Changes

==Nobunaga the Ruler==

==Nobunaga the Ruler==

Prior to Ashikaga Yoshiaki’s fall in 1573, Nobunaga had not accepted any court titles.  Now he accepted the prestigious rank of ''Kugyo''.  As a ''kugyo'', Nobunaga was officially part of the ruling hierarchy and could act in state affairs.  Court appointments would continue to be lavished on a near-yearly basis.  He was named ''Gondainagon'' and ''Ukon’etaishou'' in 1574 and two years later was elevated to ''Udaijin''.  He showed his regard for the Court by assuring the property of the ''kuge'' (nobles) and ordered that all land in Kyoto that had belonged to the ''kuge'' in the previous one hundred years be restored to them.  Normally, statutes of limitations were considered to come into effect after a period of 20 years.  On the same token, he assumed the right to settle disputes involving members of the nobility, a right he excersied by placing under temporary arrest the nobleman who had opposed his selection of the head abbot of the Kofuku-ji. During this time he handed over the official leadership of the Oda to his son Nobutada and clearly intended to carve out a political structure for his hegemony of the country.  In 1577 he resigned from his ranks of ''Udaijin'' and ''Ukon’etaishou'', pleading unfinished work in the provinces.  Actually, since the policy of the court was to honor an individual based on the highest post he had achieved, Nobunaga lost no influence by so doing.  According to some historians, such as Fujiki Hisashi, Nobunaga maneuvered to try to force [[Emperor Ogimachi]] into retirement.  Osamu Wakita has refuted this theory.  Nobunaga adopted a son of Ogimachi’s in 1579 and in the construction of Azuchi Castle had a room set aside to receive future visits from the future emperor.  As Nobunaga would be the father-in-law to the emperor, he would enjoy a status along the lines of a Retired Emperor.  Far from disdaining the court, Nobunaga had worked to link it directly to his vision of a united country under his rule.

Prior to Ashikaga Yoshiaki’s fall in 1573, Nobunaga had not accepted any court titles.  Now he accepted the prestigious rank of ''Kugyo''.  As a ''kugyo'', Nobunaga was officially part of the ruling hierarchy and could act in state affairs.  Court appointments would continue to be lavished on a near-yearly basis.  He was named ''Gondainagon'' and ''Ukon’etaishou'' in 1574 and two years later was elevated to ''Udaijin''.  He showed his regard for the Court by assuring the property of the ''kuge'' (nobles) and ordered that all land in Kyoto that had belonged to the ''kuge'' in the previous one hundred years be restored to them.  Normally, statutes of limitations were considered to come into effect after a period of 20 years.  On the same token, he assumed the right to settle disputes involving members of the nobility, a right he excersied by placing under temporary arrest the nobleman who had opposed his selection of the head abbot of the Kofuku-ji. During this time he handed over the official leadership of the Oda to his son Nobutada and clearly intended to carve out a political structure for his hegemony of the country.  In 1577 he resigned from his ranks of ''Udaijin'' and ''Ukon’etaishou'', pleading unfinished work in the provinces.  Actually, since the policy of the court was to honor an individual based on the highest post he had achieved, Nobunaga lost no influence by so doing.  According to some historians, such as Fujiki Hisashi, Nobunaga maneuvered to try to force [[Emperor Ogimachi]] into retirement.  Osamu Wakita has refuted this theory.  Nobunaga adopted a son of Ogimachi’s in 1579 and in the construction of Azuchi Castle had a room set aside to receive visits from the future emperor.  As Nobunaga would be the father-in-law to the emperor, he would enjoy a status along the lines of a Retired Emperor.  Far from disdaining the court, Nobunaga had worked to link it directly to his vision of a united country under his rule.

   

   

==References==

==References==

* Initial text from [http://www.samurai-archives.com Samurai-Archives.com] FWSeal & CEWest, 2005

* Initial text from [http://www.samurai-archives.com Samurai-Archives.com] FWSeal, 2005

*Baxter, James C. and Joshua A. Fogel, ed. Paul Varley 'Oda Nobunaga, Guns, and Early Modern Warfare'  ''Writing Histories In Japan''  International Research Center for Japanese Studies Kyoto 2007

*Baxter, James C. and Joshua A. Fogel, ed. Paul Varley 'Oda Nobunaga, Guns, and Early Modern Warfare'  ''Writing Histories In Japan''  International Research Center for Japanese Studies Kyoto 2007

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]