History of Asia

What is the relationship between the Edo Shogunate and the imperial court? What is the Shogunate's strategy to prevent worsening relationships?

The Edo Shogunate was established only after the Shogun General was appointed by the imperial court.

Therefore, I had to build a good relationship with the imperial court.

In this article, the Shogun in the Edo Shogunate and the " Imperial Court Focusing on the relationship, we will introduce in an easy-to-understand manner the relationship with the imperial court, where the shogunate had to build a relationship carefully and boldly.

Existence of a general

I think we recognize that the Edo Shogunate is a samurai government that has continued the world of Taihei for about 260 years.

Speaking of the samurai government, I think that the basis of the rule system is the shogunate, but was that really the only thing?

To think about it, first of all, " Shogun Let's review the official position.

" Shogun The title was created in the old days to give in to the Ezo in the Tohoku region, which the imperial court refused to obey its power. It was that.

The meaning of the official position of Shogun General changed after Minamoto no Yoritomo, who opened the Kamakura Shogunate, and the imperial court officially secured the position of a samurai lord.

What is the legitimacy of general rule?

For those who are in charge of the samurai government [ endorsed by the leader of the samurai received from the emperor ] Is absolutely necessary to justify the rule.

Going back a little, Oda Nobunaga helped Yoshiaki Ashikaga become a shogun. After Yoshiaki Ashikaga took office as a shogun, Nobunaga proceeded with the unification of the world while making good use of the shogun . There is a time.

Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who unified the world after Nobunaga's death, also deepened his ties with the emperor and eventually became Kampaku, who is very close to the emperor. " Disobeying Toyotomi Hideyoshi disobeys Emperor Goyosei I made the composition.

The difference with Nobunaga is that Hideyoshi was born in a peasant family, so he could not become a general who had to be a pedigree, so by using the position of Kampaku, he got the approval from the emperor. It was.

Evidence from the imperial court was essential to justify the rule.

Relationship between the shogunate and the imperial court in the Edo period

After confirming the emperor's endorsement, let's think about how to interact with the Tokugawa family and the imperial court.

Ieyasu Tokugawa 1603 By being appointed by the imperial court as Shogun, he gained command over the daimyo of the whole country and was able to open the shogunate in Edo.

Later, the Shogunate Kinchu narabini Kuge Shohatto For the first time in history, it will regulate the behavior of the Emperor. He stood on the imperial court in a substantive power relationship and strengthened his overwhelming power.

However, no matter how much you stand on the imperial court, the position of Shogun is still the official position of the decree system centered on the emperor. Even if the power of the shogunate is practically higher, the tatemae are vassals of the imperial court.

The Tokugawa Shogunate, which has continued for 15 generations, has used the samurai warrior Shogun Shogun to inform the world of the legitimacy of rule. To do so, we must establish a stable relationship with the imperial court that appoints the official position.

On top of that, it was necessary for the emperor and the imperial court to wield power and create a system that would not pose a threat to the shogunate by connecting with other daimyo.

In order to gain substantive power, it was necessary to use the authority of the imperial court and keep it to a minimum.

Kinchu narabini Kuge Shohatto

The shogunate needed to minimize the authority of the emperor in order to gain substantive power.

First of all, about the coronation of the emperor. Kyoto Shoshidai, the imperial court guard, will be set up to monitor the emperor's family for disturbing movements, even when they are transferred or coronated. At the same time, a position called Samurai Denso, which acts as a bridge between the shogunate and the imperial court, will be born.

In addition, we will create the Kinchu narabini Kuge Shohatto, which is the legal basis for showing the power relationship between the Shogunate and the imperial court.

To quote historical materials ...

At the beginning, " Amako Performing Arts, Daiichi Gakugakuya. It is written that the most important thing for the Emperor is learning.

It was the first time in history that a samurai stipulated the actions of the emperor in detail by such a law. The consent of the Shogunate was not required for the revision of the era name and the fine privilege of giving the aristocrats the official position.

Under these circumstances, an incident occurs.

The Purple Robe Incident began in 1629 when Emperor Gomizuo gave a purple robe to a monk at Daitokuji Temple.

Purple robe is a purple kasaya or robe given to a high-ranking monk.

I think it's okay to give it, but the problem was that the emperor gave it to the shogunate without permission.

As you can see from the place written in red, when you are allowed to wear a purple robe, " offer in advance It is stipulated. Based on this content, the Shogunate invalidated Emperor Gomizuo's royal charter.

The priest of Daitokuji Temple, Takuan, who opposed this, will be exiled.

The emperor himself abdicated himself in protest and handed over the emperor to his daughter. By this incident, the shogunate's intention exceeded the imperial court's royal charter.

However, as long as the emperor appoints the official position of Shogun, we must maintain a decent relationship. Before and after this incident, we are also implementing reconciliation measures with the emperor.

In 1620, the second shogun Hidetada Tokugawa Is his daughter Kazuko Tokugawa After Emperor Mizuo Iriuchi * Let me.

By strengthening the kinship with the Emperor, he deepened that relationship.

* Iriuchi means to become an empress / nyōgo and officially enter the inside.

Furthermore, after the Purple Robe Incident, the third shogun Iemitsu was Emperor Gomizuo . I go to the greetings. The souvenir at that time was donation of 7,000 stones of the imperial territory (land of the emperor) It seems that it was done.

In this way, the shogunate seems to have used candy and a whip well to prevent the deterioration of the relationship with the imperial court.