Hojo clan
Encyclopedia
Late Hojo clan
The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...
for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
.
The in the history of Japan
History of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
was a family who controlled the hereditary title of shikken
Shikken
The was the regent for the shogun in the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. The post was monopolized by the Hōjō clan, and this system only existed once in Japanese history, between 1203 and 1333...
(officially just a regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
) of the Kamakura Shogunate
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
. In practice, the family had actual governmental power, many times dictatorial, rather than Kamakura shoguns, or the Imperial Court, who were merely legal symbols. The Hōjō are also known for their defiance of the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
, and furthering the spread of Zen Buddhism and Bushido
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
, but also for extreme decadence and making national decisions in secret meetings at private residences.
Bloodline
The Hōjō were an offshoot of the Minamoto's arch-enemy, the Taira of the Kammu branch, originating in Izu ProvinceIzu Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Shizuoka Prefecture. Izu bordered on Sagami and Suruga Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was .The mainland portion of Izu Province, comprising the Izu Peninsula is today the eastern portion of Shizuoka Prefecture and the Izu Islands are now part of...
. They gained power by supporting the extermination of their close relatives the Taira by intermarrying with and supporting Minamoto no Yoritomo
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. He ruled from 1192 until 1199.-Early life and exile :Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto clan, and his official wife, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, who was a member of the...
in the Battle of Dan-no-ura
Battle of Dan-no-ura
The ' was a major sea battle of the Genpei War, occurring at Dan-no-ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshū. On March 24, 1185, the Genji clan fleet, led by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, defeated the Heike clan fleet, during a half-day engagement.The Taira were outnumbered, but...
. Just 18 years after, the Hōjō usurped power with Yoritomo's passing.
Rise to power
Hōjō TokimasaHojo Tokimasa
was the first Hōjō shikken of the Kamakura bakufu and head of the Hōjō clan. He was shikken from the death of Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1199 until his abdication in 1205.- Background: The Hōjō Clan :...
helped Minamoto no Yoritomo
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. He ruled from 1192 until 1199.-Early life and exile :Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto clan, and his official wife, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, who was a member of the...
, a son-in-law, defeat the forces of the Taira to become Japan's first Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
. Hōjō Masako
Hojo Masako
was the eldest child of Hōjō Tokimasa by his wife Hōjō no Maki, the first shikken, or regent, of the Kamakura shogunate. She was the sister of Hōjō Yoshitoki, and was married to Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura period...
, Tokimasa's daughter, was married to Yoritomo. After the death of Yoritomo, Tokimasa became Regent to the child Shogun, thus effectively transferring control of the Shogunate to his clan permanently. The Minamoto and even Imperial Princes became puppets and hostages of the Hōjō.
Major early events
With the protector of the Emperor (shogun) a figurehead himself, strains emerged between Kyoto and KamakuraKamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
, and in 1221 the Jōkyū War
Jokyu War
', also known as the Jōkyū Disturbance or the Jōkyū Rebellion, was fought in Japan between the forces of Retired Emperor Go-Toba and those of the Hōjō clan, regents of the Kamakura shogunate, whom the retired emperor was trying to overthrow....
broke out between the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba
Emperor Go-Toba
was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198....
and the second regent Hōjō Yoshitoki
Hojo Yoshitoki
was the second Hōjō shikken of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. He was the eldest son of Hōjō Tokimasa and his wife Hōjō no Maki...
. The Hōjō forces easily won the war, and the imperial court was brought under the direct control of the shogunate. The shogun's constables gained greater civil powers, and the court was obliged to seek Kamakura's approval for all of its actions. Although deprived of political power, the court retained extensive estates.
Several significant administrative achievements were made during the Hōjō regency. In 1225 the third regent Hōjō Yasutoki
Hojo Yasutoki
Hōjō Yasutoki was the third shikken of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. He strengthened the political system of the Hōjō regency.He was the eldest son of second shikken Yoshitoki...
established the Council of State, providing opportunities for other military lords to exercise judicial and legislative authority at Kamakura. The Hōjō regent presided over the council, which was a successful form of collective leadership. The adoption of Japan's first military code of law—the Goseibai Shikimoku
Goseibai Shikimoku
The Goseibai Shikimoku or the Formulary of Adjudications was the legal code of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan, promulgated by third shikken Hōjō Yasutoki in 1232. It is also called Jōei Shikimoku after the era name....
—in 1232 reflected the profound transition from court to militarized society. While legal practices in Kyoto were still based on 500-year-old Confucian
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
principles, the new code was a highly legalistic document that stressed the duties of stewards and constables, provided means for settling land disputes, and established rules governing inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
s. It was clear and concise, stipulated punishments for violators of its conditions, and remained in effect for the next 635 years.
As might be expected, the literature of the time reflected the unsettled nature of the period. The Hōjōki
Hojoki
, variously translated as "An Account of My Hut" or "The Ten Foot Square Hut", is an important short work of the Kamakura period in Japan by Kamo no Chōmei. Written in 1212, it describes disasters that befall the people of Kyoto from earthquakes to famine and fire...
describes the turmoil of the period in terms of the Buddhist concepts of impermanence and the vanity of human projects. The Heike monogatari narrated the rise and fall of the Taira, replete with tales of wars and samurai deeds. A second literary mainstream was the continuation of anthologies of poetry in the Shin Kokin Wakashū, of which twenty volumes were produced between 1201 and 1205.
Fall from power
The Hōjō were betrayed by a vassal, Ashikaga TakaujiAshikaga Takauji
was the founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with his death in 1358...
, ordered to defeat the forces allied with Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
in 1333. In the same year, Kamakura was invaded by Nitta Yoshisada
Nitta Yoshisada
was the head of the Nitta family in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-chō period, capturing Kamakura from the Hōjō clan in 1333....
and the entire Hōjō clan, almost 900 persons, killed themselves at the family temple of Tōshō-ji
Tosho-ji
was the Hōjō clan's family temple in Kamakura during the Kamakura period. Its founder was Taikō Gyōyū and it was constructed in 1237 by Hōjō Yasutoki in memory of his mother, who had her tomb there. According to the Taiheiki, from its foundation until the end of the Kamakura shogunate every regent...
.
List of Hōjō Shikken
1 Hōjō TokimasaHojo Tokimasa
was the first Hōjō shikken of the Kamakura bakufu and head of the Hōjō clan. He was shikken from the death of Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1199 until his abdication in 1205.- Background: The Hōjō Clan :...
(1138-1215) (r. 1203-1205)
2 Hōjō Yoshitoki
Hojo Yoshitoki
was the second Hōjō shikken of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. He was the eldest son of Hōjō Tokimasa and his wife Hōjō no Maki...
(1163-1224) (r. 1205-1224)
3 Hōjō Yasutoki
Hojo Yasutoki
Hōjō Yasutoki was the third shikken of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. He strengthened the political system of the Hōjō regency.He was the eldest son of second shikken Yoshitoki...
(1183-1242) (r. 1224-1242)
4 Hōjō Tsunetoki
Hojo Tsunetoki
Hōjō Tsunetoki was the fourth Shikken of the Kamakura shogunate. He was son of Hōjō Tokiuji and of a former wife of Adachi Kagemori, elder brother of Hōjō Tokiyori and grandson of Hōjō Yasutoki. He ruled from 1242 to 1246 and founded Kōmyō-ji in Zaimokuza. He is buried within the temple.-...
(1224-1246) (r. 1242-1246)
5 Hōjō Tokiyori
Hojo Tokiyori
Hōjō Tokiyori was the fifth shikken of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. He was born to Hōjō Tokiuji and a daughter of Adachi Kagemori....
(1227-1263) (r. 1246-1256)
6 Hōjō Nagatoki
Hojo Nagatoki
Hōjō Nagatoki 北条 長時 was the sixth Shikken of the Kamakura Bakufu and the 4th Chief of the Rokuhara Tandai North Branch Kitakata....
(1229-1264) (r. 1256-1264)
7 Hōjō Masamura
Hojo Masamura
was the seventh Shikken of the Kamakura Bakufu. Son of Yoshitoki, II Shikken....
(1205-1273) (r. 1264-1268)
8 Hōjō Tokimune
Hojo Tokimune
of the Hōjō clan was the eighth shikken of the Kamakura shogunate , known for leading the Japanese forces against the invasion of the Mongols and for spreading Zen Buddhism and by extension Bushido among the warrior class.- Life :Born as the eldest son of the regent and Tokuso Tokiyori of the...
(1251-1284) (r. 1268-1284)
9 Hōjō Sadatoki
Hojo Sadatoki
was the ninth shikken of the Kamakura shogunate , and Tokuso from his appointment as regent until his death....
(1271-1311) (r. 1284-1301)
10 Hōjō Morotoki
Hojo Morotoki
was the tenth Shikken of the Kamakura Bakufu.- References :...
(1275-1311) (r. 1301-1311)
11 Hōjō Munenobu
Hojo Munenobu
, also family name Osaragi was the eleventh Shikken of the Kamakura Bakufu....
(1259-1312) (r. 1311-1312)
12 Hōjō Hirotoki
Hojo Hirotoki
was the twelfth Shikken of the Kamakura Bakufu....
(1279-1315) (r. 1312-1315)
13 Hōjō Mototoki
Hojo Mototoki
was the thirteenth Shikken of the Kamakura Bakufu....
(?-1333) (r. 1315)
14 Hōjō Takatoki
Hojo Takatoki
Hōjō Takatoki was the last Tokuso and ruling Shikken of Japan's Kamakura shogunate; the latter ones were his puppets, a member of the Hōjō clan, he was the son of Hōjō Sadatoki, and was preceded as shikken by Hōjō Morotoki.Takatoki became regent at the age of eight, and thus actual power was...
(1303-1333) (r. 1316-1326)
15 Hōjō Sadaaki (1278-1333) (r. 1326)
16 Hōjō Moritoki (?-1333) (r. 1327-1333)
Aside from the regents above, those who played an important role among the Hōjō clan are:
- Hōjō Sanetoki
- Hōjō MasakoHojo Masakowas the eldest child of Hōjō Tokimasa by his wife Hōjō no Maki, the first shikken, or regent, of the Kamakura shogunate. She was the sister of Hōjō Yoshitoki, and was married to Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura period...
See also
- ShogunShogunA was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
- ShikkenShikkenThe was the regent for the shogun in the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. The post was monopolized by the Hōjō clan, and this system only existed once in Japanese history, between 1203 and 1333...
, Hōjō hereditary post - TokusōTokusoTokusō was the title held by the head of the mainline Hōjō clan, who monopolized the position of shikken of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan....
, Hōjō hereditary post - RenshoRenshoThe , literally “co-signatory”, was the assistant to the shikken of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan.The rensho placed his signature next to that of the shikken on official orders. In 1224 the third shikken Hōjō Yasutoki appointed Hōjō Tokifusa as the first rensho...
, Hōjō hereditary post - Rokuhara TandaiRokuhara Tandaiwas the post of the chiefs of the Kamakura shogunate in Kyoto whose agency kept responsibility for security in Kinai and judicial affairs on western Japan, and negotiated with the imperial court. Despite keeping security, they were also a sort of secret police and widely feared.Rokuhara Tandai was...
, Hōjō security force, Hōjō hereditary post - Kamakura shogunateKamakura shogunateThe Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
- History of JapanHistory of JapanThe history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
- Kanazawa BunkoKanazawa Bunkois a private museum located in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Japan. This museum features a private collection of traditional Japanese and Chinese art objects, which is made accessible to the general public....
- Mongol invasions of JapanMongol invasions of JapanThe ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...