Mizuno Tadakuni

Mizuno Tadakuni
born July 19, 1794, Edo [Tokyo], Japan
died March 12, 1851, Edo

Chief adviser to the 12th Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyoshi (r. 1837–53).

In the face of social and economic decline, Mizuno tried to implement a series of reforms that would return late Tokugawa-period Japan to the martial simplicity of the early days of the shogunate. He enacted sumptuary laws, canceled samurai debts, decreed a price and wage cut, and tried to force unauthorized peasant migrants to leave the cities and return to the countryside. These so-called Tempo Reforms failed, and Mizuno was removed from office.

* * *

▪ Japanese official
born July 19, 1794, Edo [now Tokyo], Japan
died , March 12, 1851, Edo

      chief adviser to Tokugawa Ieyoshi (reigned 1837–53), 12th Tokugawa shogun, or military dictator, of Japan. Mizuno was responsible for the Tempō reforms, the Tokugawa shogunate's final effort to halt the growing social and economic decline that was undermining its rule.

      The son of a prominent feudal lord, Mizuno in 1828 was appointed tutor to the Tokugawa heir apparent, Ieyoshi. Although Mizuno was elevated to the position of chief shogunal adviser in 1834, he exercised little power until Tokugawa Ienari (reigned 1787–1837), the 11th shogun, finally died three years later and Ieyoshi succeeded him. Thereafter, until his dismissal from office in 1843, Mizuno virtually controlled the government.

      Mizuno came to power at a time when popular unrest was sweeping the country after almost a decade of serious famines. His rise also coincided with China's defeat by Great Britain in the trading dispute known as the Opium War (1839–42); and Mizuno recognized that, if Japan did not solve its internal problems, it would be helpless in the face of the inevitable Western encroachment. To this end, he made a vain effort to reinstate the simple martial virtues of the early Tokugawa period. He insisted on personal and governmental frugality, introducing sumptuary laws that went to unenforceable extremes. In an attempt to hamper the growing trade economy, which he considered frivolous, Mizuno canceled all debts owed by noblemen to members of the middle class, abolished many of the merchant guilds licensed by his predecessors, and ordered peasants who had migrated to the cities to return to the countryside. A program to appropriate vassals' domains near Edo and Ōsaka aroused much opposition, and Mizuno's measures became so unpopular that the shogun had to dismiss him.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • MIZUNO TADAKUNI — (1794 1851) Homme d’État japonais. Né à Karatsu, ville située sur la côte nord de l’île de Ky sh , Mizuno Tadakuni faisait partie d’une des familles de daimy 拏 les plus liées aux Tokugawa par la fidélité dans le service vassalique. Karatsu était… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Mizuno Tadakuni — In this Japanese name, the family name is Mizuno . Mizuno Tadakuni 水野忠邦 contemporary portrait Born July 19, 1794(1794 07 19) …   Wikipedia

  • Mizuno Tadakuni — (19 jul. 1794, Edo [Tokio], Japón–12 mar. 1851, Edo). Consejero jefe del duodécimo sogún Tokugawa, Tokugawa Ieyoshi (r. 1837–53). Para enfrentar la decadencia social y económica, Mizuno intentó implementar una serie de reformas orientadas a que… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Mizuno clan — Mizuno Family name This is the mon of the Mizuno clan. The Mizuno clan (水野氏, Mizuno shi …   Wikipedia

  • Mizuno Tadakiyo — In this Japanese name, the family name is Mizuno . Mizuno Tadakiyo 水野忠精 Born February 5, 1833(1833 02 05) Died May 8, 1884(1884 05 08) (aged 89) Nationality Japanese …   Wikipedia

  • Mizuno Tadaaki — In this Japanese name, the family name is Mizuno . Mizuno Tadaaki (水野 忠光?, September 28, 1771 – May 23, 1814) was a Japanese daimyo of the Edo period, who ruled the Karatsu Domain. He was the eldest son of the previous lord, Mizuno Tadakane;… …   Wikipedia

  • Mizuno — may refer to: Mizuno Corp., a Japanese sportswear and sports equipment manufacturer Mizuno (daimyo), a political family in Japanese history Mizuno (aircraft manufacturer), a World War II aircraft manufacturer, see also Mizuno Shinryu Mizuno… …   Wikipedia

  • Makino Tadakuni — In this Japanese name, the family name is Makino . Makino Tadakuni 12th Lord of Nagaoka In office 1867–1868 Preceded by Makino Tadayuki Succeeded by Makino Tada …   Wikipedia

  • japan — japanner, n. /jeuh pan /, n., adj., v., japanned, japanning. n. 1. any of various hard, durable, black varnishes, originally from Japan, for coating wood, metal, or other surfaces. 2. work varnished and figured in the Japanese manner. 3. Japans,… …   Universalium

  • Japan — /jeuh pan /, n. 1. a constitutional monarchy on a chain of islands off the E coast of Asia: main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. 125,716,637; 141,529 sq. mi. (366,560 sq. km). Cap.: Tokyo. Japanese, Nihon, Nippon. 2. Sea of, the… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”