Konoe Motohiro
Encyclopedia
, Tajimaru in his childhood, was a kugyō
or Japanese court noble of the Edo period
(1603–1868). He held a regent position kampaku from 1690 to 1703.
and a concubine of his. Motohiro was not considered as a legitimate member at first, but his father Hisatsugu and his wife, Princess Shoshi, a daughter of Emperor Go-Mizunoo
had no child and Hisatsu died in Motohiro's childhood. Thus by an imperial order from Go-Mizunoo, Motohiro was reinstalled in the Konoe lineage, and grown up under the imperial protection.
1654 he performed genpuku
and entered adulthood and therefore courtier life. 1664 he got married with Princess Joshi, another daughter of Emperor Go-Mizunoo as his consort. With her he had a son Iehiro
and a daughter Teruko who was a consort of Tokugawa Ienobu
, the 6th shogun
of Tokugawa shogunate.
, Emperor Reigen
and Emperor Higashiyama
. Go-Mizunoo was his protector since his childhood so his early career was prospective along with his noble lineage. But Emperor Reigen who didn't come along with Tokugawa shogunate
considered Motohiro as sympathetic to the Shogunate, hence his career in Reigen's court was not as splendid as before. In fact, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
, the shogun at that time was not warm to Ienobu at all, one of candidates of his successor, hence also Motohiro as the father-in-law of Ienobu.
In Higashiyama's court, Motohiro however got the power again. He served as kampaku, the most powerful courtier from 1690 to 1703. After he quit, he has his supporters including his own son succeed the kampaku position respectively, and kept his influence. In 1704 Tokugawa shogunate designated Ienobu, Motohiro's son-in-law as the successor of Tsunayoshi, hence the future shogun. His relation to the shogunate was therefore strengthened. Motohiro visited twice Edo
, and even welcome to give political opinions, however it made the terms between ex-Emperor Reigen and him worse. Emperor Reigen even cursed him at Shimogamo Shrine
, and accused him as bad subject who privatizes and bends laws and justice (私曲邪佞の悪臣) in his cursing prayer. However Motohiro was not always a supporter of the Shogunate politics, and publicly objected the Shogunate at some of their pressure to the imperial court.
1722 he became a monk and named Yuzan (悠山). He died in this year and was buried at Daitoku-ji
.
He wrote a diary from 1655 until his death, titled ater 『基熈公記』 (Diary of Lord Motohiro).
Kugyo
is the collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. The kugyō was broadly divided into two groups: the , comprising the Chancellor of the Realm, the Minister of the Left, and the Minister of the Right; and the , comprising the...
or Japanese court noble of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
(1603–1868). He held a regent position kampaku from 1690 to 1703.
Early life and family
He was a son of regent Konoe HisatsuguKonoe Hisatsugu
, son of regent Nobuhiro, was a kugyō or Japanese court noble of the Edo period . He held a regent position kampaku from 1651 to 1653....
and a concubine of his. Motohiro was not considered as a legitimate member at first, but his father Hisatsugu and his wife, Princess Shoshi, a daughter of Emperor Go-Mizunoo
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
had no child and Hisatsu died in Motohiro's childhood. Thus by an imperial order from Go-Mizunoo, Motohiro was reinstalled in the Konoe lineage, and grown up under the imperial protection.
1654 he performed genpuku
Genpuku
or genbuku was an historical Japanese coming-of-age ceremony. The etymology is atypical; in this case means "head" and means "wearing". The ceremony is also known as , , , , and ....
and entered adulthood and therefore courtier life. 1664 he got married with Princess Joshi, another daughter of Emperor Go-Mizunoo as his consort. With her he had a son Iehiro
Konoe Iehiro
, son of regent Motohiro, was a kugyō or Japanese court noble of the Edo period . He held a regent position kampaku from 1707 to 1709 and from 1709 to 1712.A daughter of Emperor Reigen was his consort with whom he had children, among others:...
and a daughter Teruko who was a consort of Tokugawa Ienobu
Tokugawa Ienobu
was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, thus making him the nephew of Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the grandson of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the great-grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-great grandson of Tokugawa...
, the 6th 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...
of Tokugawa shogunate.
Political career
After his entrance to the court, he served three emperors: Emperor Go-MizunooEmperor Go-Mizunoo
was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
, Emperor Reigen
Emperor Reigen
was the 112th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Reigen's reign spanned the years from 1663 through 1687.-Genealogy:...
and Emperor Higashiyama
Emperor Higashiyama
was the 113th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Higashiyama's reign spanned the years from 1687 through 1709.-Genealogy:...
. Go-Mizunoo was his protector since his childhood so his early career was prospective along with his noble lineage. But Emperor Reigen who didn't come along with Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
considered Motohiro as sympathetic to the Shogunate, hence his career in Reigen's court was not as splendid as before. In fact, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the younger brother of Tokugawa Ietsuna, thus making him the son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu....
, the shogun at that time was not warm to Ienobu at all, one of candidates of his successor, hence also Motohiro as the father-in-law of Ienobu.
In Higashiyama's court, Motohiro however got the power again. He served as kampaku, the most powerful courtier from 1690 to 1703. After he quit, he has his supporters including his own son succeed the kampaku position respectively, and kept his influence. In 1704 Tokugawa shogunate designated Ienobu, Motohiro's son-in-law as the successor of Tsunayoshi, hence the future shogun. His relation to the shogunate was therefore strengthened. Motohiro visited twice Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
, and even welcome to give political opinions, however it made the terms between ex-Emperor Reigen and him worse. Emperor Reigen even cursed him at Shimogamo Shrine
Shimogamo Shrine
Shimogamo Shrine, called Shimogamo-jinja in Japanese, is the common name of an important Shinto sanctuary in the Shimogamo district of Kyoto city's Sakyō ward. Its formal name is Kamo-mioya-jinja...
, and accused him as bad subject who privatizes and bends laws and justice (私曲邪佞の悪臣) in his cursing prayer. However Motohiro was not always a supporter of the Shogunate politics, and publicly objected the Shogunate at some of their pressure to the imperial court.
1722 he became a monk and named Yuzan (悠山). He died in this year and was buried at Daitoku-ji
Daitoku-ji
is a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The "mountain name" , who is known by the title Daitō Kokushi, or "National Teacher of the Great Lamp," that he was given by Emperor Go-Daigo...
.
He wrote a diary from 1655 until his death, titled ater 『基熈公記』 (Diary of Lord Motohiro).