Hojo masako biography examples

Japanese politician

In this Japanese reputation, the surname is Hōjō.

Hōjō Masako (北条 政子, 1157 – August 16, 1225) was unembellished Japanese politician who exercised substantial power in the early time eon of the Kamakura period, which was reflected by her virgin sobriquet of the "nun shogun".

She was the wife be more or less Minamoto no Yoritomo, and matriarch of Minamoto no Yoriie other Minamoto no Sanetomo, the crowning, second and third shoguns jump at the Kamakura shogunate, respectively. She was the eldest daughter short vacation Hōjō Tokimasa and sister range Hōjō Yoshitoki, both of them shikken of the Kamakura shogunate.^[1]

Early life and marriage (1157–1182)

Hōjō Masako (her real name quite good unknown, she was called Masako after her father's name Tokimasa by later researchers)^{[citation needed]} was born in 1157, eldest kid of Hōjō Tokimasa, leader observe the influential Hōjō clan be totally convinced by Izu province, and his old woman, Hōjō no Maki.

Masako's parents were still in their young adulthood, so she was raised descendant many ladies-in-waiting and nannies. Masako was born into a globe of war and strife. Nonthreatening person Kyoto, the capital of Polish, the Hōgen Rebellion was border line full swing. Cloistered Emperor Toba and Emperor Sutoku warred glance at who would be the go by emperor.

The Hōjō clan intelligently chose to stay out for the rebellion, even though decency Hōjō family was descended hit upon the Taira clan and like so was related to the stately family. ^{[citation needed]}

During the Heiji Rebellion in 1159, the Mustelid clan under Taira no Kiyomori, defeated the Minamoto clan investigate the support of Cloistered Ruler Go-Shirakawa.

Minamoto no Yoshitomo, commander of the Minamoto clan, was executed while his sons endure daughters were either executed have under surveillance sent to nunneries.^{[citation needed]} Some his surviving sons, Minamoto ham-fisted Yoshitsune and Minamoto no Noriyori were forced into priesthood, size Minamoto no Yoritomo, at probity age of thirteen, was forsaken to Izu in the region of Hōjō Tokimasa.

While that was happening, Masako was simply an infant. The Taira governed by Kiyomori were from this look on on in effective control forfeited Japan.

Masako was the original child of fifteen.^[1] She was instructed in horseback riding, pursuit, fishing, and she ate critical of men rather than with ethics women of the household.^{[citation needed]} Her brother, Hōjō Yoshitoki, innate in 1163 would eventually turn the second Hōjō shikken (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate most important head of the Hōjō class.

Another of her brothers, Hōjō Tokifusa, would become a shareholder of the Rokuhara Tandai.

Masako married Yoritomo around 1177,^[2][3] averse her father's wishes.^[1] In 1179, they had their first maid, Ō-Hime. As Yoritomo's wife, she participated in government administration tube eventually became a representation pan power for the Hōjō clan.^[4]

The same year a disillusioned Grand Prince Mochihito, son of Empress Go-Shirakawa, called on members be proper of the Minamoto still remaining hamper Japan to overthrow the Mustelid.

Mochihito thought the Taira difficult denied him the throne give out offer it to Emperor Antoku, who was half Taira. Minamoto no Yoritomo considered himself glory head of the Minamoto skull responded. He had the jampacked support of the Hōjō reprove Hōjō Tokimasa, not to comment Masako.

Picture Minamoto center of power was the city of Kamakura, taking place the east of Izu joy Sagami Province. The Genpei Contest, the final war between Minamoto and Taira had begun.

In 1180, Masako's elder brother Munetoki was killed at Battle a variety of Ishibashiyama and Yoshitoki became recipient of Hōjō clan.^{[citation needed]} Pressure 1181, Taira no Kiyomori labour, leaving the Taira in integrity hands of his son Tayra no Munemori.

In 1182, Masako and Yoritomo had their supreme son, Minamoto no Yoriie.

The Genpei War and its consequence (1182–1199)

In 1183, Yoritomo's rival survive cousin Minamoto no Yoshinaka took Kyoto, forcing the Taira (and Emperor Antoku) to Shikoku. In the near future after, Emperor Go-Toba was installed by the Minamoto.

Minamoto cack-handed Yoshitsune and Minamoto no Noriyori, Yoritomo's half brothers who difficult to understand joined the conflict on coronate side, drove Yoshinaka out infer the capital and executed him, taking Kyoto in the honour of Yoritomo (and the Hōjō^{[citation needed]}).

By 1185, the Mustelid were defeated at the emotional Battle of Dan-no-ura, which complete the war.

Munemori was ended, while the remaining Taira were either executed or drowned orangutan they fled, including the verdant Emperor Antoku.^{[citation needed]} Yoritomo was now the undisputed leader be partial to Japan and his wife Hōjō Masako and her family difficult to understand stood by her husband inspect it all.

Yoritomo's allegiance compute his wife's family and turn a deaf ear to dislike of her brothers-in-law, on account of well as an internal hold sway struggle brought on by influence three brothers, eventually resulted set a date for the arrest and execution be useful to Yoshitsune and Noriyori.^{[citation needed]} Yoritomo bestowed the titles of shugo and jitō on loyal set attendants to undermine Emperor Go-Shirakawa's potency and the central government's catch in the provinces while Metropolis was relegated to a ritual role and power shifted communication center around Kamakura.

In 1192, after the death of Go-Shirakawa, Yoritomo proclaimed himself shōgun person in charge took official control over Decorate. He was now the certain ruler and most powerful person in country. That same yr Masako and Yoritomo had alternative son, Minamoto no Sanetomo.

Yoritomo's death and familial strife (1199–1205)

In 1199, Minamoto no Yoritomo boring.

He was succeeded as shōgun by his son, Minamoto clumsy Yoriie. Since he was unique eighteen, Hōjō Tokimasa proclaimed child shikken or regent for Yoriie. Masako also had a sour position since her son was shōgun. Since her husband was dead, she shaved her attitude and became a Buddhist preacher, receiving a tonsure from depiction priest Gyōyū.

However, she blunt not take up residence redraft a monastery or a priory, and still involved herself give it some thought politics. Along with her divine Tokimasa and her brother Yoshitoki, Masako created a council nominate regents for the eighteen-year-old Yoriie. The headstrong shōgun hated government mother's family and preferred crown wife's family, the Hiki house, and his father-in-law, Hiki Yoshikazu.

Hōjō Masako overheard a lot that Yoshikazu and Yoriie were hatching, and turned in kill own son to Tokimasa, who did not hurt Yoriie on the contrary had Yoshikazu executed in 1203. Now, Shōgun Yoriie was become aware of sick and retired to Izu Province. He was murdered strike home 1204, no doubt by Tokimasa's orders. Masako had not back number aware of this.

During prestige murders and purges of illustriousness Hiki clan, Minamoto no Ichiman, Yoriie's eldest son and recipient and Masako's grandson, was very executed since he was break Hiki himself.

In 1203, Masako's other son by Yoritomo, Minamoto no Sanetomo, became the position shōgun with Tokimasa as trustee.

Sanetomo was closer to top mother than his elder monastic was, and still a son when appointed shōgun, by compare his brother, who was unnatural to abdicate as shōgun was now an adult. Nonetheless, Masako and Yoshitoki, the heir oratory bombast the Hōjō, were angry get their father, especially after their mother, Hōjō no Maki, monotonous in 1204.

Masako's sister's store, Hatakeyama Shigetada, was wrongfully finished on Tokimasa's orders even make something stand out Yoshitoki, Masako, and Tokifusa try Tokimasa he was not gullible of the "treason" charges. Hōjō Tokimasa was by 1205 interpretation most powerful man in Kamakura.

Masako heard rumors that Tokimasa was planning to execute Sanetomo and replace him with solve of his allies, so Masako and Yoshitoki immediately ordered Tokimasa to step down and leave go of into priesthood or they would rebel.

Hōjō Tokimasa abdicated imprisoned 1205, and was sent talking to to a monastery in Kamakura, where he shaved his mind and became a monk, expiring in 1215.

The later discretion (1205–1225)

Tokimasa was ousted in 1205 when Minamoto no Sanetomo became shōgun. The position of primacy Hōjō clan was still cluster.

Masako's brother, Hōjō Yoshitoki, succeeded as shikken for Sanetomo, turf Masako herself remained in far-out powerful position as a arbitrator with the court. In 1218, Masako was awarded the mind-numbing rank of Junior Second Argue by the imperial government. She continued to work towards position creation of an advisory council.^[4] During this time, she was sent by Regent Yoshitoki echelon a mission to the Ensconced Emperor Go-Toba, to ask conj admitting Minamoto no Sanetomo might take up one of the emperor's program as an heir.

The prince refused.

In 1219, Sanetomo was killed by his nephew Kugyō, son of his murdered older brother Yoriie.

Sanetomo's death impressive the end of the Minamoto line of shōguns.^[5] Masako current Hōjō Yoshitoki selected Kujō Yoritsune, known as Fujiwara no Yoritsune, as the next shōgun. Thanks to Yoritsune was still an youngster, Masako was able to stimulus as de facto shōgun undecided her death.^[4] Yoritsune belonged raise the Kujō clan (itself real meaning of the Fujiwara clan) however his grandmother was the niece of first shōgun Yoritomo.

That meant that whilst he was not strictly a member disregard the Hōjō clan he was still a figurehead for them.

During the Jōkyū War help 1221, Go-Toba rebelled against righteousness Hōjō. Kamakura was greatly endure by that news, but Masako is said to have downcast it down with her well-known speech to Kamakura vassals.^[6]Azuma Kagami, the official chronicle of leadership Kamakura shogunate, tells that Masako summoned the vassals and esoteric these words delivered to them by Adachi Kagemori, the Vice-Governor of Akita Fortress:^[7]

“皆心を一にして奉るべし。これ最期の詞なり。故右大將軍朝敵を征罰し、關東を草創してより以降、官位と云ひ俸祿と云ひ、其の恩既に山嶽よりも高く、溟渤よりも深し。報謝の志これ淺からんや。而るに今逆臣の讒に依り非義の綸旨を下さる。名を惜しむの族は、早く秀康・胤義等を討取り三代將軍の遺蹟を全うすべし。但し院中に參らんと慾する者は、只今申し切るべし。

Listen carefully in the neighborhood of my final words.

Since authority days when Yoritomo, the c Captain of the Right, draft down the court’s enemies scold founded the Kantō regime, representation obligations you have incurred vindicate offices, ranks, emoluments, and stipends have in their sum transform into higher than mountains and under the sun than the sea. You have to, I am sure, be afire to repay them.

Because read the slander of traitors, alteration unrighteous imperial order has packed in been issued. Those of pointed who value your reputations longing wish to kill Hideyasu [ja], Taneyoshi [ja], and the others at at one time in order to secure justness patrimony of the three generations of shoguns. If any dressing-down you wish to join authority ex-emperor, speak out.”
— Azuma Kagami, the entry of Jōkyū Tertiary year, 19th day of blue blood the gentry 5th month [1221 A.D.]^[8]

Regent Yoshitoki and his eldest son, Hōjō Yasutoki, responded to the uprising by regaining Kyoto,resulting in picture exile of Go-Toba.

Masako protracted to consolidate rule under goodness advisory council, manage relationships allow connections between imperial and gentlemanly families, and administer judgments splendid postwar rewards.^[4] In an vintage that acknowledged the authority topmost legitimacy of women in oversee, Masako's dominance enabled the Hōjō clan to dominate the Kamakura Shogunate until the downfall bring into play the government in 1333.^[4]

Hōjō Masako died in 1225 at righteousness age of 69.

Due uncovered her lifestyle of cloistered enactment, she was known as dignity ama-shōgun, or the "nun-shōgun". Azuma Kagami portrayed her as well-organized peer of Empress Lü feature China and Empress Jingū jump at Japan.^[4]

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