Tokugawa Hidetada

The second Shogun of the Edo Shogunate (in office 1605-23). ​​Ieyasu's third son. His mother was Saigo's Lady Oai (Hodaiin). He was born on April 7, 1587, at Hamamatsu Castle in Totomi (Shizuoka Prefecture). His childhood name was Nagamatsu, which he later changed to Takechiyo. In 1587 (Tensho 15), he was appointed as Kurodo no To (Chief Chamberlain) of Junior Fifth Rank. In 1590, he met Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who gave him the character Hideyoshi, and he took the name Hidetada. In 1592 (Bunroku 1), he was appointed as Gon Chunagon (Provisional Middle Counselor) of Junior Third Rank. In the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 (Keicho 5), he marched west along the Nakasendo road as a separate force, but he was delayed in the Battle of Sekigahara due to his delays in capturing Ueda Castle, which incurred the wrath of Ieyasu. On April 7, 1605, he was abdicated and became Shogun, but real power was still in the hands of Shogun Ieyasu, who had moved to Sunpu Castle (Shizuoka City). He participated in the Winter and Summer Sieges of Osaka with Ieyasu. In July 1623 (Genwa 9), he handed over the Shogun position to Iemitsu, and the following year (Kan'ei 1), he moved to the Nishinomaru of Edo Castle, but real power was still in the hands of Shogun Hidetada. In 1626, he was appointed Daijo Daijin (Grand Minister of State) with the rank of Junior First Rank. He died on January 24, Kan'ei 9, at the Nishinomaru of Edo Castle. His posthumous name was Taitoku-in. He was buried at Zojo-ji Temple in Edo. His wife was Oe, the third daughter of Azai Nagamasa. She was Yodo-dono's younger sister and her posthumous name was Sugen-in. Apart from his love of flowering trees such as camellias and peonies, and his love of the tea ceremony from a young age, many anecdotes about Hidetada emphasize his conscientiousness, and his position in the shogunate government has tended to be overlooked in the shadow of Ieyasu and Iemitsu. However, his ability to instill a feudal order into society through policies such as the demotion of great daimyo such as Fukushima Masanori, the major strengthening of Edo Castle and Osaka Castle through the assistance of various daimyo in construction, the oppression of Christians, the strengthening of control over religion and the Imperial Court as seen in the Purple Robe Incident, and the establishment of the hosho ship system for trade with Nanban, deserves more recognition.

[Akira Takagi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸幕府第2代将軍（在職1605～23）。家康の第3子。母は西郷(さいごう)氏お愛の方（宝台院）。天正(てんしょう)7年4月7日遠江(とおとうみ)（静岡県）浜松城に生まれる。幼名は長松、のちに竹千代(たけちよ)と改める。1587年（天正15）従五位下(じゅごいげ)蔵人頭(くろうどのとう)に叙任。1590年豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)に謁し、秀吉の一字を与えられて秀忠と名のる。1592年（文禄1）従三位(じゅさんみ)権中納言(ごんちゅうなごん)。1600年（慶長5）関ヶ原の戦いでは、別動隊として中山道(なかせんどう)を西上したが、途中真田昌幸(さなだまさゆき)の上田城攻略に手間どり、関ヶ原の戦いに遅れたので家康の怒りを受けた。1605年4月7日、譲られて将軍となったが、実権は駿府(すんぷ)城（静岡市）に移り住んだ大御所家康の手中にあった。大坂冬・夏の陣には家康とともに参加した。1623年（元和9）7月将軍職を家光(いえみつ)に譲り、翌年（寛永1）江戸城西丸(にしのまる)に移ったが、依然実権は大御所秀忠のもとにあった。1626年従一位太政大臣(だいじょうだいじん)。寛永(かんえい)9年1月24日江戸城西丸で没。法号は台徳院(たいとくいん)。江戸増上寺(ぞうじょうじ)に葬る。夫人は浅井長政(あさいながまさ)の第3女お江。淀君(よどぎみ)の妹で、諡(おくりな)は崇源院(すうげんいん)。ツバキやボタンなどの花木を愛し、若いころから茶道の愛好家であったことのほかには、秀忠に関する逸話は律儀さを強調するものが多く、またその幕政上の位置も家康と家光の陰で軽視されてきたきらいがある。しかし、福島正則(ふくしままさのり)など大大名の改易、諸大名の御手伝普請(おてつだいぶしん)による江戸城・大坂城の大強化、キリシタン弾圧、紫衣事件(しえじけん)などにみられる宗教・朝廷の統制強化、南蛮貿易に奉書船制度を創設するなどの政策を通じて、幕藩制的秩序を社会に浸透させた力量はもっと評価されてよい。

［高木昭作］

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