Daimyo

Daimyo (Japanese大名), often referred to in English as Prince, were local ruler in feudal Japan.

The word, in this notation " big name " significant, was originally a short form of Daimyōshu (大名 主) and referred to its large landholdings. From the 12th century the word by and by a term for a position within the Samurai was.

The daimyo were mainly members of the warrior class ( buke ) and were formally the shogunate. They had in turn samurai vassals who had to pay them out of the income of their fief (han ). Since the central power over long stretches of the Muromachi period their power could not prevail, many daimyo could govern their fief de facto fully independent.

Muromachi period

During the Muromachi period (1336-1573) published Shugo daimyo as officials ( Shugo ) of the Ashikaga shogunate. It succeeded the Ashikaga shogunate again to strengthen for about 150 years, the central power by repressive regulations such as compulsory military service so that could be the separatism suppressed by the local rulers for a while. However, those obtained with the more and more influence in their fiefs, so soon the role of Shugo became hereditary through tradition and passed over the houses of the daimyo.

Sengoku period

In the Sengoku period (1477-1573), the central government was further weakened, as a result, the daimyo gained strong influence and took on the roles of sovereign princes, many of whom toward uniting the whole country under the banner of his own clan.

Edo period

At the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1868) governed the come to power shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, the system of his now humble daimyo so that the minimum rice income was 10,000 koku. To impose numerous obligations, the Tokugawa shogunate was able to gain greater control over the daimyo. So they had to under the sankin Kótai half their time in Edo spend. At the time of their absence they had to leave their wife hostage in Edo.

The most important classification of the daimyo in the Edo period was:

Further classification of the daimyo in the Edo period:

The Shogunate ordered the fief to so that the capital of Edo was largely surrounded by Fudai - daimyo. The tozama - daimyo, however, were provided in the periphery because of their previous opposition to the Tokugawa with fiefs.

The daimyo were controlled by strict laws of the Edo Shogunate. In the Edo period there were about 260 daimyo and thus 260 Han.

After the end of the Shogunate asked the government in the early Meiji period in 1869, the daimyo to return their government right about country and people the yard. All daimyo followed this recommendation and were then Chihanji (Governor of Hans). In 1871, the government decided to abolish the Han and instead to establish prefectures. The former daimyo arose the government in the new nobility Kazoku. Your status meetings depended on the size of their previous fiefdom.