What was a daimyo in Japan?
Updated August 10, 2019. A daimyo was a feudal lord in shogunal Japan from the 12th century to the 19th century. The daimyos were large landowners and vassals of the shogun. Each daimyo hired an army of samurai warriors to protect his family's lives and property.
When did the Sengoku daimyos rule Japan?
Map of the territories of the Sengoku daimyos around the first year of the Genki era (1570 AD). Daimyo (大名, daimyō, Japanese pronunciation: [daimʲoː] ( listen)) were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings.
What happened to the shugo daimyo in the Muromachi period?
The shugo daimyo were replaced by the sengoku daimyo at the end of Muromachi period, which prevented people other than the daimyo and upper class samurais to hold any ownership of land. This meant all land in Japan belonged to the daimyo.
How many daimyos were there in the Edo period?
The Battle of Sekigahara in the year 1600 marked the beginning of the Edo period. Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu then reorganized roughly 200 daimyō and their territories into han, which were assessed by rice production. Those heading han assessed at 10,000 koku (50,000 bushels) or more were considered daimyō.
When did the daimyo end?
1871In 1871 the domains were abolished, and the former daimyo were converted into a pensioned nobility residing in Tokyo.
Why did the daimyo end?
Daimyo often hired samurai to guard their land, and they paid the samurai in land or food as relatively few could afford to pay samurai in money. The daimyo era ended soon after the Meiji Restoration with the adoption of the prefecture system in 1871.
Who was the last daimyo of Japan?
Saigō TakamoriSaigō TakamoriBornJanuary 23, 1828 Kagoshima, Satsuma DomainDiedSeptember 24, 1877 (aged 49) Kagoshima, Empire of JapanBuriedNanshu Cemetery, Kagoshima Prefecture, JapanAllegianceSatsuma Domain18 more rows
How many daimyo were there?
200 daimyoThere were three types of daimyo during the Edo period, Tozama, Fudai and Shinpan daimyo. Following The Battle Of Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu re-organised about 200 daimyo and their domains, based on their relationship to the Tokugawa clan.
When did the daimyo begin?
Daimyo were feudal lords who, as leaders of powerful warrior bands, controlled the provinces of Japan from the beginning of the Kamakura period in 1185 to the end of the Edo period in 1868. This warrior class, as newly risen holders of political authority, developed cultural traditions inherited from the court.
Who was the first daimyo?
The first men to be called "daimyo" sprang from the shugo class, who were governors of the different provinces of Japan during the Kamakura Shogunate from 1192 to 1333. This office was first invented by Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate.
When did the shogun era end?
1603 – 1868Edo period / PeriodIn the mid-19th century, an alliance of several of the more powerful daimyō, along with the titular Emperor of Japan, succeeded in overthrowing the shogunate, which came to an official end in 1868 with the resignation of the 15th Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, leading to the "restoration" (王政復古, Ōsei fukko) of ...
Who unified Japan in the 1500s?
Toyotomi HideyoshiThe period culminated with a series of three warlords – Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu – who gradually unified Japan. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's final victory at the siege of Osaka in 1615, Japan settled down into over 200 years of peace under the Tokugawa shogunate.
Who unified Japan in 1600?
Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshi, original name Hiyoshimaru, (born 1536/37, Nakamura, Owari province [now in Aichi prefecture], Japan—died Sept. 18, 1598, Fushimi), feudal lord and chief Imperial minister (1585–98), who completed the 16th-century unification of Japan begun by Oda Nobunaga.
What is higher daimyo or shogun?
The rigid social hierarchy of the Japanese feudal age placed shoguns at the top, daimyos down one step in the social order, samurai — or warriors — who swore fealty to their respective daimyos, and the common folk at the bottom. In the class of the common folk, rigidity still followed.
How did Boba Fett become daimyo?
Reign of Boba Fett Boba Fett killed Fortuna in order to become the new Daimyo of Mos Espa. In the aftermath of Fortuna's death, Fett founded his own criminal empire as the self-proclaimed Daimyo of Mos Espa and Tatooine. Fett accepted payments of tribute and vowed to bring order to the Worker's District of Mos Espa.
What was the end of the samurai?
The samurai would dominate Japanese government and society until the Meiji Restoration of 1868 led to the abolition of the feudal system. Despite being deprived of their traditional privileges, many of the samurai would enter the elite ranks of politics and industry in modern Japan.
What was the end of the samurai?
The samurai would dominate Japanese government and society until the Meiji Restoration of 1868 led to the abolition of the feudal system. Despite being deprived of their traditional privileges, many of the samurai would enter the elite ranks of politics and industry in modern Japan.
What did the daimyo do?
daimyo were large landholders who held their estates at the pleasure of the shogun. They controlled the armies that were to provide military service to the shogun when required. samurai were minor nobles and held their land under the authority of the daimyo.
How did shoguns control the daimyo?
The Tokugawa shoguns controlled their daimyo in a variety of ways. The insisted that their daimyo and samurai spend every other year in Edo, the Tokugawa capital, and leave their families behind when they returned to their estates.
How did Boba Fett become daimyo?
Reign of Boba Fett Boba Fett killed Fortuna in order to become the new Daimyo of Mos Espa. In the aftermath of Fortuna's death, Fett founded his own criminal empire as the self-proclaimed Daimyo of Mos Espa and Tatooine. Fett accepted payments of tribute and vowed to bring order to the Worker's District of Mos Espa.
When did the Daimyos rule?
Map of the territories of the Sengoku daimyos around the first year of the Genki era (1570 AD). Daimyo (大名, Daimyō, Japanese pronunciation: [daimʲoː] ( listen)) were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. ...
How many Daimyo returned to the Emperor?
In this year, around 200 daimyo returned their titles to the emperor, who consolidated their han into 75 prefectures. Their military forces were also demobilized, with the daimyo and their samurai followers pensioned into retirement. The move to abolish the feudal domains effectively ended the daimyo era in Japan.
What is the difference between Fudai Daimyo and Tozama Daimyo?
The fact that fudai daimyo could hold government positions, while tozama in general could not, was a main difference between the two. Tozama daimyo held mostly large fiefs far away from the capital, with e.g. the Kaga han of Ishikawa Prefecture, headed by the Maeda clan, assessed at 1,000,000 koku.
What did the Fudai Daimyo do?
The shogunate placed many fudai at strategic locations to guard the trade routes and the approaches to Edo. Also, many fudai daimyo took positions in the Edo shogunate, some rising to the position of rōjū. The fact that fudai daimyo could hold government positions, while tozama in general could not, was a main difference between the two.
What are the Daimyo clans?
The backgrounds of daimyo also varied considerably; while some daimyo clans, notably the Mōri, Shimazu and Hosokawa, were cadet branches of the Imperial family or were descended from the kuge, other daimyo were promoted from the ranks of the samurai, notably during the Edo period.
What was the beginning of the Edo period?
The Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 marked the beginning of the Edo period. Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu reorganized roughly 200 daimyo and their territories into han, which were assessed by rice production. Those heading han assessed at 10,000 koku (50,000 bushels) or more were considered daimyo.
Where did Shugo Daimyo come from?
They accumulated these powers throughout the first decades of the Muromachi period. Major shugo-daimyo came from the Shiba, Hatakeyama, and Hosokawa clans, as well as the tozama clans of Yamana, Ōuchi, Takeda and Akamatsu. The greatest ruled multiple provinces.
When did the Daimyo lose their land?
The daimyo lost their land, titles, and power during the resulting Meiji Restoration of 1868, although some were able to transition to the new oligarchy of the wealthy industrialist classes. Szczepanski, Kallie. "A Brief History of Japan's Daimyo Lords.".
What is a Daimyo?
A daimyo was a feudal lord in shogunal Japan from the 12th century to the 19th century. The daimyos were large landowners and vassals of the shogun. Each daimyo hired an army of samurai warriors to protect his family's lives and property.
What did the Shugo do in the 15th century?
By the late 15th century, the shugo no longer relied on the shoguns for their authority. Not simply governors, these men had become the lords and owners of the provinces, which they ran as feudal fiefdoms.
How many Daimyo jumped into the fray?
At least a dozen daimyo jumped into the fray, hurling their armies at one another in a nation-wide melee. A decade of constant war left the daimyo exhausted, but did not resolve the succession question, leading to the constant lower-level fighting of the Sengoku period.
What was the main tool of the Shogun's armory?
Prosperity and Downfall. One important tool in the shogun's armory was the alternate attendance system, under which daimyo had to spend half of their time in the shogun's capital at Edo (now Tokyo) and the other half out in the provinces.
What was the name of the war between 1467 and 1477?
Between 1467 and 1477, a civil war called the Onin War broke out in Japan over the shogunal succession. Different noble houses backed different candidates for the shogun's seat, resulting in a complete breakdown of order across the country.
Who invented the Daimyo office?
This office was first invented by Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate.
Which era did the Daimyo rule?
Towards the end of Muromachi period and the beginning of the Edo period, the daimyo lords started becoming even more powerful, and led to take control the whole of Japan. Some of the most well known daimyo in the history o feudal Japan were from this era, including Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu before becoming ...
What happened to the Daimyos during the Meiji period?
During of the Meiji period, the daimyo, samurais and other military classes from feudal Japan had lost their privileges.
Why did Daimyo give their land?
Daimyo often gave their strongest samurais land in order to further gain their loyalty. The daimyo were able to have wealthy lifestyles. One of the reasons for this was due to the daimyo not having to pay any taxes.
Why did the Daimyo return their land to the Emperor?
In 1870, following the Meiji restoration, the new government ordered the daimyo to return all their land to the emperor, in order to stabilise the country’s economy. This allowed other people to own their own land, thus, creating a fairer tax collection systems.
What color was the Daimyo?
The daimyo typically wore kimonos of different colours and the colours often represented how powerful they were. The dark black colour represented the most powerful, followed by red, green and purple.
What is the meaning of the term "daimyo"?
Daimyo. The term ‘daimyo’ simply translates to ‘large private land’ and they belonged in the upper class in feudal Japan. The daimyo lords were at the top of military class just below the shoguns, and were heads of the samurai.
Who were Shugo Daimyo?
Shugo and sengoku daimyo. At the beginning of the feudal Japanese period, they were referred to as shugo daimyo. Not all land were owned by daimyo during this period, however, they got their wealth from collecting huge amounts of taxes from the residents of their controlled towns. The shugo daimyo were replaced by the sengoku daimyo at the end ...
When was the Edo period?
v. t. e. The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo jidai) or Tokugawa period (徳川時代, Tokugawa jidai) is between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional daimyō.
What was the Tokugawa period?
The Tokugawa (or Edo) period brought 250 years of stability to Japan. The political system evolved into what historians call bakuhan, a combination of the terms bakufu and han (domains) to describe the government and society of the period.
How did the Bakufu affect Japan?
The resulting damage to the bakufu was significant. The devalued price for gold in Japan was one immediate, enormous effect. The European and American traders purchased gold for its original price on the world market and then sold it to the Chinese for triple the price. Along with this, cheap goods from these developed nations, like finished cotton, flooded the market forcing many Japanese out of business. Debate over government policy was unusual and had engendered public criticism of the bakufu. In the hope of enlisting the support of new allies, Abe, to the consternation of the fudai, had consulted with the shinpan and tozama daimyo, further undermining the already weakened bakufu. In the Ansei Reform (1854–1856), Abe then tried to strengthen the regime by ordering Dutch warships and armaments from the Netherlands and building new port defenses. In 1855, a naval training school with Dutch instructors was set up at Nagasaki, and a Western-style military school was established at Edo; by the next year, the government was translating Western books. Opposition to Abe increased within fudai circles, which opposed opening bakufu councils to tozama daimyo, and he was replaced in 1855 as chairman of the senior councilors by Hotta Masayoshi (1810–1864).
How many people were literate in the Edo period?
Another estimate states that 40% of men and 10% of women by the end of the Edo period were literate. According to another estimate, around 1800, almost 100% of the samurai class and about 50% to 60% of the chōnin (craftsmen and merchants) class and nōmin (peasants) class were literate.
What was the economic development of the Edo period?
Economic development during the Tokugawa period included urbanization, increased shipping of commodities, a significant expansion of domestic and, initially, foreign commerce, and a diffusion of trade and handicraft industries. The construction trades flourished, along with banking facilities and merchant associations. Increasingly, han authorities oversaw the rising agricultural production and the spread of rural handicrafts.
How many people read in Edo?
One estimate of literacy in Edo suggest that up to a third of male s could read, along with a sixth of women. Another estimate states that 40% of men and 10% of women by the end of the Edo period were literate. According to another estimate, around 1800, almost 100% of the samurai class and about 50% to 60% of the chōnin (craftsmen and merchants) class and nōmin (peasants) class were literate. Some historians partially credited Japan's high literacy rates for its fast development after the Meiji Restoration.
What did Ieyasu do to help Edo?
Like Hideyoshi, Ieyasu encouraged foreign trade but also was suspicious of outsiders. He wanted to make Edo a major port, but once he learned that the Europeans favored ports in Kyūshū and that China had rejected his plans for official trade, he moved to control existing trade and allowed only certain ports to handle specific kinds of commodities.
What was the decline of the samurai?
Before the beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, samurai were an integral part of Japanese lifestyle and culture. For centuries, many had prominent roles in political and military realms and instilled Confucianistic values in Japanese society. However, with the decline of the Tokugawa regime, social, political, military, and economic aspects of domestic Japan began to change–ushering in the Meiji Restoration. The “modern” Meiji period no longer sought the seemingly “traditional” samurai and their swords, and so began a new era of Japanese history.
What was the transition into the Meiji period?
The transition into the Meiji period, which is accepted as the beginning of Japan’s modern state, was a direct cause of the national and international tensions and influences of the late Tokugawa period. The following sources serve to illustrate the respective environment of this period.
What was the Meiji Restoration?
Often referred to the period during which Japan became “modernized,” leaders of the Meiji Restoration strived to satisfy their nation’s discontent that were caused by much social, cultural, political, and economic discontent. The early Meiji period was characterized by new changes in legislature, a further introduction of Western ideals, and the increasing obsoleteness of traditional samurai values.
What is the second section of the Samurai?
The second section–Samurai Life–is divided into sub-sections of societal (bushido and duty), military, and political aspects of samurai culture. The next three sections include historical time frames: late Tokugawa period, early Meiji period, and transition from Tokugawa to Meiji period. The sixth section includes information about influential ...
What is the Samurai book about?
It tracks the development of the Japanese warrior class and their exceptional skill as warriors, which culminates in the epic Battle at Osaka Castle. Turnbull, Stephen.
What is the Making of Modern Japan?
This book also includes quantitative data to add support to its claims. The Making of Modern Japan offers a magnified view of the critical period in Japanese history from 1600 to the present. Specifically, it focuses on the intimate workings of Japanese society.
Why did the Japanese map of Edo Castle?
A map of Japanese homes encircling Edo castle to illustrate Tokugawa hegemony and space.
When did the Daimyos resign?
By 1460, the daimyos were ignoring orders from the shogun and backing different successors to the imperial throne. When the shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, resigned in 1464, a dispute between backers of his younger brother and his son ignited even more intense fighting among the daimyo.
Who ruled Japan until 1333?
The Minamoto clan ruled much of Japan until 1333. In 1268, an external threat appeared. Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler of Yuan China, demanded tribute from Japan, and when Kyoto refused to comply the Mongols invaded. Fortunately for Japan, a typhoon destroyed the Mongols' 600 ships, and a second invasion fleet in 1281 met the same fate.
What was the name of the war between the Minamoto and Taira samurai clans?
His sons, Sutoku and Go-Shirakawa, fought for control in a civil war known as the Hogen Rebellion of 1156. In the end, both would-be emperors lost and the imperial office lost all its remaining power. During the civil war, the Minamoto and Taira samurai clans rose to prominence.
How long did the Kemmu Restoration last?
After being exiled in 1331, the emperor returned and overthrew the shogunate in 1333. The Kemmu Restoration of imperial power lasted only three years. In 1336, the Ashikaga shogunate under Ashikaga Takauji reasserted samurai rule, though this new shogunate was weaker than that of the Kamakura.
What happened to the Kamakura in 1318?
After being exiled in 1331, the emperor returned and overthrew the shogunate in 1333.
What was the name of the military government that the samurai established in the 900s?
After years of fighting, the samurai established a military government known as the shogunate.
What war did the Minamoto clan fight in?
The two clans fought once more in the Genpei War of 1180 to 1185, which ended in victory for the Minamoto. Following their victory, Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Kamakura Shogunate, retaining the emperor as a figurehead. The Minamoto clan ruled much of Japan until 1333.
Overview
Daimyo were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shōgun and nominally to the emperor and the kuge. In the term, dai (大) means 'large', and myō stands for myōden (名田), meaning 'private land'.
Shugo-daimyo
The shugo daimyo (守護大名) were the first group of men to hold the title daimyo. They arose from among the shugo during the Muromachi period (approximately 1336 – 1573). The shugo-daimyo held not only military and police powers, but also economic power within a province. They accumulated these powers throughout the first decades of the Muromachi period.
Sengoku-daimyo
Among the sengoku daimyo (戦国大名) were many who had been shugo-daimyo, such as the Satake, Imagawa, Takeda, Toki, Rokkaku, Ōuchi, and Shimazu. New to the ranks of the daimyo were the Asakura, Amago, Nagao, Miyoshi, Chōsokabe, Hatano, and Oda. These came from the ranks of the shugodai and their deputies. Additional sengoku-daimyo such as the Mōri, Tamura, and Ryūzōji arose from the jizamurai. The lower officials of the shogunate and rōnin (Late Hōjō, Saitō), provinc…
Edo period
The Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 marked the beginning of the Edo period. Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu reorganized roughly 200 daimyo and their territories into han, which were assessed by rice production. Those heading han assessed at 10,000 koku (50,000 bushels) or more were considered daimyo. Ieyasu also categorized the daimyo according to their relation to the ruling Tokugawa family: the shinpan were …
After the Meiji Restoration
In 1869, the year after the Meiji Restoration, the daimyo, together with the kuge, formed a new aristocracy, the kazoku. In 1871, the han were abolished, and prefectures were established. In this year, around 200 daimyo returned their titles to the emperor, who consolidated their han into 75 prefectures. Their military forces were also demobilized, with the daimyo and their samurai follo…
See also
• Japanese clans
• History of Japan
• Daimyo Clock Museum
External links
• Lords of the Samurai: Legacy of a Daimyo Family
• World History: Patterns of Interaction
• Samurai, Chōnin and the Bakufu: Between Cultures of Frivolity and Frugality.
The Daimyo Roles
Shugo and Sengoku Daimyo
- At the beginning of the feudal Japanese period, they were referred to as shugo daimyo. Not all land were owned by daimyo during this period, however, they got their wealth from collecting huge amounts of taxes from the residents of their controlled towns. The shugo daimyo were replaced by the sengoku daimyo at the end of Muromachi period, which prevented people other than the …
Daimyo Clothing
- How the daimyo dressed was very similar to the shoguns and samurais. The daimyo typically wore kimonos of different colours and the colours often represented how powerful they were. The dark black colour represented the most powerful, followed by red, green and purple.
Daimyos’ Rise to Power
- Towards the end of Muromachi period and the beginning of the Edo period, the daimyo lords started becoming even more powerful, and led to take control the whole of Japan. Some of the most well known daimyo in the history o feudal Japan were from this era, including Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu before becoming the first shogun of the T…
The End of Daimyo
- In 1870, following the Meiji restoration, the new government ordered the daimyo to return all their land to the emperor, in order to stabilise the country’s economy. This allowed other people to own their own land, thus, creating a fairer tax collection systems. This led to the significant weakening of the daimyos’ power. During of the Meiji period...