans, such as the Tokugawa initiative establishing official relations with Mexico and New Spain, continued to unfold and advance. [3]

The Sekigahara Campaign (1598–1603)

Hideyoshi, after three more months of increasing sickness, died on September 18, 1598. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated He was nominally succeeded by his young son Hideyori but as he was just five years old, real power was in the hands of the regents. Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼 Toyotomi Hideyori) 1593 - June 5, 1615, was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi Over the next two years Ieyasu made alliances with various daimyo, especially those who had no love for Hideyoshi. Happily for Ieyasu, the oldest and most respected of the regents died after just one year. With the death of Regent Toshiie in 1599, Ieyasu led an army to Fushimi and took over Osaka Castle, the residence of Hideyori. is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. This angered the three remaining regents and plans were made on all sides for war.

Opposition to Ieyasu centered around Ishida Mitsunari, a powerful daimyo but not one of the regents. Ishida Mitsunari (ja 石田 三成 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a Samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara Mitsunari plotted Ieyasu's death and news of this plot reached some of Ieyasu's generals. They attempted to kill Mitsunari but he fled and gained protection from none other than Ieyasu himself. It is not clear why Ieyasu protected a powerful enemy from his own men but Ieyasu was a master strategist and he may have concluded that he would be better off with Mitsunari leading the enemy army rather than one of the regents, who would have more legitimacy. [4]

Nearly all of Japan's daimyo and samurai now split into two factions—Mitsunari's group and anti-Mitsunari Group. Ieyasu supported anti-Mitsunari Group, and formed them as his potential allies. Ieyasu's allies were the Date clan, the Mogami clan, the Satake clan and the Maeda clan. The was a lineage of Daimyo who controlled northern Japan (the Tōhoku region) in the late 16th century and into the Edo period. The were Japanese Daimyo, and it was a branch of the Ashikaga family. The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. The was a branch of the Sugawara clan who descended from Sugawara no Kiyotomo and Sugawara no Michizane in the eighth and ninth centuries Mitsunari allied himself with the three other regents: Ukita Hideie, Mori Terumoto, and Uesugi Kagekatsu as well as many daimyo from the eastern end of Honshū. Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家 1573 - December 17, 1655) was the Daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元 January 22, 1553 &ndash April 27, 1625) was the son of Mōri Takamoto, fought against Toyotomi Uesugi Kagekatsu (上杉 景勝 January 8 1556 - March 19 1623) was a Daimyo during the Sengoku and Edo periods

In June 1600, Ieyasu and his allies moved their armies to defeat the Uesugi clan who was accused of planning to revolt against Toyotomi administration (Led by Ieyasu, top of Council of Five Elders). Before arriving to Uesugi's territory, Ieyasu had got information that Mitsunari and his allies moved their army against Ieyasu. Ieyasu held a meeting with daimyo, and they agreed to ally Ieyasu. He then led the majority of his army west towards Kyoto. In late summer, Ishida's forces captured Fushimi.

Ieyasu and his allies marched along the Tōkaidō, while his son Hidetada went along the Nakasendō with 38,000 soldiers. The was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. A battle against Sanada Masayuki in Shinano Province delayed Hidetada's forces, and they did not arrive in time for the main battle. is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.

Main article: Battle of Sekigahara

This battle was the biggest and likely the most important battle in Japanese history. Background and pretext Even though Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan and consolidated his power following the Siege of Odawara in 1590 his ill-fated It began on October 21, 1600 with a total of 160,000 men facing each other. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. The Battle of Sekigahara ended with a complete Tokugawa victory. [5] The Western bloc was crushed and over the next few days Ishida Mitsunari and many other western nobles were captured and killed. Tokugawa Ieyasu was now the de facto ruler of Japan.

Immediately after the victory at Sekigahara, Ieyasu redistributed land to the vassals who had served him. Ieyasu left some western daimyo un-harmed, such as the Shimazu clan, but others were completely destroyed. The were the Daimyō of the Satsuma han, which spread over Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga provinces in Japan. Toyotomi Hideyori (the son of Hideyoshi) lost most of his territory which were under management of western daimyo, and he was degraded to an ordinary daimyo, not a ruler of Japan. In later years the vassals who had pledged allegiance to Ieyasu before Sekigahara became known as the fudai daimyo, while those who pledged allegiance to him after the battle (in other words, after his power was unquestioned) were known as tozama daimyo. Tozama daimyo were considered inferior to fudai daimyo.

Shogun Ieyasu (1603–1605)

Tokugawa Ieyasu as shogun.
Tokugawa Ieyasu as shogun.

In 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu received the title of shogun from Emperor Go-Yozei. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" Emperor Go-Yōzei (後陽成天皇 Go-Yōzei-tennō) ( December 31, 1572 - September 25, 1617) was the 107th emperor [6] Ieyasu was 60 years old. He had outlasted all the other great men of his times: Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, Shingen, Kenshin. He was the shogun and he used his remaining years to create and solidify the Tokugawa shogunate (That was eventually to become the Edo period, about two hundred years under Ieyasu's Shogunate) , the third shogunal government (after the Minamoto and the Ashikaga). 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, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not The was a prominent Japanese Samurai clan which established the Muromachi shogunate and ruled Japan from roughly 1336 to 1573 He claimed descent from the Minamoto clan by way of the Nitta family{disputed}. was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not The was one of several major families descended from the Seiwa Genji, and numbered among the chief enemies of the Ashikaga shogunate, and later the Hōjō clan Ironically Ieyasu descendants would marry into the Taira clan and Fujiwara Clans. For other uses of the word Taira see Taira (disambiguation The was a major Japanese clan in historical Japan The Fujiwara clan (藤原氏 Fujiwara-shi) descending from the Nakatomi clan, was a powerful family of Regents in Japan that monopolized the regent positions The Tokugawa Shogunate would rule Japan for the next 250 years.

Main article: Tokugawa Shogun

Following a well established Japanese pattern, Ieyasu abdicated his official position as shogun in 1605. 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 His successor was his son and heir, Tokugawa Hidetada. was the second Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623 This may have been done, in part to avoid being tied up in ceremonial duties, and in part to make it harder for his enemies to attack the real power center. [7] The abdication of Ieyasu had no effect on the practical extent of his powers or his rule; but Hidetada nevertheless assumed a role as formal head of the bakufu bureaucracy. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander"

The Tokugawa clan crest
The Tokugawa clan crest

Ogosho Ieyasu (1605–1616)

Ieyasu, acting as the Cloistered Shogun or Ogosho (大御所), was the effective ruler of Japan, remaining so until his death. The was a powerful Daimyo family of Japan. They descended from Emperor Seiwa (850-880 and were a branch of the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji by the Ieyasu retired to Sunpu, but he also supervised the building of Edo Castle, a massive construction project which lasted for the rest of Ieyasu's life. is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is a City designated by government ordinance (a "designated city" also known as, is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. The end result was the largest castle in all of Japan, the costs for building the castle being borne by all the other daimyo, while Ieyasu reaped all the benefits. The central donjon, or tenshu, burned in the 1657 Meireki fire. was a after Jōō and before Manji. This period spanned the years from 1655 to 1658. Today, the Imperial Palace stands on the site of the castle.

Ogosho Ieyasu also supervised diplomatic affairs with the Netherlands and Spain. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. He chose to distance Japan from the Europeans starting in 1609, although the bakufu did give the Dutch exclusive trading rights and permitted them to maintain a "factory" for trading purposes. From 1605 till his death, Ieyasu consulted with an English Protestant pilot in Dutch employ, William Adams, who played a noteworthy role in forming and furthering the Shogunate's evolving relations with Spain and the Roman Catholic Church. For other people called William Adams see William Adams. Early life Adams was born in Gillingham, Kent, England [8]

In 1611, Ieyasu, at the head of 50,000 men, visited Kyoto to witness the coronation of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. Emperor Go-Mizunoo (後水尾天皇 Go-Mizunoo-tennō) ( June 29, 1596 – September 11, 1680) was the 108th emperor In Kyoto, Ieyasu ordered the remodeling of the imperial court and buildings, and forced the remaining western daimyo to sign an oath of fealty to him. In 1613, he composed the Kuge Shohatto' a document which put the court daimyo under strict supervision, leaving them as mere ceremonial figureheads. The influences of Christianity, which was beset by quarreling over the Protestant Reformation and its aftermath, on Japan were proving problematic for Ieyasu. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time In 1614, he signed the Christian Expulsion Edict which banned Christianity, expelled all Christians and foreigners, and banned Christians from practicing their religion. As a result, many Kirishitans (early Japanese Christians) fled to the Spanish Philippines. from Portuguese cristão, referred to Roman Catholic Christians in Japanese and is used as a historiographic term for Roman Catholics The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP

In 1615, he prepared the Buke Shohatto, a document setting out the future of the Tokugawa regime.

Siege of Osaka

Main article: Siege of Osaka
Grave of Ieyasu in Tōshō-gū
Grave of Ieyasu in Tōshō-gū

The climax of Ieyasu's life was the siege of Osaka Castle (1614–1615). The was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction Tōshō-gū (東照宮 is any Shinto shrine in which Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the last shogunate of Japan, is enshrined with the The last remaining threat to Ieyasu's rule was Hideyori, the son and rightful heir to Hideyoshi. He was now a young daimyo living in Osaka Castle. Many samurai who opposed Ieyasu rallied around Hideyori, claiming he was the rightful ruler of Japan. Ieyasu found fault with the opening ceremony of a temple built by Hideyori—it was as if Hideyori prayed for Ieyasu's death and the ruin of Tokugawa clan. Ieyasu ordered Toyotomi to leave Osaka Castle, but those in the castle refused and started to gather samurai into the castle. Then the Tokugawa, with a huge army led by Ogosho Ieyasu and Shogun Hidetada, laid siege to Osaka castle in what is now known as "the Winter Siege of Osaka. " Eventually, Tokugawa made a deal threatening Hideyori's mother, Yodogimi, firing cannons towards the castle to stop the fighting. However, as soon as the treaty was agreed upon, Tokugawa filled Osaka Castle's moats with sand so his troops could go across them. Ieyasu returned to Sumpu once, but after Toyotomi refused another order to leave Osaka, he and his allied army of 155,000 soldiers attacked Osaka Castle again in "the Summer Siege of Osaka. " Finally in late 1615, Osaka Castle fell and nearly all the defenders were killed including Hideyori, his mother (Hideyoshi's widow, Yodogimi), and his infant son. His wife, Senhime (a granddaughter of Ieyasu), was sent back to Tokugawa alive. Senhime or Princess Sen (千姫 April 11 ( May 26 in Gregorian calendar) 1597 - February 6 ( March 11) With the Toyotomi finally extinguished, no threats remained to Tokugawa domination of Japan.

In 1616, Ieyasu died at age 75. [9]. The cause of death is considered as cancer or syphilis. The first Tokugawa shogun was posthumously deified as Gongen or Gongen-sama. The name gongen is derived from divine title, Tōshō Dai-Gongen (東照大権現). Gongen means a buddha appeared in the shape of Kami. In life, Ieyasu expressed the wish to be deified after his death in order to protect his descendant from the evil; and the Gongen's mausoleum at Nikkō Shrine, Nikkō Tōshō-gū (日光東照宮) hold his remains. is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The mausoleum's architectural style became known as gongen-zukuri or gongen- style. [10]

Ieyasu as a person

Handprint of Ieyasu at Kunozan Toshogu
Handprint of Ieyasu at Kunozan Toshogu

Ieyasu had a number of qualities that enabled him to rise to greatness. He was both careful and bold — at the right times, and at the right places. Calculating and subtle, Ieyasu switched alliances when he thought he would benefit from the change. He allied with the Hōjō clan, then he joined Hideyoshi's army of conquest which destroyed the Hōjō clan and he himself took over their lands. In this he was like other daimyo of his time. This was an era of violence, sudden death and betrayal. He was not very well liked, and he was not personally popular. But he was feared and he was respected for his leadership and his cunning. For example he wisely kept his soldiers out of Hideyoshi's disastrous campaign in Korea.

He was capable of great loyalty; once he allied with Oda Nobunaga, he never went against Nobunaga, and both leaders profited from their long alliance. He was known for being loyal towards his personal friends and vassals whom he rewarded. However, he also remembered those who wronged him in the past. It is said that Ieyasu executed a man who came into his power because he had insulted him when Ieyasu was young.

Ieyasu protected many former Takeda retainers from the wrath of Oda Nobunaga, who was known to harbor a bitter grudge towards the Takeda. He managed to successfully transform many of the retainers of the Takeda, Hōjō, and Imagawa clans — all whom he defeated himself or helped to defeat — into loyal followers.

He had nineteen wives and concubines, by whom he had eleven sons and five daughters. The eleven sons of Ieyasu were Matsudaira Nobuyasu (松平信康), Yūki Hideyasu (結城秀康), Tokugawa Hidetada (徳川秀忠), Matsudaira Tadayoshi (松平忠吉), Takeda Nobuyoshi (武田信吉), Matsudaira Tadateru (松平忠輝), Matsuchiyo (松千代), Senchiyo (仙千代), Tokugawa Yoshinao (徳川義直), Tokugawa Yorinobu (徳川頼宣), and Tokugawa Yorifusa (徳川頼房). was the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. His tsūshō ("common name" was. ( March 1, 1574 – June 2, 1607) was a Japanese Daimyo who lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods Born the was the second Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623 Takeda Nobuyoshi (武田 信吉 October 18, 1583 - October 15, 1603) was a Japanese Daimyo of the early Edo period ( February 16, 1592 – August 24, 1683) was a Daimyo during the Edo period of Japan. ( January 2, 1601 - June 5, 1650) was a Japanese Daimyo of the early Edo period Tokugawa Yorinobu (徳川頼宣 April 28, 1602 – February 19, 1671) was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period Tokugawa Yorifusa, also known as Mito Yorifusa ( September 15, 1603 - August 23, 1661) was a Japanese Daimyo of the early (In this listing, the two sons without surnames died before adulthood. ) His daughters were Kame hime (亀姫), Toku hime (徳姫), Furi hime (振姫), Matsu hime (松姫) , Eishōin hime (_姫), and Ichi hime (市姫). is the Japanese word for Princess or a lady of higher birth. Note that although "princess" is usually given as the translation daughters of a monarch are Note that Toku-hime refers to the daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu born in 1565 Tokuhime refers to the daughter of Oda Nobunaga, born around 1558 He is said to have cared for his children and grandchildren, establishing three of them, Yorinobu, Yoshinao, and Yorifusa as the daimyo of Kii, Owari, and Mito provinces, respectively. At the same time, he could be ruthless when crossed. For example, he ordered the executions of his first wife and his eldest son-a son-in-law of Oda Nobunaga; Oda was also an uncle of Hidetada's wife Oeyo. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history

The butterfly mon of the Taira is called Ageha-cho (揚羽蝶) in Japanese.
The butterfly mon of the Taira is called Ageha-cho (揚羽蝶) in Japanese. ( plural mon) also,, and, are Japanese heraldic symbols Mon may refer to any symbol while

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. Oeyo (於江与 or Satoko (達子 or Sūgen'in (崇源院 1573 &ndash September 15, 1626) was the wife of Tokugawa Hidetada (the The was a family of Japanese Daimyo who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century For other uses of the word Taira see Taira (disambiguation The was a major Japanese clan in historical Japan Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川 家光 August 12, 1604 — June 8, 1651) sometimes Tokugawa Tadanaga (徳川忠長 1606&ndash1633 was a Japanese Daimyo of the early Edo period They also had two daughters, one of whom, Sen hime, married twice. Senhime or Princess Sen (千姫 April 11 ( May 26 in Gregorian calendar) 1597 - February 6 ( March 11) is the Japanese word for Princess or a lady of higher birth. Note that although "princess" is usually given as the translation daughters of a monarch are The other daughter, Kazuko hime, married Emperor Go-Mizunoo of descent from the Fujiwara clan. ( November 23, 1607 - August 2, 1678) was the daughter of Tokugawa Hidetada, the second Shogun of Japan. Emperor Go-Mizunoo (後水尾天皇 Go-Mizunoo-tennō) ( June 29, 1596 – September 11, 1680) was the 108th emperor The Fujiwara clan (藤原氏 Fujiwara-shi) descending from the Nakatomi clan, was a powerful family of Regents in Japan that monopolized the regent positions

Ieyasu's favorite pastime was hawking. He regarded it as excellent training for a warrior. "When you go into the country hawking, you learn to understand the military spirit and also the hard life of the lower classes. You exercise your muscles and train your limbs. You have any amount of walking and running and become quite indifferent to heat and cold, and so you are little likely to suffer from any illness. "[11]. Ieyasu swam often; even late in his life he is reported to have swum in the moat of Edo Castle.

Later in life he took to scholarship and religion, patronizing scholars like Hayashi Razan. Hayashi Razan (林羅山 1583 &ndash March 7 1657) also known as Hayashi Dōshun was a Japanese Neo-Confucian philosopher serving as a tutor and [12]

Two of his famous quotes:

"Life is like unto a long journey with a heavy burden. Let thy step be slow and steady, that thou stumble not. Persuade thyself that imperfection and inconvenience are the natural lot of mortals, and there will be no room for discontent, neither for despair. When ambitious desires arise in thy heart, recall the days of extremity thou has passed through. Forbearance is the root of quietness and assurance forever. Look upon the wrath of the enemy. If thou knowest only what it is to conquer, and knowest not what it is like to be defeated, woe unto thee; it will fare ill with thee. Find fault with thyself rather than with others. "
"The strong manly ones in life are those who understand the meaning of the word patience. Patience means restraining one's inclinations. There are seven emotions: joy, anger, anxiety, love, grief, fear, and hate, and if a man does not give way to these he can be called patient. I am not as strong as I might be, but I have long known and practiced patience. And if my descendants wish to be as I am, they must study patience. "

He claimed that he fought, as a warrior or a general, in 90 battles.

In some sources Ieyasu is known to have the bad habit of biting his nails when nervous, especially before and during battle.

He was interested in various kenjutsu skills, was a patron of the Yagyū Shinkage-ryū school and also had them as his personal sword instructors. is the Japanese martial art specializing in the use of the Japanese Sword ( Katana) is one of the oldest Japanese schools of swordsmanship ( Kenjutsu)

Era of Ieyasu's rule

Ieyasu ruled directly as shogun or indirectly as Ogosho during the Keichō era (1596-1615). was a after Bunroku and before Genna. This period spanned from 1596 to 1615. The Japanese era calendar scheme is a common Calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era

In popular culture

See Japanese historical people in popular culture. Many significant Japanese historical people appear in works of popular culture such as Anime, Manga, and Video games.

Notes

  1. ^ Screech, T. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1882. p. 82.
  2. ^ Sadler, A. L. (1937). The Maker of Modern Japan, p. 164.
  3. ^ Nutail, Zelia. (1906). The Earliest Historical Relations Between Mexico and Japan, p. 2; "Japan to Decorate King Alfonso Today; Emperor's Brother Nears Madrid With Collar of the Chrysanthemum for Spanish King." New York Times, November 3, 1930.
  4. ^ Sadler, A. L. p. 187
  5. ^ Titsingh, I. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, p. 405.
  6. ^ Titsingh, p. 409.
  7. ^ Wolferen, K. The Enigma of Japanese Power. p. 28
  8. ^ Nutail, pp. 6-45.
  9. ^ Minamoto no Ieyasu was born in Tenbun 11, on the 26th day of the 12th month (1542) and he died in Genna 2, on the 17th day of the 4th month (1616); and thus, his contemporaries would have said that he lived 75 years. In this period, children were considered on year old at birth and became two the following New Year's Day; and all people advanced a year that day, not on their actual birthday. Screech, pp. 85, 234; Titsingh, p. 10.
  10. ^ JAANUS / gongen-zukuri 権現造
  11. ^ Sadler, p. 344.
  12. ^ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1956). Kyoto: the Old Capital of Japan, 794-1969, p. 418.

References

Preceded by
Sengoku period		 Edo Shogun:
Tokugawa Ieyasu
1603-1605		 Succeeded by
Tokugawa Hidetada

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 was the second Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623
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