Hōjō Sadatoki

Hōjō Sadatoki (1271–1311) inherited the regency in 1284 after his father, Tokimune, died. The regent directed government in the shogun’s name; Sadatoki also headed the Hōjō’s dominant main family. He was still young, and rival officials competed around him. Adachi Yasumori initially supported reform, but Taira no Yoritsuna and his household network destroyed Yasumori’s faction in 1285. Sadatoki’s position developed within this violent struggle over access to his authority. [S01]

In 1293 Sadatoki eliminated Yoritsuna and began exercising authority more directly. His government placed Hōjō relatives and household servants in important posts. It also tried to protect the landed basis of warrior service. The 1297 Einin measures allowed retainers to recover certain estates they had sold or lost through pledges without repayment. The rules contained exceptions for protected purchases; recovery was more sweeping when the buyer was outside the shogunate’s retainer body. [S01, S02]

The same measures prohibited new land sales and pledges and stopped debt litigation. Those restrictions were withdrawn in 1298, while recovery of lands disposed of before 1297 was reaffirmed. Protecting service estates required adjustments to a society in which land already circulated through credit and purchase. Sadatoki relinquished the regency in 1301 and took Buddhist vows, but continued directing government as head of the ruling family. His death in 1311 ended that personal direction, without ending the family’s dominance. [S02, S01]