In the previous article, I wrote about the period from Ieyasu Tokugawa to Yoshimune, but in Part 2, I would like to start with the Rōjū system during the three major reforms of Edo.
Rōjū in the Edo period's three major reforms
It seems that Yoshimune, the 8th shogun who succeeded the shogun from the Kishu clan, a branch of the Tokugawa family, had to look over the Fudai Daimyo and perform personnel affairs. Did you build a relationship with?
Yoshimune Tokugawa-Rōjū system in the age of Ieshige and Ieharu
The 8th Shogun Yoshimune became a shogun with the support of Fudai Daimyo, who were mainly the old men of his predecessor Shogun. Therefore, when Yoshimune was inaugurated as a shogun, he was a middle-aged man. Was left as it is.
So-called [ supporting vassals ], They were in a position to say things in their own way from Shogun Yoshimune.
In the first half of the reign of Yoshimune, Masataka Abe resigned in 1717 and Masanao Tsuchiya resigned in 1718. 1720 Kuze Shigeyuki, 1722 Inoue Masatoshi dies.
Of the five, Tokugawa Yoshimune's reforms began when Tadamasa Toda, who was old and mature, remained.
First of all, we will deny the collective collegial system of the old and middle ages, and revive the selfish old and middle age system that was aimed at incorporating it into the command system from the shogun to the Kanjosho. Like the side servant system, it seemed to be an uninteresting system from the perspective of the traditional Marriage of State, and was banned by the supporters.
That selfish old man Was appointed by Tadayuki Mizuno.
This Mizuno family was a prestigious Fudai daimyō because it was the parents' home of Ieyasu Tokugawa's mother. Moreover, since he knew Okazaki, the birthplace of Ieyasu, it can be said that other Fudai Daimyo could not complain about the appointment of Tadayuki Mizuno.
By the way, Tadakuni Mizuno, who reformed Tenpo, is a descendant of Tadayuki after his sixth generation.
From the Yoshimune side, it is inevitable that Rōjū must be included in the line in order to implement reforms, as it is not possible to rely on side employees. In essence, it was just the dismissal of the remaining Rōjū and Toda Tadazane, but it was a very important task to carry out future reforms.
Thus, Tadayuki Mizuno The reform of Tokugawa Yoshimune will begin with the focus on.
Abolition of side personnel system and agency for your side
Yoshimune abolished the position of the side servant, and from among the side servants, the side servant I have newly established a position called.
It is a position that acts as an intermediary between the shogun and the old and young, but it has the same function and power as a side servant because it has been appointed as an aide to Yoshimune since the Kishu domain.
When Yoshimune died and became the complete 9th Shogun Ieshige, the younger Ooka Tadamitsu Was appointed as a side servant, and the side servant system arranged by Yoshimune was revived.
Appearance of Rōjū and Tanuma Okitsugu
When Ieharu was a teenager, he basically inherited his father, Ieshige, but he couldn't resist the wave of aging, and the old men from his predecessor were replaced one after another.
Twelve years after the Ieharu administration, in 1772 he was a side servant and a middle-aged man, Tanuma Okitsugu . Was promoted to old age. It was the moment when Okitsugu, who made bribery politics rampant, was born.
Kansei Reforms Rōjū, Matsudaira Sadanobu
The 11th Shogun Iesai became a shogun at the age of 15, so he needed someone to lead the shogunate instead. Then, the arrow of Shirahane stood, Matsudaira Sadanobu , the grandson of Yoshimune. was.
Sadanobu was appointed as the chief of the Rōjū and took the position of guardian of the shogun, promoting the reform of Kansei.
When Ienari grew up, he returned to power and became a long-term government for 50 years.
It is believed that the Rōjū leader was the leader of the Rōjū, who was always four to five. When there is no elder, it is considered to be the highest position in the shogunate.
Changes in the career advancement course of old people
As an aside, in 1793, when Matsudaira Sadanobu retired, Ota Sukeai was appointed as an old man.
The Ota family built Edo Castle during the Muromachi period Ota Dokan Was a descendant of.
It seems that Ota Sukeai was a talented person who was appointed by the shogun as a young man. When he was over 50, he got sick and offered to resign, but he didn't accept it, and he seems to have been appointed to the old age in anticipation of when his illness got better.
In the same year, Wakadoshiyori Nobunari Ando was promoted to Rōjū, and the career advancement course to Rōjū changed a little. At the time of Iemitsu, Rōjū was selected from the six aides, but after that, the course was promoted through the magistrate of temples and shrines and the chief of Kyoto Shoshidai.
Similarly, after Yoshimune, there were many people who stopped at younger ages, but during the reign of Ieharu, there were cases where young people became old people through side servants, and there were many cases where young people with experience became old people. rice field.
It is thought that this is because the political affairs have become complicated and not only the selfishness but also the duties of young people who assist the elderly in general have become important.
The authority of the shogunate is lost and the old-age system collapses
Tadakuni Mizuno, who reformed Tenpo, wiped out the human resources who supported Ienari's lord government, gathered his own old men, and was a powerful government that had not been seen in the shogunate until now, but the reform failed. It ended in.
This hard line destroyed the authority of the shogunate and weakened the old-age system itself. In addition, the national crisis of the arrival of the Black Ships struck, and the youngest middle-aged leader, Abe Masahiro From the response of the Shogunate, Ansei Purge and Bunkyu Reform After that, both the shogunate and the Rōjū system will collapse.
Tenpo Reforms
When Ienari Ogosho died, Tadakuni Mizuno dismissed the old men who had recommended politics of Ogosho.
After clearing out Tadakuni's rival Rōjū, he placed a person from his own faction in Rōjū, gave legitimacy to the political reforms of the Shogunate, and carried out the reforms of Tenpo. The reforms banned luxury and forced frugality, disbanded Kabunakama, strengthened sea defense, and issued a decree to bring the flagship territory around Edo and Osaka under the direct control of the shogunate.
12th Shogun Ieyoshi Tokugawa couldn't see the situation where the whole of Japan was confused by such a hard line. Dismissed Tadakuni Mizuno.
Perry's arrival and the weak old-age system
Masahiro Abe after Tadakuni Mizuno resigned Was appointed to the top of the Rōjū.
This Abe system lacked prestige because Masahiro himself, the leader, was young, and was a weak government that spurred the lack of experience of other senior citizens. There, he faced an unprecedented arrival of the national crisis Perry, so the line of recourse of the old and middle-aged men was the authority of Shogun Ieyoshi. However, Ieyoshi died immediately after the arrival of Kurofune.
Then, when I became a shogun, Iesada, who was weak and had no clear language, took office, further weakening the system of the shogunate. In such a situation, it was not unreasonable for Masahiro Abe to break the practice and ask the Tozama Daimyo and Hatamoto about the pros and cons of opening the country.
The appearance of the elder Ii Naosuke and the power of the elder
In 1858, the Hikone Domain and Naosuke Ii received the secret order of the elder.
Other shogunates pushed Matsudaira Yoshinaga to the elder, but Naosuke Ii became the elder due to the strong intention of the shogunate.
Around this time, in the shogunate, the succession problem Is happening, and the Ii Naosuke faction who pushes the Kishu feudal lord Tokugawa Yoshinobu and the Hitotsubashi faction who pushes the Gosankyo Tokugawa Yoshinobu I was in conflict with. It seems that the incumbent Iesada was thinking of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, but the Hitotsubashi faction was trying to reach out to the imperial court to become a shogun during the period of Yoshinobu.
Under such circumstances, Naosuke Ii overcame the opposition of public opinion and signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and the United States, and the next day, he requested the dismissal of the opposition Hotta Masayoshi and Matsudaira Tadakata.
In this way, Naosuke gained a foothold and wielded his power as he wished, but it was Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the lord of the Owari domain, and Tokugawa Nariaki, the lord of the Mito domain, who disagreed with it. The talks were held between the two feudal lords and Naosuke Ii, but the talk was not finalized, and the talks were broken as the two feudal lords were dismissed by Naosuke.
The next day, Naosuke announced that Shogun would be Keifuku, and he entered Edo Castle as Shogun. On the other hand, the feudal lords of Matsudaira Yoshinaga and Tokugawa were punished by Naosuke.
Until now, the elders were only decorative beings on top of the Rōjū system, but considering the response of the three families and the Rōjū, a position that can have such power if they exercise their power. It was an event that was known to me.
In this way, Naosuke Ii wields his power at will, but these events triggered an unprecedented big incident called the assassination of the elder.