Matsudaira Katamori

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Matsudaira Katamori (松平容保), (February 15, 1836−December 5, 1893) was a samurai that lived in the last days of the Edo period and the early Meiji period. He was the 9th daimyo of the Aizu han and the Military Commissioner of Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period. During the Boshin War, Katamori and the Aizu han fought against the Meiji Government armies, but were severely defeated. Katamori's life was spared, and he later became the Chief of the Tōshōgū Shrine. He, along with his three brothers Sadaaki, Yoshikatsu, and Mochiharu, had highly influential roles during the Meiji Restoration and were called the four Takasu brothers.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Notes 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Biography

Matsudaira Katamori was born on February 15, 1836, between Matsudaira Yoshitatsu, Daimyo of the Takasu han, and one of his concubines, who was a woman from the Komori han, known by her Buddhist name, Zenkyō-in.^[1] He was Yoshitatsu's seventh son, and his childhood name was Keinosuke (銈之丞). He was later adopted by Matsudaira Katataka, daimyo of the Aizu han in 1846, and married Katataka's daughter, Toshihime, in 1856.^[2] He became the 9th daimyo of the Aizu han in 1852, and also inherited the title "Higo no Kami" (governor of Higo), an honorific title that was traditionally inherited by the daimyos of the Aizu han.^[3]

In 1862, Katamori became the Military Commissioner of Kyoto, a position which was created retain control of the city, which was under the influence of Sonnō Jōi militants.^[4] In order to achieve this purpose, Katamori used patrolling units, such as the Shinsengumi. Another contemporary group, the Mimawarigumi, though closely allied in purpose, was actually under the control of Katamori's brother, Matsudaira Sadaaki of Kuwana. Katamori also played a large role in the Coup D'etat of September 30 (or the Coup D'etat of August 18), and the Forbidden Gates Incident (禁門の変, Kinmon no Hen), which both involved clashes between the Aizu han and the Chōshū han. These events lead to increased animosity towards Katamori and the Aizu han within the Chōshū han.

Katamori tried to achieve peaceful resolutions after the Battle of Toba Fushimi, but members of the new Meiji government refused. This was because the new government was primarily composed of people from Chōshū and Satsuma, who resented Katamori for his activities as the Military Commissioner. Although the Ouetsu Reppan Doumei supported the Aizu han and Katamori, they were eventually defeated in the Aizu War. His life was spared, and he later became the Chief Priest of the Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine. He died on December 5, 1893, and received the posthumous Shinto name of Masane-unjin 忠誠雲神, the "god of loyalty and sincerity." His heir, Matsudaira Nobunori, was adopted from the Mito Tokugawa family. However, Nobunori left the Aizu Matsudaira family soon after the Meiji Restoration, to let Matsudaira Kataharu become the heir of the family. Matsudaira Kataharu was Katamori's eldest biological son, born from one of Katamori's two concubines after Nobunori was adopted. The family headship then passed to Kataharu's brother Morio, and subsequently to Morio's son Matsudaira Morisada, who is the present head of the Aizu-Matsudaira.^[5]

See also: Matsudaira Teru

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Noguchi Shin'ichi, Aizu-han Tokyo: Gendai Shokan, 2005 (ISBN 4-7684-7102-1)
• Tsunabuchi Kenjo, ed. Matsudaira Katamori no Subete Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1984 (ISBN 4-404-01245-4)
• Yamakawa Hiroshi, Kyoto Shugoshoku Shimatsu Tokyo: Heibonsha, 1965 (reprint of 1911 original)
• Nakamura Akihiko, Matsudaira Katamori wa Choteki ni Arazu Tokyo: Chuokoronsha, 2000.　(ISBN 4-12-203604-6)
• Kobiyama Rokurō, Matsudaira Katamori no Shogai: Shashinshu Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 2003. (ISBN 4-404-03108-4)

[edit] External links

• http://www.shinsengumihq.com
• Genealogy of Aizu lords (in Japanese), including Katamori