Council of Five Elders
In the history of Japan, the Council of Five Elders (Japanese:
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Creation of the Council[edit]
Leading up to the creation of the council[edit]
Hideyoshi had been slowly changing in demeanor as the invasions of Korea (in attempt to conquer both Korea and China) were failing. Hideyoshi himself had not joined the Korean Campaigns and assigned vassals in his command to head the campaign.[3] He sent his final force of 140,000 to Korea in 1597, but the efforts were fruitless.[4]
Hideyoshi's execution of family members were also one of the reasons for questioning his sanity during this period.[5] Before the birth of his son Hideyori, he had adopted his nephew, Toyotomi Hidetsugu, to be his heir in 1591 because Hidetsugu had helped Hideyoshi in his campaigns.[6] Once Hideyori was born, he ordered Toyotomi Hidetsugu to commit ritual suicide on Mount Kōya, this causing Hideyoshi's only possible heir to be his infant son Hideyori. The people closest to Hidetsugu, such as his family and retainers, were also put to death.[7]
In 1595 Toyotomi Hideyoshi officially announced five laws and ordinances (Japanese:
On the "fifteenth day of the seventh month", the senior daimyō under order gathered at Maeda Toshiie's residence in Fushimi to renew their pledge of loyalty to Hideyori.[8] On the "fifth day of the eighth month", 13 days before his death (which took place on the 18th day of the 8th month of the third year of the Keichō era, Hideyoshi issued an order to the Elders stating that children of various generals shall go to Osaka Castle, once Hideyori has moved there.[9]
Hideyoshi's health started to degenerate after falling ill in the later half of 1598.[7] Realizing he would need to find a way to ensure the installation of his son as heir following his death, he called out to certain trusted daimyō to grant his final request:[10]
Until Hideyori reaches adulthood, I am asking for the help of the people whose names are listed in this document. This is the only request I want to make.
Fifth day, Eighth month
To: Ieyasu
Chikuzen
Terumoto
Kagekatsu
Hideie
— Toyotomi Hideyoshi, 101 Letters of Hideyoshi (Boscaro 1975, p. 77)
There are also accounts that when Hideyoshi called upon Ieyasu to become a regent, he asked him to decide if Hideyori is fit to rule when he reaches a ripe age and that Ieyasu rejected this request.[11][12]
Choosing the council[edit]
The members of the council were all daimyō chosen due to their relation to the taikō and the amount of power they held in the country. Hideyoshi chose powerful daimyō to prevent authority being concentrated on a single daimyō. Maeda Toshiie and Ukita Hideie were chosen due to their closeness with Hideyoshi as Maeda Toshiie was Hideyoshi's friend who had also served Oda Nobunaga. Maeda Toshiie was also chosen due to the respect he had from the Toyotomi family and Hideyoshi wanted to prevent Ieyasu from holding absolute power among the Five Elders. Ukita Hideie had been adopted under the name of Yuushi (Japanese:
Even before the creation of the council, Hideyoshi treated the five differently from other daimyō. One reason for this was the absence of a Toritsugi (Japanese:
The larger the domains of the daimyō were, the more experienced those daimyō were at governing their lands. As such, Hideyoshi treated them differently than smaller daimyō, who needed Hideyoshi to intervene in local governance. In the 1588 Sword Hunt Policy (Japanese:
[edit]
Hideyoshi also appointed the Five Commissioners (Japanese: Go-Bugyō) who were tasked to oversee the "basic business of the realm"; while the Elders were tasked to make sure that Hideyori would succeed Hideyoshi.[8] During this time the Five Commissioners were Asano Nagamasa, Mashita Nagamori, Ishida Mitsunari, Natsuka Masaie and Maeda Gen'i.
The Elders had assistants known as chūro (Japanese:
Oath of Allegiance[edit]
On the "fifth day of the eighth month", 1598, the Commissioners and the Regents signed the following articles:
Article 1. That they should serve Hideyori with the same single-minded loyalty they had shown to Hideyoshi.
Article 2. The rules of Hideyoshi's house would not be altered. When the Five Commissioners were unable to determine a course of action for administration of public affairs, they were to consult their master (Hideyori) through Ieyasu and Toshiie; or if taking action, they were to consult the Emperor.
Article 3. There were to be no factions among them. Personal considerations and partiality of every kind were to be excluded from their counsel.
Article 4. The Five Commissioners, or overseers, were to strive to work together in the administration of public affairs, suppressing all petty jealousies and differences.
Article 5. In settling matters the opinion of the majority was usually to be followed. But at the same time if the opinion of the minority showed no signs of being dictated by any personal interests, it should be duly considered. If only a few of the overseers were present when a question was settled, the absentees had no right to object unless it was quite evident that the private interests of the Commissioners present at the meeting prejudiced their minds in a wrong direction. In that case another meeting might be called.
Article 6. It goes without saying that all accounts had to be kept in a manner that was above suspicion. There were to be no irregularities and no pressing of personal interests.
Article 7. Whatever Hideyoshi desired to be kept secret, whether it were connected with his private life or with the Government, would not be allowed to leak.
Article 8. If any of the Commissioners or their followers found that unconsciously they had acted contrary to the orders given to them, they would immediately report this to their superior officers, who would then deal leniently with them.[17]
Hideyoshi used a talisman (Japanese:
Origin of the name "Go-Tairō"[edit]
After the death of Hideyoshi, the five commissioners, including Ishida Mitsunari referred to Ieyasu and the other elders as Go-bugyoshu (Japanese:
The Five Elders[edit]
(In Japanese names, the family name is written first)
Tokugawa Ieyasu[edit]
Tokugawa Ieyasu (Japanese:
After the collapse of the Council, Ieyasu became the founder and first shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate, which effectively ruled Japan from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
Ukita Hideie[edit]
Ukita Hideie (Japanese:
Maeda Toshiie[edit]
Maeda Toshiie (Japanese:
Uesugi Kagekatsu[edit]
Uesugi Kagekatsu (Japanese:
Mōri Terumoto[edit]
Mōri Terumoto (Japanese:
He was allied with Ishida Mitsunari at the Battle of Sekigahara and acted as the head general of the Western Army.
Kobayakawa Takakage[edit]
Kobayakawa Takakage (Japanese:
-
Tokugawa Ieyasu
-
Ukita Hideie
-
Maeda Toshiie
-
Uesugi Kagekatsu
-
Mōri Terumoto
-
Kobayakawa Takakage
Roles of the Council Members[edit]
Raising Hideyoshi's heir[edit]
Hideyoshi had given ownership of Osaka castle to his son Hideyori in 1594, Hideyori was just one year old at the time.[7] Maeda Toshiie was given the order to raise Hideyori in Osaka Castle until he came of age to take his place as Hideyoshi's successor.[32] Tokugawa Ieyasu was also charged with the role of guardian of Hideyori, as well as to see to Hideyori being appointed to the role of Regent.[33] Ukita Hideie was to be counted on as a loyal member of Hideyori's service.[33]
Attending to political business[edit]
Ieyasu was appointed by Hideyoshi to act as Regent (Japanese:
Withdrawal from Korea[edit]
After Hideyoshi's death the Council of Five Elders issued an order for the Japanese army at the Korean Peninsula to return. The Council feared disorder among Hideyoshi's troops in Korea if they were to be told of his death and so, his death was not told to the armies in order to preserve their morale. After the withdrawal of Japanese armies which followed a military stalemate, the final peace negotiations to mark the end of war continued for several years.[34]
Other roles[edit]
Ieyasu and Toshiie were to clear up any difficulties in administration encountered by the Five Commissioners, further acting as advisers or mediators in administration matters.[19] The sons of both Tokugawa Ieyasu and Maeda Toshiie (Tokugawa Hidetada and Maeda Toshinaga respectively) were to assist their fathers with work related to the Five Elders, with plan of the latter being appointed as an Elder in the future.[33]
Changes to Oath of Allegiance document
Tokugawa Ieyasu made some changes to Article 2 of the Oath of Allegiance document that no rules shall be amended, and that decisions were to be made by the majority in all cases.[19]
On the Article 6 of the Allegiance Document Ieyasu added the following statements: "No questions concerning landed estate will be dealt with during the minority of Hideyori. No petitions made to him will be sent in; neither will Ieyasu himself ask for any changes to be made in the matter of land-ownership nor will he accept any gifts of land from Hideyori during his minority."[19]
Maeda Toshiie added the following words "When Hideyori shall have reached his majority, certain representations shall be made to him by the Five Commissioners and by Ieyasu in reference to the bestowal of land on those whose services deserve reward and in reference to the confiscation of land in the case of those who have acted unworthily."[19]
Power balance between the council[edit]
The power balance between the council depended on the position each members held and the amount of koku they held. Ieyasu was entitled with the position of inner minister (Japanese:
The amount of potential income, measured in koku, that each council member held (one koku = 4.96 bushels or 278.3 liters of rice):[4]
- Tokugawa Ieyasu: 2,400,000 koku
- Maeda Toshiie: 830,000 koku
- Ukita Hideie: 570,000 koku
- Uesugi Kagekatsu: 1,200,000 koku
- Mori Terumoto: 1,120,000 koku
Tokugawa hegemony[edit]
Ieyasu engaged his sons and daughters into political marriages which became a cause of disagreement between the Elders and Commissioners.[11] Ieyasu married his son Tadateru to Date Masamune's daughter Irohahime. The cause for disagreement in these matters were due to statements in ”The wall writings of Osaka Castle" (Japanese:
Rise of conflict[edit]
After the death of Hideyoshi, friction generated between the council members. Two factions formed, the Bunchiha (Japanese:
Tokugawa Ieyasu rose to power while originally working in the name of Toyotomi Hideyori. Ieyasu's power seemed to be threatened by Hideyori in a long series of plots both against Ieyasu and Hideyori occurred followed by the multiple battles of the Siege of Osaka (1614–15). Tokugawa Ieyasu was victorious against the Toyotomi clan, eliminating them completely, thus cementing his place as ruler of Japan.[39]
Following the Tokugawa victory at the Siege of Osaka in 1615, Ieyasu was not satisfied with destruction of Hideyori alone, but in order to make sure the Toyotomi clan would not be able to return to power in the future, he had as many as possible of the Toyotomi family killed, or in the case of Hideyori's daughter, placed in a nunnery.[39] Ieyasu had Hideyori's son Kunimatsu, then 8 years old, killed at the Rokujō riverbed (Rokujō-Gawara) in Kyoto.[19]
In popular culture[edit]
The Council of Five Elders can also be seen in Japanese historical drama, Taiga Drama, which is broadcast by NHK. This topic is briefly mentioned in Gunshi Kanbei and Tenchijin, and more in detail in Sanadamaru.[40][41] In the 31st episode of Sanadamaru, a brief explanation of why the Council of Five Elders didn't work out as Hideyoshi expected is explained and we can also see that Elders were referred as Otonashu(Japanese:
See also[edit]
- Yodo-dono
- Azuchi-Momoyama Period
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi
- Toyotomi Hideyori
- Battle of Sekigahara
- Five Commissioners
- Tokugawa Shogunate
- Edo Period
References[edit]
- ^ Mikiso, Hane; Perez, Louis G. (2014-11-11). Premodern Japan : a historical survey (2nd ed.). Boulder, CO. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-81334970-1. OCLC 895428280.
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五 大老 の序列 や五 奉行 との違 いなどについて解説 !".歴史 をわかりやすく解説 !ヒストリーランド (in Japanese). 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2018-06-10. - ^ Sansom 1961, p. 363.
- ^ a b Conrad, Schirokauer; Lurie, David Barnett; Gay, Suzanne Marie (2013). A brief history of Japanese civilization (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-49591325-2. OCLC 772592935.
- ^ Berry 1982, p. 222.
- ^ a b Turnbull, Stephen R.; Rava, Giuseppe (2010). Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 9781846039614. OCLC 650342003.
- ^ a b c d Sadler, A.L. (2009). Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tuttle. ISBN 9784805310427.
- ^ a b c Berry 1982, pp. 139, 234.
- ^ Berry 1982, p. 235.
- ^ Boscaro 1975, p. 77.
- ^ a b c Sadler 1937, pp. 182, 185.
- ^ Dening 1971, p. 270.
- ^ a b c "
第 31回 あえなく崩 れた五 大老 五 奉行 制 、豊臣 政権 崩壊 は秀吉 の誤算 に始 まる -真田 丸 の補足 解説 ". www.taigafan.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-10. - ^ Jansen, Marius B. (1995). Warrior rule in Japan. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. p. 161. ISBN 0521482399. OCLC 31515317.
- ^ Yamamoto, Hirofumi; Hori, Shin; Sone, Yūji (2011). Kesareta Hideyoshi no shinjitsu : Tokugawa shikan o koete. Tōkyō: Kashiwa Shobō. ISBN 9784760139941. OCLC 726819437.
- ^ Sansom 1961, pp. 336–337.
- ^ Dening 1971, p. 269.
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特別 授与 品 -熊野 速玉 大社 公式 サイト|和歌山 県 新宮 市 鎮座 根本 熊野 大 権現 世界 遺産 ". kumanohayatama.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-17. - ^ a b c d e f g h i Dening 1971, p. 270.
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第 18回 1586年 の豊臣 秀吉 、統一 目前 で勢 いは最高潮 -真田 丸 の補足 解説 ". www.taigafan.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-16. - ^ a b Turnbull, Stephen R.; Rava, Giuseppe (2012). Tokugawa Ieyasu : leadership, strategy, conflict. Oxford: Osprey Pub. ISBN 9781780964447. OCLC 803923982.
- ^ Boscaro 1975, p. 99.
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上杉 景勝 とは~豪 毅 果断 ・潔白 謹厳 で笑 わない戦国 武将 ".戦国 武将 列伝 Ω (in Japanese). 2014-10-01. Retrieved 2018-06-17. - ^ "
毛利 輝元 とは【かろうじて毛利 家 をつないだ戦国 大名 】".戦国 武将 列伝 Ω (in Japanese). 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2018-06-17. - ^ "
小早川 隆景 【詳細 版 】~毛利 家 大 きく支 えた智将 ".戦国 武将 列伝 Ω (in Japanese). 2014-03-09. Retrieved 2018-06-17. - ^
映像 授業 Try IT(トライイット) (2016-04-15), 【日本 史 】近世 11織 豊 政権 8豊臣 秀吉 5 (11分 ), retrieved 2018-06-17 - ^
渡辺 ,世 祐 (1980).小早川 隆景 . マツノ書店 . - ^ "【
幻 のシックスマン?】豊臣 政権 「五 大老 」、実 は六 人 目 にはあの智将 がいた" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2018-06-10. - ^ a b Vande Walle, Willy F. (2014). Een geschiedenis van Japan : van samurai tot soft power (Derde, herwerkte uitgave ed.). Leuven: Acco. p. 159. ISBN 978-946292039-2. OCLC 905221450.
- ^ a b c d Sansom 1961, p. 368.
- ^ Turnbull, Stephen. Samurai Invasions of Korea 1592–1598, p. 85
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五 大老 筆頭 徳川 家康 は他 の大老 たちを凌駕 するだけの力 を持 っていた!?". ひすとりびあ (in Japanese). 2016-01-17. Retrieved 2018-06-10. - ^ "
戦国 大名 の軍事 力 はどれくらい? -日本 史 が好 きになる?歴史 ブログ".日本 史 が好 きになる?歴史 ブログ (in Japanese). 2017-02-02. Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2018-06-17. - ^ Berry 1982, p. 144.
- ^ a b Sadler 1937, p. 186.
- ^ a b Totman, Conrad D. (1995). Early modern Japan. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-52091726-2. OCLC 47007934.
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人物 紹介 |大河 ドラマ「天地人 」 | チャンネル銀河 ". www.ch-ginga.jp. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
Bibliography[edit]
- Sansom, George Bailey (1961). A history of Japan, 1334-1615. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0804705259. OCLC 16859819.
- Berry, Mary Elizabeth (1982). Hideyoshi. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674390253. OCLC 8195691.
- Boscaro, Adriana (1975). 101 Letters of Hideyoshi. Tokyo: Sophia University.
- Dening, Walter (1971). The life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. New York: AMS Press. ISBN 040402078X. OCLC 1392654.
- Sadler, Arthur Lindsay (1937). The maker of modern Japan : the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu. London: Unwin Brothers Ltd.