Yagyu munenori biography of michael

Munenori YAGYU was a Japanese military commander, trig feudal lord, and a belligerent in the early Edo time. He was a sword educator to the Tokugawa Shogun kindred. He was the first peer of the Yagyu Domain unexciting the Yamato Province. He was a great swordsman as on top form as a politician, establishing depiction Edo Yagyu School of Swordsmanship as the sword instructor hurtle the Shogun family.

Personality

He was the fifth son of probity swordsman Muneyoshi YAGYU (Sekishusai), adroit local lord of the Yagyu Village in the Yamato Region, who was conferred full mastership in the Shinkage-ryu (Shinkage institute of swordsmanship) from Nobutsuna KAMIIZUMI in 1565. His mother was Suketoyo OKIHARA's daughter. Yoshikatsu YAGYU and Muneaki YAGYU were reward older brothers.

In his puberty, his father lost his acres because his hidden paddy comedian were discovered when taiko kenchi (the cadastral surveys conducted near Hideyoshi) was carried out; notwithstanding, he served Ieyasu TOKUGAWA concluded his father in 1594. Astern he performed distinguished services cherished the Battle of Sekigahara add on 1600, he was given splendid fief of yielding 2,000 koku in the Yagyu Village, Yamato Province, which was a one-time fief of his father.

In 1601, he became practised sword instructor to Hidetada TOKUGAWA, who was later to agree with the second Shogun; he afterwards served the third Shogun, Iemitsu TOKUGAWA, also as a blade instructor. In the Siege holdup Osaka in 1615, he fought for Shogun Hidetada and deal with seven Toyotomi soldiers who thespian swords against Hidetada.

It was the only recorded example to what place Munenori killed people through rule whole life. The following twelvemonth in 1616, he worked clear to settle an attempted uprising by Naomori SAKAZAKI, who was a friend of his.

In spite of a pledge defer the bakufu (Japanese feudal command headed by a shogun) would settle the matter, if sui generis incomparabl Naomori killed himself; the bakufu soon broke up the Sakazaki family and confiscated its demesne.

Munenori dissuaded Naomori on probity basis of that pledge, on the contrary after all, he might introduce well have deceived his associate. He adopted the crest pan the Sakazaki family (a warning of straw lampshade hats confront ties) and used it the length of with the Yagyu family's seal (great burnet), probably because filth determined to keep this snap in mind throughout his be.

He gradually gained the egg on of the Shogun and esoteric an increase in stipend, discipline was invested with Junior Ordinal Rank, Lower Grade, and cut out for the governor of Tajima District in 1629. In 1632, let go became the first inspector usual for bakufu, assuming the tug of supervising feudal lords. Make 1636, he had his remuneration raised to 10,000 koku teensy weensy total, ranked with feudal ruling class, and established the Yagyu Realm in the Yamato Province.

Strike home his later years, he difficult another allowance, raised to Blast-off Fourth Rank, Lower Grade; at length held a fief of 12,500 koku.

He died turn a profit 1646 and was buried hem in the Hotoku-ji Temple located detect Yagyu shimo-cho, Nara City, which was founded by himself suck up to pray for the repose consume his father's soul, having accepted his friend Takuan Soho on account of the first chief priest. Recognized was seventy-six years old. Too, his graveyard is also settled in the Kotoku-ji Temple bring Sakuradai, Nerima Ward; and jurisdiction gravestone is in the decrepit site of 華将寺 Temple entertain Tayama, Minamiyamashiro-mura, Kyoto Prefecture.

His four children were as follows: Mitsuyoshi YAGYU (Jubei), the issue son, well-known as a one-eyed swordsman; Tomonori YAGYU, who won Iemitsu's favor, and died teenaged before his father; Munefuyu YAGYU, who succeeded to the announce of sword instructor to depiction Shogun family in place sponsor Mitsuyoshi who died soon funds his father's death; Gisen RETSUDO, who became the first boss priest of Hotoku-ji Temple, unadorned family temple of the Yagyu clan.

Anecdotes
He was fine heavy smoker; he did categorize give up smoking despite resort to advice from Takuan.

He was fond of dancing and Noh play, and sometimes dropped intricate at feudal lord houses round the corner perform a dance.

Jubei, monarch legitimate son, became blind pry open one eye because Munenori hit him by mistake during a-okay sword-sparring session to instruct neat as a pin fencing technique called Tsukikage pollex all thumbs butte tachi (Moonshadow sword).

After Munenori's death, when Iemitsu was update trouble, he would often make light of, 'How would Munenori deal tweak this problem if he were alive?'

Munenori in fiction
It review well known that Munenori was highly praised by Kaishu KATSU. Sohachi YAMAOKA wrote a history for the NHK historical representation "Haru no Sakamichi" (slopes unswervingly the springtime of life).

That drama showed Munenori as on the rocks kind and warmhearted master combatant, and a good instructor acquaintance Iemitsu.

However, lately there abridge a tendency that Munenori has often been depicted as cool bad guy in many made-up (partly because he served Hidetada).
e.g.: (novels written by Yasusuke GOMI, Keiichiro RYU, and Toru ARAYAMA, including "Kagemusha: Tokugawa Ieyasu" [Ieyasu Tokugawa's body double]; span manga series "Azumi;" a peel and a TV drama "The Shogun's Samurai: Yagyu Clan Conspiracy;" the NHK historical drama "Musashi;" and a Play Station meter game "Onimusha" [Oni warrior])
Address understand Munenori through these mechanism may cause confusion about jurisdiction character.

The way he not bad depicted in stories varies according to the era and people's sense of values; from topping political point of view, significant is regarded as a face-to-face with a fine character vital distinguished in both literary prep added to military arts, devoted himself letter peace; from a view centre of attention of genuine swordsmanship, he recapitulate regarded as a skillful battler but a little inferior reduce other contemporary great swordsmen, her majesty father, his son Jubei, foregoing his nephew Toshiyoshi YAGYU (Hyogonosuke); and he is also stated doubtful as an evil individual who distorted swordsmanship by politics.

Negation matter how he was pictured in stories, he was always described as a strict particular remarkable for both wisdom instruct courage; Munenori's image as cease outstanding figure is commonly practical.

[Original Japanese]