Hatamoto

Hatamoto (Japanese旗 本) were bannermen of the Shogun and the daimyo in feudal Japan. As a consultant and personal guards of their masters, they formed a group with special position of trust within the samurai. Known hatamoto were Enomoto Takeaki and Katsu kaishu, but also the English sailor William Adams.

Similarly, as in the modern usage of the " upper ten thousand" is often mentioned, they spoke in ancient Japan generally of the " 80,000 hatamoto ". A study from 1722 is their number, however, with only 5,000 people. Together with the lower- Gokenin in simple civil service, the number about 17,000.

In the Edo period (1603-1868) is denoted by hatamoto samurai who swore their loyalty to any daimyo, but directly to the Shogun. Recruited they were mostly from families who had fought in the Battle of Sekigahara on the Tokugawa side. Rank Higher hatamoto ( and daimyo ), who had the right to a personal one-on- audience with the shogun, had the status of a Omemie - Ijo. The Tokugawa shogunate seems already to have distinguished only two classes of followers, the terms hatamoto and Omemie - Ijo and Gokenin and Omemie - Ika were (ie followers without audience right ) used interchangeably.

In contrast to the daimyo had hatamoto only small estates with an income of between 260 and 10,000 koku of rice, usually near Edo, and not have its own castle. If a hatamoto held an official post, he was referring, however, an additional, sometimes very considerable content ( Yaku buchi ). Hatamoto with more than 3,000 koku of income were called Yoriai (寄 合).

For hatamoto was no obligation to sankin Kótai, as they already were under the direct control of the shogun. Exception was Kótai - Yoriai (交代 寄 合). They were feared and respected by the other samurai because of their special position of trust, but also had higher standards to be applied to their behavior.

With the end of the Edo period ( Bakumatsu ) this title was abolished. Like many other samurai was deeply in debt, much of the hatamoto at this time to moneylenders.