Hōjō Tokiyori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hōjō Tokiyori
北条 時頼 |
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| Shikken | |
| In office 1246–1256 |
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| Monarch | |
| Shōgun | Fujiwara no Yoritsugu Prince Munetaka |
| Rensho | Hōjō Shigetoki |
| Preceded by | Hōjō Tsunetoki |
| Succeeded by | Hōjō Nagatoki |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 29, 1227 |
| Died | December 24, 1263 (aged 36) |
| Spouses | daughter of Mōri Suemitsu Kasai-dono (daughter of Hōjō Shigetoki |
| Children |
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| Parents |
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Hōjō Tokiyori (born June 29, 1227, died December 24, 1263) was an important leader in Japan. He was the fifth shikken, which means a regent or a powerful helper to the shogun. He led the Kamakura shogunate, which was the military government of Japan at that time.
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Early Life of Hōjō Tokiyori
Tokiyori was born in 1227. His father was Hōjō Tokiuji. His mother was the daughter of Adachi Kagemori.
Tokiyori's Time as Leader
Tokiyori became the shikken after his brother, Tsunetoki, passed away. Right after he took power, he stopped a secret plan to overthrow him. This plan was made by the former shōgun Kujō Yoritsune and Tokiyori's relative, Nagoe Mitsutoki.
The next year, he allowed his supporter, Adachi Kagemori, to defeat the strong Miura clan. This happened in a battle called the Battle of Hochi. Tokiyori also brought back his experienced grand-uncle, Hōjō Shigetoki, from Kyoto. He made him rensho, a co-signer of official documents.
In 1252, Tokiyori replaced Shogun Kujō Yoritsugu with Prince Munetaka. This helped him make his family's power even stronger.
Important Changes and Laws
People praised Tokiyori for being a good leader. He made many improvements by writing new rules and laws. He worked to solve problems about land ownership among his vassals. Vassals were like loyal followers who served him.
In 1249, he created a new legal system called Hikitsuke. This was like a high court that helped settle arguments fairly. He also reduced the amount of time his vassals had to spend guarding Kyoto.
Tokiyori's Later Life and Power
In 1252, Tokiyori started making important decisions in private meetings. These meetings were held at his home. Before this, decisions were made in a public council called the Hyōjō.
In 1256, Tokiyori became a Buddhist priest. He then gave up his official job as shikken to Hōjō Nagatoki. Nagatoki was a son of Shigetoki. However, Tokiyori's young son, Tokimune, became the tokusō. This meant Tokimune was the head of the Hōjō clan.
This was the first time these two important positions were separated. Even without an official job, Tokiyori still held the real power. This is seen as the start of the tokusō dictatorship, where the head of the Hōjō clan had the most control.
Stories About Tokiyori
There are many stories that say Tokiyori traveled secretly around Japan. He supposedly did this to see how ordinary people lived. He wanted to understand their lives and make things better for them.
Tokiyori's Death
Hōjō Tokiyori passed away in 1263. He was 36 years old.
