Why was there was a need for a Shogun?
When Samurais saw huge European merchant ships pulling into the coast of Japan, they ran to tell their Daimyos. The year was 1542 and the foreign ships were the Portuguese. The weapons of these strange "barbarians" confused and excited the Japanese. They had never seen guns before. But the Portuguese were not just there to sell their weapons and skill. They were Christian missionaries; there to convert Japanese.
At the same time, a boy; Ieyasu Tokugawa was born. He was a boy who was born into a world of guns, armies and politics that was Japan. Japan was split into many different parts, ruled and governed by many different daimyos. Japan was undergoing a huge civil war and many attempts were made to unify Japan. People were respondng well to the Portuguese jesuits because, at a time filled with death, people liked to imagine there was a second life.
|
When Ieyasu was a child he was swapped with another clan as a form of hostage to gain trust. When he was eighteen, married and with two children he wanted to go back to his original clan, the Tokugawas. He returned and allied with the man who killed his Daimyo master; Nobunaga. This man is was so powerful, with a huge army and hundreds of guns, and controlled half of Japan. But he wanted more; to unify Japan. Everyone obeyed him but a few resented him, including a general. This general set fire to Nobunaga's house. Another loyal general, Hideyoshi, rose up to the challenge and slayed the murderer, thus taking Nobunaga's place. Hideyoshi then became the most powerful person in Japan. For this reason, Ieyasu decided to join forces with Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi had one son, Hideyori when he was 60. He died soon after and hired five people to look after his son, including Ieyasu. However, once Hideyoshi was dead, Ieyasu wanted to be Shogun. He had a fierce battle with Hideyori, giving him a chance to surrender. When Hideyori refused, Ieyasu killed all his people and set his castle on fire. Hideyori killed himself. Thus began the start of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and the start of the leading of Ieyasu.
|