Konoe (family)

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Coat of arms of the Konoe
(Konoe peony )

The Konoe ( Japanese 近衛 家 , Konoe-ke ) were a family of the Japanese court nobility ( Kuge ), which was derived from Fujiwara Iezane (1179-1242). The Konoe formed the most important of the five families ( Go-sekke ) from which the empresses and the Kampaku were chosen. They had great political influence at court for centuries from the Heian period .

General

The Konoe-ke was founded as a split from the most powerful Fujiwara branch, the Hokke of Konoe Motozane , who was supported by Taira no Kiyomori .

The heads of families usually went through the following cursus honorum , where they were awarded the corresponding court rank : The Gon-Chūnagon ( 権 中 納 言 ) was followed by the appointment to the office of Naidaijin ( 内 大臣 ), then to the "Chancellor on the right" ( 右 大臣 , Udaijin ). After taking office as "Chancellor of the Left" ( Sadaijin ), he was often soon or simultaneously appointed regent. Most of the rulers resigned after a few years. They then often received the Grand Chancellery ( Dajo-daijin ) on an honorary basis . Many also withdrew to Buddhist monasteries, much like the resigned emperors.

The Konoes traditionally used calligraphy as an art. Hisamichi, Taneie and Nobutada in particular are considered to be outstanding representatives.

Towards the end of the Heian period, the political importance of the imperial court had declined sharply; from 1221 the appointment of a regent required the approval of the shogunate. With the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate , the court was completely restricted to the ceremonial. At that time, it was customary to assign entry-level positions to children. So was z. B. Konoe Sakihisa was raised to 5th court rank at the age of 5. He was Naidaijin at 13 and regent at 18.

The family residence burned down completely four times between the Ōnin turmoil and 1600; the first partial reconstruction began in 1472 and was not yet completed in 1489.

In the Sengoku period , the principle of primogeniture was strictly implemented - practically all subsequent sons were sent to monasteries at a young age or given to other noble families by adoption. The Konoe family later succeeded in securing their influence within the sword nobility by adopting relatives into their prestigious family or by skillfully marrying their daughters. Many of these also became imperial wives , as it was common practice up to the Taishō- Tennō that one of the imperial women came from the wider Fujiwara clan. The Hino had been followers ( kerai ) of the Konoe from around 1560 until a rift broke out in 1602. The family income of 1800 koku documented for 1679 was rather modest. At that time the family was affiliated with Nichiren Buddhism . Fusatsugu, Masaie and Hisamichi were particularly staunch supporters .

After the nobility reform in 1884 with the introduction of five classes ( Kazoku ), the heads of families were placed in the top class, that of the princes ( Kōshaku ), and subordinate male family members became counts. These exercised direct political influence through their seats in the manor house until 1945 .

Over the centuries the family has accumulated significant archival material and art treasures. The Yōmei Bunko Foundation, established by the 29th head of the family and Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro in 1938, administers this foundation . The Tokyo National Museum held an exhibition of over 200,000 items from its inventory in early 2008.

Historically important relatives

Heian and Kamakura periods

  • Konoe Motozane ( 近衛 基 実 ; 1143–1166), son of Fujiwara no Tadamichi is the forefather of the family. He rose extremely quickly, already at the age of five he received the following fifth place, at 14 years the following second. 1257-1260 he was Udaijin, 1258 he became head of the family and immediately afterwards Kanpaku for the Nijō -Tennō (r. To 1265), then Sesshō for Rokujō . Posthumously he was appointed Dajo Daijin in the real first rank.
  • Konoe Motomichi (近衛 基 通 ; 1160–1233)
  • Konoe Iezane ( 近衛 家 実 ; 1179–1242), the son of Motomichis , was 1199 Udaijin, 1204 Sadaijin, 1206–21 regent, who when he resigned in 1221 became Grand Chancellor for one year. During the Jōkyū war he was on the side of the opponents of the ex-emperor Go-Toba . 1221-1223 he was again Sesshō, then until 1228 Kanpaku. In 1242 he became a monk under the name Enshin. He is also known as Inokuma , hence the title of his diary Inokuma Kampaku-ki (= Guchu-reki), which covers the period 1199-1211. This work was preserved because his descendant Masaie used the reverse on 1465/9/20 to describe the Buddhist ritual Sento Gohako .
  • Konoe Motomichi ( 近衛 道 経 ; † 1238), also called Kitashirawa , the younger brother of Iezane, became Naidaijin in 1207 and Udaijin in 1208. He took the tonsure in 1234 and died at the age of 55.
  • Konoe Iemichi ( 近衛 家 通 ; † 1224, 21 years old) was the eldest son of Iezane , who was Udaijin in 1219 and Sadaijin in 1221.
  • Konoe Kanetsune (1210-1259; 近衛 兼 経 ) was in 1224 Gon-Chūnagon in third court rank, 1227 Naidaijin, 1231 chancellor on the right, 1235 on the left. The elevation to the following first rank 1236, followed the appointment as regent 1237-1241. From 1240 he was Grand Chancellor for a year, then again from 1242 initially as Sesshō, from 1247 to 1252 as Kanpaku to exercise the regency. He left the Shigō go sukui ki ("On the accession of Shijō in 1232") and his diary Okanoya Kampaku-ki ( 岡 屋 關 白 記 ). He was one of the sponsors of Dōgens when he was still in the capital. His wife was a daughter of Kujō Michiie .
  • Konoe Motohira ( 近衛 基 平 ; 1246-1288), the son of Kanetsune, was in 1255 Gon-Chunagon in the following third rank. From 1258 Naidaijin, 1261 Udaijin, 1265 Sadaijin became regent in 1267, he died at the age of 23 the following year. His diary is titled Shinjin-in Kampaku-ki .
  • Konoe Iemoto ( 近衛 家 基 ; 1261-1296), also called Kōzanji , was the firstborn of Motohira . 1288 Udaijin, 1289 Sadaijin he was 1289-1291 and 1293-1296 regent for the Fushimi -Tennō. His main wife was a daughter of Kameyama -Tennō. A textbook of Japanese music, Zan'ya-shō, has survived from him . His younger brother:
  • Konoe Kanemori († 1336), was temporarily a member of the State Council and from 1310 extraordinary chancellor.
  • Konoe Tsunehira ( 近衛 経 平 ; 1287-1318; also Gojōyōji ), was the son of Iemoto with his main wife, therefore head of the family. Elevated in the following third rank in 1295 he was 1301 Gon-Chūnagon, 1309 Naidaijin. From 1313 chancellor on the right, since 1315 first rank. The next year he became Chancellor on the left, in 1318 instructor of the Crown Prince.
  • Konoe Iehira ( 近衛 家 平 ; † 1324, 53 years old) whose father was Iemoto (his mother was the concubine), was 1305 Udaijin, 1309 Sadaijin and 1313-1315 regent. He had a drinking problem and, like the drunkard Sugawara Tadanaga, harmed the empire by proving to be disloyal and partisan. The Masukagami records its clearly becoming middle-aged sexual preference for pubescent boys. After entering the clergy he took the name Okamoto Nyōdō . His son:
  • Konoe Tsunetada ( 近衛 経 忠 ; 1302-1352) was 1316 Gon-Chūnagon, 1323 Udaijin in the following year Sadaijin. In 1330 and again in 1336-7 he was Kanpaku and promoted to the following first rank. He remained loyal to the southern dynasty and accompanied Go-Daigo into exile on the Yoshino Mountain. His son was called Jitsugen .
  • Konoe Mototsugu ( 近衛 基 嗣 ; 1305–1354), son of Tsunehira, also known as Okaya Kampaku . After his elevation in the third rank in 1316, in 1319 Gon-Chūnagon, 1326 Naidaijin, 1330–31 chancellor to the right and instructor of the crown prince. 1337-1338 regent for Kōmyō . Writer of the temple history Ryōga-ji -ki.
  • Konoe Michitsugu ( 近衛 道 嗣 ; † 1387, 56 years old). 1347 Naidaijin, 11349 Udaijin, 1360-1362 Sadaijin, and 1361-1363 regent. Spiritual Name: Goshinshin-in. A painting in Jizoin from 1364 is said to be a contemporary portrait.
  • Konoe Kanetsugu ( 近衛 兼 嗣 ; † 1388, 29 years old) the son of Michitsugu, was Naidaijin and Udaijin in 1375. He was briefly sesshō in 1388.

Bakufu from 1392

  • Konoe Fusatsugu ( 近衛 房 嗣 ; 1402–1488), son of Tadatsuga , was court architect at the time of Go-Daigo -Tennō. He is also considered the planner of the Muromachi schogunal residence , which was built between 1433 and 1436 . His rival at court was Ichijō Kanera . He was regent from 1445 to 1447, Grand Chancellor in 1461 and retired to a monastery in 1474. His firstborn son:
  • Konoe Norimoto ( 近衛 教 基 ; 1423–1462), was Gon-Chūnagon in 1442 and director of the left gate guard ( 左衛 門 督 ). 1455 Naidaijin, 1457 Udaijin, then also head of the office for the imperial bodyguard on the left ( 左 大将 ).
  • Konoe Masaie (近衛 政 家 ; 1444–1505) 2nd son of Funsatsugu .
  • Konoe Hisamichi ( 近衛 尚 通 ; 1472–1544), son of Masaie , became Gon-Dainagon in 1485 , Udaijin in 1493, Sadaijin in 1496, and Grand Chancellor in 1512–1516. At the same time he was 1493-1497 and again 1513-14 regent. His diary is preserved as Gohōjōji Kampaku-ki . His daughter was married into the shogunal family and became the mother of Ashikaga Yoshiteru and Ashikaga Yoshimitsu .
  • Konoe Taneie ( 近衛 稙 家 ; 1503–1566) son of Naomichi . 1525-1533 and 1536-1542 regent. Grand Chancellor 1537–1542. He followed Ashikaga Yoshiharu to Kita-shirakawa in 1547 and served the Shogun. His daughter, later called Keijuin , was the mother of Ashikaga Yoshiteru .
  • Konoe Sakihisa (近衛 前 久 ; 1536–1612)
  • Konoe Nobutada (近衛 信 尹 ; 1565–1614; = Nobusuke ) famous calligrapher.
  • Konoe Nobuhiro (近衛 信 尋 ; 1599–1649)
  • Konoe Iehiro (近衛 家 煕 ; 1667–1739)
  • Konoe Hisatsugu ( 近衛 尚 嗣 ) grandson of Nobuhiro was Udaijin from 1642, Sadaijin from 1647 and ruler from 1651 to 1653. He died soon after his resignation at the age of 32. His son Motohiro came from a liaison with a servant, but this was adopted by the main wife - Princess Akiko.
  • Konoe Motohiro (近衛 基 熈 ; 1648–1722) son of Hisatsugu.
  • Konoe Hiroko (1666/3 / 26-1741 / 2/28 in Edo ), Motohiro's daughter, was the main wife of the Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu .
  • Konoe Iehisa ( 近衛 家 久 ; 1687–1737), son of the aforementioned, brought the shōgun senge to the new incumbent, his brother-in-law in 1709 . He was Udaijin 1715, 1722 Sadaijin 1733 Grand Chancellor and 1726-1736 regent. His spiritual name was Nyozeikan-in . His diary is titled Iehisakō-ki .
  • Konoe Uchisaki ( 近衛 内 前 ; 1728–1785), Iehisa's son, Naidaijin in 1743, Udaijin in 1745, 1749 Sadaijin. For Emperor Momozono he was Kanpaku from 1757–1762, immediately following Sesshō (until 1372) for Go-Momozono , after he came of age again Kanpaku until 1778, from 1768 also Dajodaijin. His wife was Tokugawa Katsuko ( 徳 川 勝 子 ).
  • Konoe Tsunehiro ( 近衛 経 熙 ; 1761–1799), son of Uchisaki . 1779 Naidaijin; 1787–1791 as steward of the ex-emperor chancellor on the right, hence Goyorakuin .
  • Konoe Motosaki ( 近衛 基 前 ; 1783-1820), began his career as Naidaijin in the following first rank in 1799, was then teacher of the Crown Prince ( 東宮 傅 ). 1813 Chancellor on the right, 1815–1820 on the left. His daughter Sadako ( 定子 ) became the wife of the 11th lord of Owari , Tokugawa Nariharu .
  • Konoe Tadahiro ( 近衛 忠 熙 ; 1808–1898), son of Motosaki, served four emperors Kōkaku , Ninkō , Kōmei - for whom he was regent from 1862-3 - and Meiji . He was a victim of the Ansei Purge in 1858, from which he fled to the monastery. After three years he was pardoned and acted as a mediator between the imperial court and the schogunal government. After the Meiji Restoration, he was prince. His main wife was an adopted daughter of Shimazu Narioki . One daughter married the Sadaijin Ichijō Saneyoshi .
  • Konoe Tadahiro ( 近衛 忠 房 ; 1838–1873) was the firstborn son of Tadahiro. From 1858 he was Sadaijin; he was also responsible for Shinto matters and high priest of the Ise shrine . He adopted his much younger half-brother Atsumaro .

After 1868

literature

  • Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan; Courtly millennium, art treasures from the Konoe family collection; Tōkyō 2008 (exhibition catalog; jap./en.)
  • Edmond Papinot: Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. Reprint of the 1910 edition. Tuttle, 1972, ISBN 0-8048-0996-8 .

To individuals

  • 新 井 栄 蔵; 近代 初期 の 青年 公家 «近衛 尚 嗣» の 教養 (Education of a Young Peer "Konoe Hisatsugu in Japanese Early Modern Age"); in: 人間 文化 研究 科 年報 (Annual report of Graduate Division of Human Culture; ISSN  0913-2201 ), Vol. I, pp. 1–12
  • Cecilia Seigle: Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu . in: Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59.2, pp. 485-522

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Furusawa, Tsunetoshi: Kamon daichō . Kin'ensha, n.d., ISBN 4-321-31720-7 , p. 39.
  2. ↑ Bruschke-Johnson, Lee; Dismissed as elegant fossils ...; Amsterdam 2004 (Hotei), ISBN 90-74822-52-5 , p. 33.
  3. ↑ Shokyuki: Account of that War 1221 . in: Monumenta Nipponica , 1964, p. 163
  4. ↑ Lee Butler: Page no longer available , search in web archives: Washing of the Dust (PDF; 1.2 MB)@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / muse.jhu.edu . in: Monumenta Nipponica Vol. 60, No. 1
  5. ^ Kurushima Noriko: Marriage And Female Inheritance In Medival Japan . in: International Journal of Asian Studies 2004, pp. 234f
  6. ↑ Butler, Lee; Emperor and Aristocracy in Japan 1467-1680 , Cambridge 2002, ISBN 0-674-00851-0 , p. 110.
  7. ↑ Cecilia Seigle: Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu . in: Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59.2, pp. 485-522
  8. ↑ a b Bruschke-Johnson (2004): p. 34
  9. ↑ Exhibition website ( Memento from September 25, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (Japanese)
  10. ↑ National Museum of Japanese History: 歴 博 第 131 号 歴 史 の 証人 ( Memento of September 8, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (Japanese)
  11. ↑ William M. Bodiford: Soto Zen in Medieval Japan . Honolulu 1993, p. 32
  12. ^ Andrew Goble: Social Change, Knowledge, and History. Hanazono's Admonitions to the Crown Prince . Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 55,1, pp. 71, 73, 77
  13. ↑ JAANUS - Oumi Hakkei　近 江 八景
  14. ↑ of the Japanese calendar according to her mother's diary (quoted in Cecilia Seigle: Konoe Hiroko ... , p. 486)

Web links

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus Konoe is the family name, Motozane the first name.