Changes

*''Japanese:'' [[井伊 (Ii)|井伊]]家 (''Ii-ke'')

*''Japanese:'' [[井伊 (Ii)|井伊]]家 (''Ii-ke'')

[[Image:Ii_mon.jpg|left|thumb|The Ii kamon.]]

[[Image:Ii_mon.jpg|left|thumb|The Ii kamon.]]

The Ii were originally from [[Totomi province|Tôtômi Province]] and claimed descent from the son of the sixth descendent of [[Fujiwara Fuyutsugu]] (775-826), [[Fujiwara Tomoyasu]], who lived in the Ii Valley (Iinoya, 井伊谷). They supported the Southern Court during the [[Nambokucho Period]], and subsequently lost much of their holdings and authority to the [[Imagawa clan]].  During the early Sengoku period they fought with the Imagawa in cooperation with [[Shiba Yoshisato]] but later became Imagawa vassals.  After the Imagawa defeats by the [[Oda clan|Oda]], however, they helped destroy the Imagawa and attempted to reclaim their prominence.  The Ii became powerful under [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] thanks to [[Ii Naomasa]], one of the Ieyasu's four most famous generals.

The Ii were originally from [[Totomi province|Tôtômi Province]] and claimed descent from the son of the sixth descendent of [[Fujiwara Fuyutsugu]] (775-826), [[Fujiwara Tomoyasu]], who lived in the Ii Valley (Iinoya, 井伊谷). They supported the Southern Court during the [[Nambokucho Period]], and subsequently lost much of their holdings and authority to the [[Imagawa clan]].  During the early Sengoku period they fought with the Imagawa in cooperation with [[Shiba Yoshisato]] but later became Imagawa vassals.  After the Imagawa defeats by the [[Oda clan|Oda]], however, they helped destroy the Imagawa and attempted to reclaim their prominence.  The Ii became powerful under [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] thanks to [[Ii Naomasa]], one of the Ieyasu's four most famous generals.

The Ii remained politically important throughout the [[Edo Period]], being named lords of [[Hikone han]] in [[1601]], and retaining control of that domain throughout the period. Members of the clan also held prominent positions in the shogunate government, culminating with [[Ii Naosuke]] and his [[Ansei Purge]] and [[Incident at Sakuradamon|assassination]] in [[1860]] in front of the Sakuradamon gate of [[Edo castle]].

The Ii remained politically important throughout the [[Edo Period]], being named lords of the 350,000 ''[[koku]]''<ref>Gallery labels, Futagawa-juku honjin shiryôkan.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/45389864635/sizes/3k/]</ref> [[han|domain]] of [[Hikone han]] in [[1601]], and retaining control of that domain throughout the period. Members of the clan also held prominent positions in the shogunate government, often serving as ''[[roju|rôjû]]'', culminating with [[Tairo|Tairô]] [[Ii Naosuke]] and his [[Ansei Purge]] and [[Incident at Sakuradamon|assassination]] in [[1860]] in front of the Sakuradamon gate of [[Edo castle]]. The Ii also enjoyed the unique privilege of conducting the "capping" portion of each shogun's ''[[genpuku]]'' ceremony, fitting the shogun with a formal ''[[eboshi]]'' court cap as part of his coming-of-age.<ref>Mori Yoshikazu 母利美和, "Buke girei to tachi" 武家儀礼と太刀, ''Gekkan bunkazai'' (1989/8), 32.</ref>

==Selected Members of the Ii Clan==

==Selected Members of the Ii Clan==

*[[Ii Naosada]]<!--井伊直定 aka 天祥院-->

*[[Ii Naosada]]<!--井伊直定 aka 天祥院-->

*[[Ii Naoaki]]

*[[Ii Naoaki]]

*[[Ii Naohide]]<!--井伊直幸-->

*[[Ii Naohide]]<!--井伊直幸 aka 大魏院-->

**[[Ii Naotomi]] (son of Naohide; d. [[1787]])<!--井伊直富-->

**[[Ii Naotomi]] (son of Naohide; d. [[1787]])<!--井伊直富 aka 龍泉院-->

**[[Ii Naonaka]] (son of Naohide)

**[[Ii Naonaka]] (son of Naohide)

***[[Ii Naosuke]] (son of Naonaka)

***[[Ii Naosuke]] (son of Naonaka)

==References==

==References==

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{{biodict}}

[[Category:Clans]]

[[Category:Clans]]