Masayoshi Hotta

A Shogunate elder councilor during the late Edo period. Lord of Sakura Domain in Shimousa Province (Chiba Prefecture). His childhood name was Sagenji. His first name was Masahiro. He was called Sagami no Kami and later Bitchu no Kami, and was given the name Miyama. He was born on August 1, 1812, as the youngest son of Masatoki. He became the heir to his older brother Masachika, and in 1825 (Bunsei 8) he inherited the headship of the Sakura Domain, which had a fief of 110,000 koku. He became Magistrate of Temples and Shrines in 1834 (Tenpo 5), and Governor of Osaka Castle in 1837, before becoming a Senior Councillor in 1841. He participated in Mizuno Tadakuni's Tenpo Reforms, and after resigning in 1843 and returning to his domain, he devoted himself to reforming the domain's government. He placed importance on rural measures such as the construction of shrine storehouses and on the education of domain samurai, and he introduced Western studies and established Western medicine, as well as adopting a Western-style military system, for which he was described as "addicted to Western culture." After Perry's arrival, he was recommended by Senior Councillor Abe Masahiro to become the chief Senior Councillor in 1855 (Ansei 2), and faced difficult diplomatic situations. He handled trade negotiations with American Consul Harris by placing a strong emphasis on capable liberal bureaucrats such as Finance Magistrate Kawaji Toshiakira and Inspector Iwase Tadanari. In 1857, he met with Harris in an audience with the Shogun and decided to conclude a trade treaty. He consulted with the daimyo and went to Kyoto in 1858 to suppress their opposition by obtaining an imperial sanction for the trade treaty. When his efforts to obtain the sanction failed, he returned to Edo, and on the issue of the Shogun succession, he supported Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu, who was trusted by the Imperial Court, in the hope of reconciling the Imperial Court and the Shogunate. However, this failed when Ii Naosuke suddenly became the chief advisor, and he was dismissed after waiting for the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan. He was also forced to retire after being found guilty of signing a treaty in violation of the Imperial decree. Later, in 1862 (Bunkyu 2), he was ordered to live in seclusion for failing to properly handle diplomatic affairs while he was a senior councilor. He died on March 21, 1821.

[Katsuo Inoue]

"Masamune Hotta" (1922, Chiba Prefecture) compiled by the Chiba Prefecture Internal Affairs Department

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末の幕府老中。下総国(しもうさのくに)（千葉県）佐倉(さくら)藩主。幼名は左源次(さげんじ)。初名正篤(まさひろ)。相模守(さがみのかみ)のち備中守(びっちゅうのかみ)を称し、見山と号す。文化(ぶんか)7年8月1日、正時(まさとき)の末子に生まれる。兄正愛(まさちか)の嗣子(しし)となって1825年（文政8）佐倉藩11万石の家督を継いだ。1834年（天保5）寺社奉行(ぶぎょう)、1837年大坂城代を経て1841年老中となり、水野忠邦(みずのただくに)の天保(てんぽう)の改革に参与し、1843年辞職して帰藩ののち、藩政改革に尽力した。社倉(しゃそう)の建造などの農村対策や藩士教育を重視し、蘭学(らんがく)を取り入れて西洋医学をおこすとともに、洋式兵制を採用して「蘭癖(らんぺき)」と評された。ペリー来航後、老中阿部正弘(あべまさひろ)に推されて、1855年（安政2）老中首座となり、外交の難局にあたった。勘定奉行(かんじょうぶぎょう)川路聖謨(かわじとしあきら)や目付岩瀬忠震(いわせただなり)らの有能な開明派官僚を重用してアメリカ領事ハリスとの通商交渉に対処した。1857年、将軍に謁見したハリスとの会談により通商条約締結を決意し、諸大名に諮問を行うとともに、通商条約の勅許によって諸大名の反対を抑えようと、1858年上洛(じょうらく)した。勅許工作は失敗して江戸に帰り、将軍継嗣(けいし)問題では、朝廷に信任のある一橋慶喜(ひとつばしよしのぶ)を推し、朝幕の和解を期した。しかし、突如、井伊直弼(いいなおすけ)が大老に就任したために、これも失敗し、日米修好通商条約の調印がなるのを待って罷免(ひめん)され、さらに違勅調印の責を負わされて隠居に処された。その後、1862年（文久2）老中在職中の外交取扱不行届の廉(かど)で蟄居(ちっきょ)を命じられた。元治(げんじ)元年3月21日没。

［井上勝生］

『千葉県内務部編『堀田正睦』（1922・千葉県）』

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