Masayasu Inaba

A feudal lord in the early Edo period. A junior councilor of the shogunate. Lord of Aono Domain in Mino Province (Gifu Prefecture). Son of Masayoshi. Distantly related to Hotta Masatoshi. Became a junior councilor in March 1682 (Tenwa 2). In August of the same year, 5,000 koku was added, bringing his total to 12,000 koku. On August 28, 1684 (Jokyo 1), he stabbed and killed Tairo Hotta Masatoshi in Edo Castle. It is unclear why Masayasu stabbed and killed Masatoshi. There is a theory that Masayasu was delirious, but the Tokugawa Jikki (Chronicles of the Tokugawa) (entry for August 28, 1st year of the Jokyo era) denies this. Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi made a valuable use of Hotta Masatoshi, who had supported him as Shogun, during his first term in power, but he gradually became annoyed with him, and there was a popular theory that he instigated Masayasu to kill him. The night before the assassination, Masayasu visited Masatoshi for a "chat," and the next day, he committed the crime, which caused great confusion among the public. After Masayasu killed Masatoshi, he was killed by the elder statesman Okubo Tadatomo and others who were present, but Mito Mitsukuni is said to have found this suspicious and criticized the elders, saying that they should have arrested him and questioned him.

[Kimura Sou]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸前期の大名。幕府若年寄。美濃(みの)国（岐阜県）青野藩主。正吉の子。堀田正俊(まさとし)とは遠縁にあたる。1682年（天和2）3月若年寄。同8月5000石を加えられて1万2000石。84年（貞享1）8月28日、江戸城中において大老堀田正俊を刺殺。正休が正俊を刺殺した理由は明らかでない。正休が錯乱したという説もあるが、『徳川実紀』〔貞享(じょうきょう)元年8月28日の項〕はこれを否定。将軍徳川綱吉(つなよし)は自らを将軍に擁立した堀田正俊を、その初政期において重用したが、しだいに煙たがるようになり、正休をそそのかして殺させた、という巷説(こうせつ)もあったようである。正休は刺殺の前夜正俊を訪ねて「閑談」し、その翌日事件を起こしたので、世人は大いにいぶかしがった。正休は正俊刺殺後、居合わせた老中大久保忠朝(ただとも)らに殺されたが、水戸光圀(みつくに)はこれを不審とし、捕らえて事情をただすべきであった、と老中らを論難したという。

［木村　礎］

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