Itakura Katsushige
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese daimyō
of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period
to early Edo period
. He fought at the side of Ieyasu Tokugawa at the Battle of Sekigahara
in 1600.
Katsuhige's daimyō family claimed descent from the Shibukawa branch of the Seiwa-Genji. The Itakura identified its clan origins in Mikawa province
, and the descendants of Katsuhige were considered the elder branch of the clan.
Katsuhige was sometimes identified by his title, Iga-no kami.
He served in the Tokugawa shogunate
as the second Kyoto Shoshidai
, holding office in the period spanning the years from 1601 through 1620. In addition to administrative duties, the shoshidais participation in ceremonial events served a function in consolidating the power and influence of the shogunate. For example, in September 1617, a Korean delegation was received by Hidetada at Fushimi Castle, and Katsuhige was summoned for two reasons (1) for the Koreans, to underscore the importance accoreded the embassy, and (2) for the kuge
courtiers in attendance, to make sure that they were properly impressed.
Katsushige was succeeded in this role by his eldest son, Shigemune, who held the office from 1620 through 1654. The merit earned by Katsushigu and Shigemune was remembered years later when devastation of the Itakura family was threatened by the otherwise unpardonable actions of a descendant.
He was unusual in that he was one of the "new men" in the close service of Tokugawa Ieyasu
. After the Siege of Osaka
, Katsushige was entrusted with enforcing the newly promulgated Kuge Shohatto code of conduct for court nobles. He was the senior shogunate official overseeing the completion of Nijō Castle
's construction in 1603.
His grave is at Chōen-ji Temple, in modern-day Nishio, Aichi
.
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period
Azuchi-Momoyama period
The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place. It spans the years from approximately 1573 to 1603, during which time Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, imposed order...
to early 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....
. He fought at the side of Ieyasu Tokugawa at the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
in 1600.
Katsuhige's daimyō family claimed descent from the Shibukawa branch of the Seiwa-Genji. The Itakura identified its clan origins in Mikawa province
Mikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
, and the descendants of Katsuhige were considered the elder branch of the clan.
Katsuhige was sometimes identified by his title, Iga-no kami.
He served in the 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...
as the second Kyoto Shoshidai
Kyoto Shoshidai
The was an important administrative and political office in the early modern government of Japan. However, the significance and effectiveness of the office is credited to the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, who developed these initial creations as bureaucratic elements in a consistent and...
, holding office in the period spanning the years from 1601 through 1620. In addition to administrative duties, the shoshidais participation in ceremonial events served a function in consolidating the power and influence of the shogunate. For example, in September 1617, a Korean delegation was received by Hidetada at Fushimi Castle, and Katsuhige was summoned for two reasons (1) for the Koreans, to underscore the importance accoreded the embassy, and (2) for the kuge
Kuge
The was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese imperial court in Kyoto until the rise of the Shogunate in the 12th century at which point it was eclipsed by the daimyo...
courtiers in attendance, to make sure that they were properly impressed.
Katsushige was succeeded in this role by his eldest son, Shigemune, who held the office from 1620 through 1654. The merit earned by Katsushigu and Shigemune was remembered years later when devastation of the Itakura family was threatened by the otherwise unpardonable actions of a descendant.
He was unusual in that he was one of the "new men" in the close service of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
. After the Siege of Osaka
Siege of Osaka
The was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages , and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege put an end to the last major armed opposition to the shogunate's establishment...
, Katsushige was entrusted with enforcing the newly promulgated Kuge Shohatto code of conduct for court nobles. He was the senior shogunate official overseeing the completion of Nijō Castle
Nijo Castle
is a flatland castle located in Kyoto, Japan. The castle consists of two concentric rings of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens...
's construction in 1603.
His grave is at Chōen-ji Temple, in modern-day Nishio, Aichi
Nishio, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city has an estimated population of 165,443 and a population density of 1,030 persons per km². The total area is 160.34 km².-Geography:...
.