Kira Yoshinaka ( Jap. 吉 良 義 央 , October 5, 1641 - January 30, 1703 ) - Koke (the main ceremonial master at the shogun's court). His court title is Kozuke-no-suke (上 野 介). According to some sources (beginning of the XVIII century), it would be more correct to call it “ Kira Yoshihisa ”. He was known as the adversary of Asano Naganori , the daimyo of Ako Khan , in the event “ Forty-Seven Ronin ”.
Content
Family and Early Life
Clan Kira belonged to the Japanese clan aristocracy ( koge ) and had its pedigree from the Muromachi era, being a representative of the lateral branch of the Ashikaga dynasty (the second shogun dynasty), which ascended (through Minamoto-no Yoshi) to the genus of Seiva-Genji.
Born in 1641 . The eldest son of Kira Yoshifui (1607–1668), the 16th head of the Kira clan (1643–1668). His mother came from the influential Sakai clan. In 1668, after the death of his father, Kira Yoshinaka became the 17th head of the Kira clan and inherited a domain with an income of 4,200 coca rice.
He was married to Uesugi Tomiko, the half-sister of Uesugi Tsunakatsu (1639–1664), the daimyo of Yonezawa-khan (1645–1664). Yoshinaki's eldest son was adopted by Uesugi Tsunakatsu and received the name Tsunanori (1663–1704), later becoming the 4th daimyo of Yonezawa Khan (1664–1703). Kira Yoshinaka appointed his second son as heir, but he died in 1685 . In 1690, Kira Yoshinaka adopted the second of five sons, Uesugi Tsunanori (that is, his grandson), who took the name Kira Yoshitika (1686-1706), strengthening ties between the clans of Kira and Uesugi .
Career
Occupying the post of koke (master of ceremonies) at the shogun’s court, Kira Yoshinaka oversaw protocol matters. In 1701, Yoshinaka was appointed to tutor Asano Naganori - daimyo Ako-khan - in matters of protocol in preparation for the upcoming visit of representatives of the emperor. According to the stories, Kira demanded a bribe from Asano for tutoring, but the daimyo of Ako-khan refused to pay. Then Kira began to publicly insult Asano, calling him an ignorant and ill-bred rural boor. On the day the emperor’s emissaries were due to arrive at the Shogun’s palace in Edo , Asano Naganori snatched up Wakizashi and tried to kill Kira in revenge for insulting him. Arrested Asano Naganori was immediately sentenced by the shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi to seppuk , his domain was confiscated, and vassals became ronins . Kira Yoshinaka went unpunished.
Murder
On the night of January 30, 1703, former samurai - vassals of Asano Naganori - under the leadership of Oishi Kuranosuke, who had been preparing for revenge for almost two years, broke into Kira's mansion in Edo and killed him. Upon the act of revenge, 47 ronin surrendered to the authorities and, on the orders of the shogun, carried out a mass seppuku.
The shogun sentenced Kira Yoshitaka, the grandson and heir of Yoshinaki, to death because he, being a samurai, could not protect his family. The Kira clan lost the hereditary position of a koke (master of ceremonies), his possessions were cut back. After the death of Uesugi Tsunanori, the daimyo of Yonezawa Khan, in 1704, the rice income of the Uesugi clan was reduced from 300,000 to 150,000 koku . On the other hand, Asano Nagahiro , Naganori's younger brother, received a hatamoto rank and a domain of 5,000 koku.
Links
- 新 井 政 義 （編 集 者） 『日本史 事 典』。 東京 ： 旺 文 社 １９８７ (p. 115)
- 竹 内 理 三 （編） 『日本史 小 辞典』。 東京 ： 角 川 書店 １９８５ (p. 314)