Hosokawa Yoshikuni

Yoshikuni Hosokawa (born in 1827 (Bunsei 10) – October 23, 1876 (Meiji 9)) was the 11th feudal lord (daimyo) and domain governor of Higo Province's Kumamoto Domain during the late Edo period. He was also a noble (kazoku) in the early Meiji era. His father was Hosokawa Naritare, the 10th daimyo of Kumamoto, and his mother was from the Hiki family. He was the 12th head of the Hosokawa family of Kumamoto.

Life

Born in 1827 as the second son of Hosokawa Naritare, the 11th daimyo of Kumamoto. His childhood names were Kunzaburo and Rokunosuke. He received the "Yoshikuni" courtesy name from his father Naritare. When he became daimyo, he received a name with the Tokugawa shogunate's honorific "kei" (慶) from the 12th shogun, Tokugawa Iekane, and changed his name to Yoshiyuki (慶順).

In 1848 (Kaei 1), following the death of his older brother Kezen, he succeeded to the family head and became daimyo. On August 21 of the same year, he was promoted to the junior general of the Left (Saso-shōshō), and in the following year, he was promoted to Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade and appointed as Major General of the Left (Sakuchūjō).

He took a passive stance regarding the Sonnō jōi movement (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians); during the split of the Higo Loyalty Party (Higo Kin'ō-tō) in 1862 (Bun'ei 2), he unified the domain's stance to favor reverence to the emperor. In 1866 (Keiō 2), when Sakamoto Ryōma of the Chōshū Domain attacked Kokura Domain, Hosokawa cooperated with Kokura but withdrew after the conflict.

On April 23, 1868 (Keiō 4), he changed his name from "Yoshiyuki" to "Shōkuni" (韶邦) to indicate his support for the new Meiji government, renouncing the "kei" (慶) character he had received from Tokugawa Iekane.

On June 17, 1869 (Meiji 2), he was appointed domain governor of Kumamoto following the abolition of the han system (Hanseki Hōkan). In 1870 (Meiji 3), on May 8, he retired and handed over his family headship to his younger brother and adopted son, Hosokawa Morihisa. After the transfer of headship, he was promoted to Senior Fourth Rank on May 13 of the same year. He died in 1876 at the age of 42.

Genealogy

Father: Hosokawa Naritare (1804–1860)

Mother: Hiki family

Primary wife: Mine (adopted daughter of Tadao Ichijo, daughter of Jimmu Sanjo)

Concubines: Ai (from the Ishiguro family), Uta (from the Chihara family)

Adopted son: Hosokawa Morihisa (1839–1893), the third son of Hosokawa Naritare