Sakai Tadashige (酒井忠績)
Tadashige SAKAI was a Daimyo (Japanese feudal lord), Roju (member of shogun's council of elders) and Tairo (chief minister) in the later Edo Period. Baron. The eighth lord of Himeji Domain in Harima Province.
The sixteenth load of the Sakai family, the Utano kami line
Biography
Tadashige was the first son of Tadanori SAKAI, a hatamoto (direct retainer of the bakufu, which is a form of Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) with 5000 koku from the Himeji Domain branch family, but became the main branch's foster child because the lord of Himeji Domain Tadateru SAKAI did not have any biological children. He succeeded as family head in 1860.
Tadashige went to Kyoto at the orders of the bakufu in 1862.
He entered Kyoto with special orders as Kyoto Guard and temporary substitute of the Kyoto Shoshidai (Kyoto deputy)
Tadayoshi SAKAI (the lord of Obama Domain in Wakasa Province), who had been appointed as Kyoto Shoshidai during the Ansei no Taigoku (suppression of extremists by the Shogunate) period, stayed at the post even after the assassination of Naosuke II and his dismissal was being requested by the Imperial court. The bakufu had dismissed Tadayoshi and tentatively appointed Osaka Castle keeper Munehide MATSUDAIRA as his successor, but the Imperial court refused to approve the appointment because Munehide was also a Jishabugyo during the Ansei no Taigoku and especially favored by Naosuke II. Therefore, the Shoshidai position was left open, which was an abnormal situation that had never happened before in the history of the bakufu. Tadashige was in charge of the job for 4 months until Tadayuki MAKINO was officially approved as Kyoto Shoshidai at the end of September.
He became the top ranking Roju in 1863 due to his achievements as Kyoto City Guard. After taking office as Roju, he negotiated with the Imperial court over the opening of Hyogo Port and in the meantime, he was ordered to be in charge of taking care of Edo, together with one of the Gosanke (three privileged branches of Tokugawa family) members, Yoshiatsu TOKUGAWA and Tadashige MATSUDAIRA (the lord of Oshi Domain in Musashi Province) of the Oshi Domain, while Iemochi was to go to Kyoto at the end of the year. He retired from being Roju in just one year, but became Tairo (chief minister) after 8months. He worked for Bakufu reforms such as the post-war management of the Second Conquest of Choshu and introduction of western-style military system into the bakufu troops.
He retired in February 1867 and relinquished the family head position to his foster child, Tadaatsu SAKAI. He was allowed to live with Shizuoka Hanshi (domain retainer) Tadahiro SAKAI in February 1870. He was raised to peerage for one generation in November 1880. He was raised to permanent peerage in 1889 and given the position of Baron.
Time line
1827: Birth
1860: Tadateru died (November 26). January 19, 1861, inherited his properties.
1862: Tadashige went to Kyoto (May), temporary substitute as Kyoto Shoshidai (until end of September).
1863: Tadashige became Roju (August 2) and immediately appointed to the top-rank. Iemochi went to Kyoto (February 5, 1864).
1864: Retired from Roju post (July 21).
1865: Became Tairo (January 6). 1865: Retired from Tairo post (December 29). 1867: Retired from public life (April 2).
1889: Became a Baron (April 1). 1895: Died at the age of sixty-nine.
Official Court Rank/Position
1860: Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade)
1861: Jushiinoge jiju (Junior Forth Rank, Lower Grade Chamberlain), Uta no kami (Director of the Bureau of Music)
1865: Sakone gon no shosho (Provisional Minor Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards)
Grave: Somei Cemetery (Toshima Ward, Tokyo)