Mitsumasa Ikeda

A famous outside feudal lord in the early Edo period, and lord of the Okayama domain. Born on April 4, 1600, at Okayama Castle. His father was Toshitaka, and his mother was Sakakibara Yasumasa's second daughter, Tsuruko (dharma name Fukushoin). His childhood name was Yoshitaka, and when he came of age he took one character from the name of the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu and changed it to Mitsumasa. He was commonly known as Shintaro, and his posthumous name was Horetsu-ko. From 1603 (Keicho 8), the Ikeda family ruled the Okayama domain with 315,000 koku of rice, but Mitsumasa succeeded his father in 1616 (Genna 2) as the lord of Himeji domain (420,000 koku), and the following year, in 1617, he became the lord of Tottori domain (320,000 koku), and in 1632 (Kan'ei 9), he became the third lord of Okayama domain. His wife was Katsuko (dharma name Enseiin), born to Honda Tadatoki and Shogun Hidetada's daughter Senhime. Mitsumasa retired from service in 1672 (Kanbun 12), but he was involved in domain administration until his death on May 22, Tenna 2, and therefore led the establishment of the Okayama domain's overall administration for around 50 years. He was a man of keen ability and sought the key to governing a country through learning, studying Confucianism under his retainer Kumazawa Jirouhachi (Banzan) and others. He worked to realize benevolent governance and promoted the "Bizen style" of frugality. He was particularly devoted to civil administration, appointing Tsuda Jujirou (Nagatada) to develop new fields managed by the domain. From the perspective of integrating politics with learning and education, he poured extraordinary enthusiasm into the education of the common people, and in addition to the domain school (in the castle town), he founded Shizutaniko (remains of which still stand) as a village school (in Wake County), which is particularly noteworthy. He also implemented his own temple and shrine policy, which did not conform to the shogunate government, from the standpoint of Confucian rationalism. This enlightened, authoritarian "wise ruler" was buried with Confucian rites in the cemetery in Waidani, Wake County, and a gilt bronze seated statue of him has been placed in the Horetsu Shrine (now Shizutani Shrine) within the Shizutani School.

[Sumio Taniguchi]

"The Biography of Ikeda Mitsumasa, Vol. 1 and 2, edited by Ishizaka Zenjiro (1932)" ▽ "Ikeda Mitsumasa, by Taniguchi Sumio (1961, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "The Diary of Ikeda Mitsumasa, edited by Fujii Shun, Mizuno Kyoichiro, and Taniguchi Sumio (1967, Sanyo Tosho Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸初期の著名な外様(とざま)大名で岡山藩主。慶長(けいちょう)14年4月4日岡山城で生まれる。父は利隆(としたか)、母は榊原康政(さかきばらやすまさ)の次女鶴子（法号福照院）。幼名を幸隆(よしたか)といい、元服のとき将軍徳川家光の諱(いみな)の一字をもらって光政と改め、通称は新太郎、諡(おくりな)を芳烈公(ほうれつこう)といった。1603年（慶長8）以降池田家が岡山藩31万5000石を領知したが、光政は1616年（元和2）父の遺領を継いで姫路藩主（42万石）となり、翌1617年鳥取藩主（32万石）に転じ、1632年（寛永9）第3代岡山藩主となった。妻は本多忠刻(ただとき)と将軍秀忠(ひでただ)の娘千姫(せんひめ)との間に生まれた勝子（法号円盛院）である。光政は1672年（寛文12）に致仕(ちし)したが、天和(てんな)2年5月22日死去するまで藩政に関与したので、前後50年間、岡山藩政全般の確立を主導したわけである。素質は明敏で治国の要諦(ようたい)を学問に求め、家臣熊沢次郎八(くまざわじろはち)（蕃山(ばんざん)）らについて儒学を修め、仁政の実現に努め質素倹約の「備前風(びぜんふう)」を奨励普及した。とくに民政に意を注ぎ、津田重二郎（永忠(ながただ)）を起用して藩営新田の造成を図り、また、政治と学問・教育の一体化を図る見地から、士庶の教育に異常な熱意を注ぎ、藩校（城下）のほか郷学(ごうがく)（和気(わけ)郡）としての閑谷黌(しずたにこう)（遺構現存）を創建したことは特筆に値する。また、儒教的な合理主義の立場から、幕政に準じない独自の寺社政策を断行した。この啓蒙(けいもう)的な権威主義の「名君」は、和気郡和意(わい)谷の墓地に儒礼で埋葬され、閑谷学校内の芳烈祠(し)（現、閑谷神社）には、金銅坐像(ざぞう)が安置されている。

［谷口澄夫］

『石坂善次郎編『池田光政公伝』上下（1932）』▽『谷口澄夫著『池田光政』（1961・吉川弘文館）』▽『藤井駿・水野恭一郎・谷口澄夫編著『池田光政日記』（1967・山陽図書出版）』

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