Toyotomi Hidetsugu

Toyotomi Hidetsugu
Toyotomi Hidetsugu

Toyotomi Hidetsugu (豊臣 秀次?, 1568 – July 15, 1595) was a nephew and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who lived during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan.

A practitioner of the shudō tradition, Hidetsugu had a number of Wakashū. Among these were Yamamoto Tonoma, Yamada Sanjuro, and his most beloved, Fuwano Mansaku (also Bansaku), who gained lasting renown for his beauty of body and spirit.[1]

Life

Hidetsugu was born to Hideyoshi's elder sister, but adopted by the Miyoshi clan and given the name Miyoshi Nobuyoshi. He later renamed himself Hashiba Hidetsugu, in honor of his famous uncle: "Hashiba" was the Hideyoshi's family name, and "Hidetsugu" can be translated as "next Hide".

After the Incident at Honnō-ji in 1582, Hidetsugu was given a 400 thousand koku fiefdom in Ōmi Province because he was one of Hideyoshi's few relatives. In his subsequent career as a general, Hidetsugu he sustained heavy losses in the Battle of Nagakute against Tokugawa Ieyasu, but he proved himself in Hideyoshi's Invasion of Shikoku and Siege of Odawara. He also proved a competent manager of the castle town of Ōmihachiman.

In 1590, (Tenshō 18), he was appointed castellan of Kiyosu Castle in Owari Province, where Oda Nobukatsu had once ruled. The following year, Hideyoshi lost his legitimate heir Tsurumatsu (who died before adulthood) and so gave Hidetsugu the position of Kanpaku, regent to the Emperor. This meant Hidetsugu had to move to Jurakudai in Kyoto, and resulted in a so-called "dual system of government" (二元政治) run by Hidetsugu and Hideyoshi, with the assumption that Hidetsugu would succeed Hideyoshi after his death. As Hideyoshi was busy handling the Seven-Year War in the Korean Peninsula (Battles of Bunroku and Keicho), Hidetsugu acted in his place to handle domestic affairs.

However, in 1593, Hideyoshi's mistress gave a birth to a new heir, Hideyori, and the relationship between Hidetsugu and Hideyoshi began to deteriorate. Rumours spread of Hidetsugu committing repeated and unjust murder, earning him the nickname "life-killing kanpaku" (殺生関白; sesshō-kanpaku) - although modern historians doubt that these rumours were accurate.

Finally, in 1595, Hidetsugu was accused of plotting a coup and ordered to commit seppuku at Mt. Koya. Together with him died his three wakashu, who committed seppuku with his assistance. [2]

Daimyo associated with him were confined and the Jurakudai was destroyed. Controversially, Hideyoshi ordered the execution of Hidetsugu's entire family, including children, wives and mistresses, at Sanjogawara. The harshness and brutality of executing 39 women and children shocked Japanese society and alienated many Damiyos from Toyotomi rule. Combined with the fact that Hidetsugu was the last adult member of the Toyotomi clan besides Hideyoshi himself, the whole incident is often seen to be one of the key causes of the Toyotomi downfall. In a particularly tragic case, Hideyoshi refused to spare the life of Mogami Yoshiaki's 15 year old daughter, who had only just arrived at Kyoto to become Hidestugu's concubine and had not yet even met her husband-to-be. Her death caused the powerful Mogami clan to zealously support Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Sekigahara against Toyotomi loyalist forces, a mere 5 years later.

Only one of Hidetsugu's children was spared: a daughter named Okiku, one month old, who was adopted by her grandfather's nephew, Goto Noriyoshi (Goto Okiyoshi? original: 後藤興義).

References

  1. ^ Ihara Saikaku, The Great Mirror of Male Love Translated, with an Introduction, by Paul Gordon Schalow, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1990, p. 166, note 1
  2. ^ Tsuneo Watanabe and Jun'ichi Iwata,The Love of the Samurai: A Thousand Years of Japanese Homosexuality, London: Gay Men's Press, 1989, p.54)

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Toyotomi Hidetsugu — Este artículo está titulado de acuerdo a la onomástica japonesa, en que el apellido precede al nombre. Toyotomi Hidetsugu. Toyotomi Hidetsugu (豊臣秀次, Toyo …   Wikipedia Español

  • Toyotomi Hidetsugu — ▪ Japanese warrior born 1568, Japan died Aug. 20, 1595, Kōyasan, Kii Province       nephew and adopted son and heir of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the renowned warrior who in 1590 unified Japan after more than a century of civil war. The eventual… …   Universalium

  • Toyotomi Hideyoshi — est un nom japonais traditionnel ; le nom de famille (ou le nom d école), Toyotomi, précède donc le prénom (ou le nom d artiste) Hideyoshi. Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Toyotomi — ist der Name folgender Personen: Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–1598), japanischer Feldherr und Politiker. Toyotomi Hidenaga (1540–1591), Halbbruder von Toyotomi Hideyoshi, sowie mächtiger Feldherr und Lehnsherr. Toyotomi Hidetsugu (1568–1595), Neffe… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Toyotomi Hideyoshi — (jap. 豊臣秀吉 Toyotomi Hideyoshi; * 17. März 1537 Nakamura (heute Stadtteil von Nagoya; † 18. September 1598 Burg Fushimi bei Kyōto (heute ein Stadtteil Kyōtos)) war ein japanischer Feldherr und Politiker, der entscheidend zur Einigung des …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Toyotomi (disambiguation) — Toyotomi may refer to: *Toyotomi clan, a clan in the 16th century Japan, including ** Toyotomi Hideyoshi ** Toyotomi Hideyori ** Toyotomi Hidetsugu ** Toyotomi Hidenaga *Toyotomi, Hokkaidō, a town in Hokkaidō *Toyotomi, Yamanashi, a former… …   Wikipedia

  • Toyotomi (Klan) — Familienwappen Go shichi no kiri (五七の桐, dt. „5 7[ blättrige] Paulownie“) Die Toyotomi (jap. modern: 豊臣氏/traditionell: 豐臣氏, Toyotomi …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Toyotomi clan — During the Sengoku period in 16th century Japan, the nihongo|Toyotomi clan|豊臣氏|Toyotomi shi began to thrive. Originating in Owari Province, the Toyotomi served as retainers to the Oda clan throughout the Sengoku period. The most influential… …   Wikipedia

  • Toyotomi Hideyoshi — born 1536/37, Nakamura, Owari province, Japan died Sept. 18, 1598, Fushimi One of the three unifiers of premodern Japan (with Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu) who brought the nation out of its Warring States period. He began life as a peasant… …   Universalium

  • Toyotomi Hideyoshi — Este artículo está titulado de acuerdo a la onomástica japonesa, en que el apellido precede al nombre. Retrato de Toyotomi Hideyoshi dibujado en 1601 …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”