Hotta Masayoshi
Hotta Masayoshi (Japanese堀 田 正 睦; born August 30, 1810; † April 26, 1864 in the castle of Sakura - Han ( province Shimonousa ) ), a Roju was (Member of shogunalen Elders ) and after 1853 for relations with the imperialist States that wanted to force access to the markets of Japan, responsible.
- 2.1 Notes and references
Journey
Hotta Masayoshi, with birth name Masahiro, was the son of Masatoki. From his older brother Masachika (堀 田 正 爱) he was adopted as heir. He studied with enthusiasm "Holland Customer" ( rangaku ), particularly military strategy, and learned the Dutch and the English language. His contemporaries called him because of his enthusiasm rampeki, such as " Holland- crazy. " In 1824 he was 5th Lord of Sakura - Han with an income of 113,000 koku of rice.
1835 he was appointed jisha - Bugyo, a summary function for shrines. Since 1837 he was manager of the Osaka Castle.
For the first time he was in 1841 a member of the Council ( roju ), a position from which he resigned two years later. During this time, the pace of reforms (TEMPO no kaikaku ) had started with. He devoted the next few years, the reform of agriculture and defense of his fief.
He was recalled from Abe Masahiro 1853 as roju - Shuseki. Given the threat posed by Commodore Perry with his "black ships " that appeared this year for the first time near Edo, he advised the participants to immediately lead the war against the Americans. He thought it would be useful only to strengthen the defenses. In the Council, he relied particularly on Kawaji Toshiakira who managed the finances and Iwase Tadanari, both of which were for a conditional opening of the country.
After Abe's resignation, he became chancellor in 1855, and at the same time roju for External Relations and coastal defense. He formed a working group Gaikoku - boeki - toshirabe - gakari of specialists for foreign issues and consulted with outsiders, a previously untrained practice.
As roju for External Relations, he received the new American consul Townsend Harris and arranged its audience with the Shogun in the castle of Edo. In order to strengthen his political position, he tried in the face of strong opposition of many daimyo to the Harris Treaty, to obtain the consent of the court in Kyoto. In a process of historically had no role models, he traveled, richly laden with gifts, there. Likewise, no previous model is expressed the " heavenly majesty " of the Komei - Tenno, on the advice of his courtiers, which was controlled by the xenophobic faction, at the daily political process. The approval of the trade agreement was denied, was also indicated by the Tenno that he favored as the next Shogun Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu, the son of Tokugawa Nariaki.
Before his departure from Edo Masahiro had spoken in the foreseeable successor question since Tokugawa Iesada was ill, for Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu. In the meantime, however, the daimyo to Fudai - Ii Naosuke Yoshitomi, the Lord of Kii had designated heir, who then as Tokugawa Iemochi also took over the office. The newly appointed Regent ( Taïro ) Ii Naosuke Masayoshi dismissed from his posts, but the signatory tete nevertheless, the " unequal treaties " without the consent of the court. These defeats Masayoshi seems to be broken inside. 1862 Masayoshi was partially expropriated for alleged neglect of his duties during his time as roju and placed under house arrest in Sakura, where he died 55 years old in the spring of 1864.
Posthumously, he was awarded in 1915 the third straight court rank. Masayoshi is not to be confused with Masayoshi the 16th century, father of Hotta Masamori whose name is indeed equal to read, but written with different kanji.
Family
His principal wife was from the Sakakibara clan. He had a concubine.
His legacy was the fourth child Masatomo ( 1850-1 January 1911; .堀 田正伦). To this end, he had five daughters.