Matsudaira Sadanobu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matsudaira Sadanobu
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Portrait of Matsudaira Sadanobu
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| 3rd Lord of Shirakawa | |
| In office 1783–1812 |
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| Preceded by | Matsudaira Sadakuni |
| Succeeded by | Matsudaira Sadanaga |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 15, 1759 Edo, Japan |
| Died | June 14, 1829 (aged 70) |
Matsudaira Sadanobu (松平 定信, January 15, 1759 – June 14, 1829) was an important Japanese leader during the Edo period (1603-1868). He was a daimyō, which means a powerful feudal lord. Sadanobu is best known for his smart financial changes. He helped save his own territory, the Shirakawa Domain, from economic trouble. Later, he became the chief senior councilor (called rōjū shuza) for the Tokugawa shogunate. This was the military government that ruled Japan at the time. From 1787 to 1793, he brought similar reforms to the entire country.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Growing Up in a Special Family
Matsudaira Sadanobu was born on January 15, 1759. He was the seventh son of Tokugawa Munetake. His family, the Tayasu, was a special branch of the powerful Tokugawa clan. This clan ruled Japan for over 250 years. The Tayasu family was one of the gosankyō. These were the most important cadet branches of the Shōgun's family.
Sadanobu's grandfather was Tokugawa Yoshimune. He was the eighth shōgun and known for his reforms. The Tayasu family lived a simple life, following Yoshimune's example. They believed in a strong, manly spirit.
Hopes for the Future
From a young age, Sadanobu was raised with big hopes. His family wanted him to become the next shogunal heir. Even though he was often sick as a child, he received an excellent education. He studied Confucianism, a system of thought from ancient China. By his teenage years, Sadanobu had read and memorized many important Confucian texts.
As he grew older, the pressure on Sadanobu increased. Several members of his family died young. His family tried again to make him the next shogunal heir. However, their plans were stopped by Tanuma Okitsugu. Tanuma was the chief senior councilor at that time.
Becoming a Leader
Taking Over Shirakawa Domain
When Sadanobu was 17, he was adopted by Matsudaira Sadakuni. Sadakuni was the daimyō of the Shirakawa Domain. This was in a region called Mutsu Province. Sadanobu's own Tayasu family did not like this. They were left without an heir.
A year later, Sadanobu asked to rejoin his birth family. But Shogun Ieshige, influenced by Tanuma Okitsugu, said no. So, the Tayasu clan remained without a leader for more than ten years.
In late 1783, Sadanobu became the head of the Shirakawa Domain. His stepfather had been ill for a long time. The Shirakawa Domain was supposed to produce 100,000 koku (a measure of rice). But almost all of it was reported "lost."
Saving Shirakawa Domain
Sadanobu immediately faced a huge economic disaster in his new domain. He worked tirelessly to fix the money problems. He also improved farming. Thanks to his efforts, Shirakawa's finances and agriculture became stable again.
Sadanobu also had to deal with the Great Tenmei famine. This terrible famine lasted from 1782 to 1788. It was caused by bad weather, volcanic eruptions, and government policies. The government had tried to make farming more commercial. But this led to repeated rice crop failures.
Despite the failures, the government still demanded taxes in rice. This caused widespread hunger in northern Japan. Many territories went bankrupt. In past famines, rice stored in Edo (the capital city) was used for relief. But under Tanuma, these reserves had been sold.
Sadanobu prevented famine in Shirakawa. He got rice from other areas that were not affected. He earned great praise for his actions to help the hungry.
Leading the Country
Becoming Chief Councilor
Sadanobu's successful reforms in Shirakawa made him famous. After the death of Tokugawa Ieharu, Sadanobu was named chief councilor of the Shogunate. This happened in the summer of 1787. Early the next year, he also became regent for the 11th shōgun, Tokugawa Ienari.
Sadanobu immediately began to change all of Tanuma Okitsugu's policies. He wanted to go back to the system used by his grandfather, Yoshimune. These were called the Kyōhō Reforms.
Tanuma had tried to boost the economy with business-focused policies. Sadanobu felt these policies had made the samurai (warrior class) corrupt. In the countryside, the gap between rich and poor grew. Poor farmers left their land for the cities, hoping to earn more money. As more farms were left empty, the famine forced more peasants into cities. This caused social problems.
The Kansei Reforms
The period when Sadanobu strengthened the Tokugawa government is known as the Kansei Reforms. His main goals were:
- To fix the government's money problems through strict spending cuts.
- To rebuild rural areas.
- To prevent more uprisings from the people.
His policies were a strong reaction to what he saw as the problems of the previous government.
Challenges and Foreign Policy
Sadanobu understood that Japan's policy of sakoku (national isolation) was at risk. Other countries, especially Imperial Russia, were becoming a threat. He believed it was safer to leave the island of Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido) mostly empty. He supported the local Matsumae Domain in managing the island.
Some officials wanted to divide Ezo among different daimyō to encourage settlement. Sadanobu found a middle ground. He assigned parts of Ezo to various domains for defense. He also encouraged more trade with the Ainu people, who lived there.
Sadanobu also worked to improve Japan's coastal defenses. He started gunnery training schools in Nagasaki (1791) and Edo (1792). In 1792, he faced a diplomatic challenge. A Russian officer named Adam Laxman landed in Ezo. He wanted to return a Japanese castaway and open trade talks.
Sadanobu allowed Laxman to travel to Matsumae. He was ready to negotiate if Laxman reached Nagasaki. But Laxman left Matsumae without achieving his goals. The shogunate then ordered Sadanobu to strengthen coastal defenses even more. He planned a network of coastal artillery sites around Tokyo Bay. He even visited many locations himself to check them out. He also ordered a Western-style warship to be built.
End of His Time as Chief Councilor
Despite his progress in defense and foreign affairs, Sadanobu's strict policies became unpopular. He also made powerful enemies. Even Emperor Kōkaku and Shogun Tokugawa Ienari were unhappy with him.
Sadanobu did improve the Shogunate's finances and reputation. But his popularity and trust within the government decreased. He was eventually ordered to resign in 1793. Even after he left office, many of his policies continued to be used until the end of the shogunate.
Later Years and Legacy
Life After Resignation
After leaving his high position, Sadanobu remained interested in politics. He stayed in touch with his successor and other important officials. He also focused on managing his own Shirakawa Domain.
Sadanobu encouraged horse breeding and further financial reforms in Shirakawa. He also created the Nanko Park near Shirakawa Castle. This park had a large garden and a reservoir. What was unusual for the time was that he insisted the park be open to everyone, no matter their social status. While some of his followers complained about his strict money-saving rules, he was generally seen as a good ruler in Shirakawa.
However, the Edo Bay security plans he had pushed for came into effect in 1810. Shirakawa had to provide soldiers for a garrison. This put a lot of financial strain on the domain.
Retirement and Death
Sadanobu retired as head of his family in 1819. His son, Sadanaga, took over. But Sadanobu still influenced domain affairs from behind the scenes. He successfully asked for his domain to be moved from Shirakawa to Kuwana Domain. This new territory had a seaport. It was also clear that Shirakawa could not handle the financial burden of the Edo Bay security measures.
In early 1829, Sadanobu caught a cold that turned into a high fever. During his illness, a fire in Edo destroyed his homes. He had to be moved in a large palanquin. This blocked traffic for people trying to escape the fire. He became the target of false rumors. People spread stories that he had ordered people to be killed during the fire.
Sadanobu died on June 14, 1829. His grave is at the Reigan-ji temple in Kōtō, Tokyo. This site was made a National Historic Site in 1928.
As a Writer
Besides his political work, Sadanobu was also a well-known writer and moralist. He used the pen name Rakuō. He wrote several important texts. After his death, it was found that he had written a funny story called Daimyō Katagi. This story made fun of daimyō life. Scholars were surprised because Sadanobu officially opposed this type of writing.
See also
In Spanish: Matsudaira Sadanobu para niños
