Changes

* ''Died: [[1225]]''

* ''Died: [[1225]]''

* ''Nickname: The nun-shôgun''

* ''Nickname: The nun-shôgun''

Masako, one of the most formidable political figures to take a place on the stage of Japan's warrior government, was the daughter of [[Hojo Tokimasa|Hôjô Tokimasa]] and was married to [[Minamoto Yoritomo]]. Following the death of her husband (who had become the first [[Minamoto clan|Minamoto]] shôgun in [[1192]]), Masako took up a nun's habit, accepting the tonsure from the priest Gyôyû in [[1199]]. She by no means retired from politics, however, and worked closely with her father to secure the power of the [[Hojo clan|Hôjô]] in Kamakura. One of her first actions was to form a council of 'elders' (the shukuro) to moderate the power of her own son, the headstrong 2nd shôgun [[Minamoto Yoriie|Yoriie]]. Yoriie was infuriated by the measure, and turned for support among the [[Hiki clan]], the Hôjô's chief political obstacle at the time. The [[Azuma Kagami]] relates that Masako overheard Yoriie plotting with the Hiki to kill Hôjô Tokimasa, and that Masako dutifully reported this to her father. Regardless of the truth to this story - or in what way it played out - the result was that Tokimasa moved first, eliminating the Hiki leadership in the fall of [[1203]]. Deprived of his allies, Yoriie was forced into exile in [[Izu province|Izu Province]] and was later murdered. In his place, the eleven-year old Sanetomo was installed, and here we may see the signs of developing cracks between Tokimasa and Masako, for the former had Sanetomo removed from Masako's residence and taken to his own. At this point, Tokimasa became the most powerful man in Kamakura and created the mandokoro office through which he might exercise his authority as regent to Sanetomo. Yet his pinnacle of success was to be short-lived. In [[1205]], Masako and her brother Yoshitoki ousted Tokimasa, ostensibly due to a supposed plot on his part to kill Sanetomo. Yoshitoki, still smarting from what he felt was an unjustified sentence passed on the Hatakeyama clan (they were eliminated on the suspicion of treasonous designs), publicly declared his support for Sanetomo, and according to the Azumi Kagami Tokimasa felt it wise to step down and retire.  

Masako, one of the most formidable political figures to take a place on the stage of Japan's warrior government, was the daughter of [[Hojo Tokimasa|Hôjô Tokimasa]] and was married to [[Minamoto Yoritomo]]. Following the death of her husband (who had become the first [[Minamoto clan|Minamoto]] shôgun in [[1192]]), Masako took up a nun's habit, accepting the tonsure from the priest Gyôyû in [[1199]]. She by no means retired from politics, however, and worked closely with her father to secure the power of the [[Hojo clan|Hôjô]] in Kamakura. One of her first actions was to form a council of 'elders' (the shukuro) to moderate the power of her own son, the headstrong 2nd shôgun [[Minamoto Yoriie|Yoriie]]. Yoriie was infuriated by the measure, and turned for support among the [[Hiki clan]], the Hôjô's chief political obstacle at the time. The [[Azuma Kagami]] relates that Masako overheard Yoriie plotting with the Hiki to kill Hôjô Tokimasa, and that Masako dutifully reported this to her father. Regardless of the truth to this story - or in what way it played out - the result was that Tokimasa moved first, eliminating the Hiki leadership in the fall of [[1203]]. Deprived of his allies, Yoriie was forced into exile in [[Izu province|Izu Province]] and was later murdered. In his place, the eleven-year old Sanetomo was installed, and here we may see the signs of developing cracks between Tokimasa and Masako, for the former had Sanetomo removed from Masako's residence and taken to his own. At this point, Tokimasa became the most powerful man in Kamakura and created the mandokoro office through which he might exercise his authority as regent to Sanetomo. Yet his pinnacle of success was to be short-lived. In [[1205]], Masako and her brother Yoshitoki ousted Tokimasa, ostensibly due to a supposed plot on his part to kill Sanetomo. Yoshitoki, still smarting from what he felt was an unjustified sentence passed on the Hatakeyama clan (they were eliminated on the suspicion of treasonous designs), publicly declared his support for Sanetomo, and according to the Azumi Kagami Tokimasa felt it wise to step down and retire.  

Masako was a remarkable figure and such was her political ability and sway in Kamakura that she was given the nickname of 'ama-shôgun', or the nun-shôgun.

Masako was a remarkable figure and such was her political ability and sway in Kamakura that she was given the nickname of 'ama-shôgun', or the nun-shôgun.

[[Category:Women]]

 

[[Category:Women]][[Category:Kamakura Period]]