Council of Five Elders

The Council of Five Elders (Japanese: , "Go-Tairō") was a group of five powerful feudal lords (Japanese: 大名, "Daimyō") formed in 1598 by the Regent (Japanese: 太閤 "Taikō") Toyotomi Hideyoshi, shortly before his death the same year. While Hideyoshi was on his deathbed, his son, Toyotomi Hideyori, was still only 5 years old and as such Hideyoshi needed to create the council in order to ensure his heir would be able to succeed him after coming of age. They also acted as advisers for the Five Commissioners (Japanese: 五奉行 "Go-Bugyō)", which had also been established by Hideyoshi to govern Kyoto and the surrounding areas.
Creation of the Council.
Leading up to the creation of the council.
Hideyoshi had been slowly changing in demeanor as the invasions of Korea (in attempt to conquer both Korea and China) were failing. Hideyoshi himself had not joined the Korean Campaigns and assigned vassals in his command to head the campaign. He sent his final force of 140,000 to Korea in 1597, but the efforts were fruitless.
Hideyoshi's execution of family members were also one of the reasons for questioning his sanity during this period. Before the birth of his son Hideyori, he had adopted his nephew, Toyotomi Hidetsugu, to be his heir in 1591 because Hidetsugu had helped Hideyoshi in his campaigns. Once Hideyori was born, he ordered Toyotomi Hidetsugu to commit ritual suicide on Mount Kōya, this causing Hideyoshi's only possible heir to be his infant son Hideyori. The people closest to Hidetsugu, such as his family and retainers, were also put to death.
In 1595 Toyotomi Hideyoshi officially announced five laws and ordinances (Japanese: 御定五ヶ条 "Onkite" "Gokajō") to maintain the stability of the regime and overcome the upheaval of politics after the removal of Hidetsugu.
On the "fifteenth day of the seventh month", the senior "daimyō" under order gathered at Maeda Toshiie's residence in Fushimi to renew their pledge of loyalty to Hideyori. On the "fifth day of the eighth month", Hideyoshi issued an order to the Elders stating that children of various generals shall go to Osaka Castle, once Hideyori has moved there.
Hideyoshi's health started to degenerate after falling ill in the later half of 1598. Realizing he would need to find a way to ensure the installation of his son as heir following his death, he called out to certain trusted "daimyō" to grant his final request:
There are also accounts that when Hideyoshi called upon Ieyasu to become a regent, he asked him to decide if Hideyori is fit to rule when he reaches a ripe age and that Ieyasu rejected this request.
Choosing the council.
The members of the council were all "daimyō" chosen due to their relation to the "taikō" and the amount of power they held in the country. Hideyoshi chose powerful "daimyō" to prevent authority being concentrated on a single "daimyō". Maeda Toshiie and Ukita Hideie were chosen due to their closeness with Hideyoshi as Maeda Toshiie was Hideyoshi's friend who had also served Oda Nobunaga. Maeda Toshiie was also chosen due to the respect he had from the Toyotomi family and Hideyoshi wanted to prevent Ieyasu from holding absolute power among the Five Elders. Ukita Hideie had been adopted under the name of "Yuushi" (Japanese:猶子) by Hideyoshi and his closeness with Hideyoshi also led him to be appointed as a member of the five elders. These "daimyō" had also all served under Hideyoshi for many years in his house administration.
Even before the creation of the council, Hideyoshi treated the five differently from other "daimyō". One of the reason was the absence of a "Toritsugi" (Japanese: ). "Toritsugi" acted as mediators that went between the "daimyō" to help with the communication of orders. This allowed each "daimyō" to talk directly to Hideyoshi, and it also meant that Hideyoshi would not intervene in the business of the "daimyō" in ruling their own domain. For the , Ishida Mitsunari was appointed as the "toritsugi," which also meant that Mitsunari and/or Toyotomi had power to intervene in Shimazu’s domain. Hideyoshi expected the "daimyō" under his control to govern their lands and serve military services.
The larger the domains of the "daimyō" were, the more experienced those "daimyō" were at governing their lands and as such, Hideyoshi treated them differently compared to smaller "daimyō" which needed Hideyoshi to intervene in local governance. In the 1588 Sword Hunt Policy (Japanese:刀狩 "katanagari"), it is assumed that Hideyoshi only ordered to smaller class "daimyō" to enforce the policy. The larger "daimyō" followed even without orders, however Hideyoshi did not strictly expect them to enforce the policy. Initially the sword hunt was intended to confiscate weapons to restrict forces, ensuring that no one could take the country by force. Hideyoshi was able to rely on the large "daimyō" that were experienced and equipped with large military forces to be able to suppress the local powers even if they were to rebel. In this way, Hideyoshi’s treatment of the larger "daimyō", Tokugawa, Maeda, Mori, and Uesugi, was exceptional.
Subgroups related to the council.
Hideyoshi also appointed the Five Commissioners (Japanese: "Go-Bugyō") who were tasked to oversee the "basic business of the realm"; while the Elders were tasked to make sure that Hideyori would succeed Hideyoshi. During this time the Five Commissioners were Asano Nagamasa, Mashita Nagamori, Ishida Mitsunari, Natsuka Masaie and Maeda Gen'i.
The Elders had assistants known as "chūro" (Japanese: 中老) who acted as mediators, the Five Elders and the Five Commissioners. The "chūro" at this time were Nakamura Kazu-uji of Suruga, Ikoma Chikamasa of Takamatsu, and Horio Yoshiharu of Tottori.
Oath of Allegiance.
On the "fifth day of the eighth month", 1598, the Commissioners and the Regents signed the following articles:
Article 1. That they should serve Hideyori with the same single-minded loyalty they had shown to Hideyoshi
Article 2. The rules of Hideyoshi's house shall not be altered. When in the administration of public affairs the Five Commissioners were unable to determine on a course of action they were to consult their master (Hideyori) through Ieyasu and Toshiie, or necessary if taking action, the Emperor has to be consulted.
Article 3. There were to be no factions among them. Personal considerations and partiality of every kind were to be excluded from their counsel.
Article 4. The Five Commissioners, or overseers, must strive to work together in the administration of public affairs, suppressing all petty jealousies and differences.
Article 5. In settling matters the opinion of the majority was usually to be followed. But at the same time if the opinion of the minority showed no signs of being dictated by any personal interests, it should be duly considered. If it should happen that only a few of the overseers were present when some question was settled, the absentees had no right to object unless it was quite evident that the private interests of the Commissioners present at the meeting prejudiced their minds in a wrong direction. In that case another meeting might be called.
Article 6. It goes without saying that all accounts had to be kept in a manner that was above suspicion. There were to be no irregularities and no pressing of personal interests in this line.
Article 7. Whatever Hideyoshi desired to be kept secret, whether it were connected with his private life or with the Government, must on no account be allowed to leak out
Article 8. If any of the Commissioners or their followers found that unconsciously they had acted contrary to the orders given to them, they were at once to report the same to their superior officers, who would then deal leniently with them.
Hideyoshi used a talisman (Japanese: 護符 "Gofu") called "Kumano-goufu" (Japanese: 熊野牛王府) from Kumano Shrine when making an oath with "daimyō", and it is said that when Hideyoshi's death was near, he made the five elders to write vows to remain faithful to him after his death. This vow is known in Japanese as "Kishomon" (Japanese: 起證文)"."
Origin of the name "Go-Tairō".
After the death of Hideyoshi, the five commissioners, including Ishida Mitsunari referred to Ieyasu and the other elders as "Go-bugyoshu" (Japanese:御奉行衆) and referred to the five commissioners as "Toshiyoridomo" (Japanese:年寄共) on "Kishomon." He purposely used the term "Go-bugyoshu" to remind the elders that their job is to support Hideyori with their lives. On the other hand, Shimazu Yoshihisa referred to the five elders as "Go-rojushu" (Japanese: 御老中衆) and Kato Kiyomasa called them the "Nihon-Gotoshiyorishu" (Japanese: 日本御年寄衆). They both called the five commissioners "Go-bugyoshu" (Japanese: 御奉行衆). People were calling them differently depending on their relationship with the five elders and the five commissioners, but there is no document that gives evidence that the Five Elders were actually called as "Go-Tairo". The word "Tairo" (Japanese: 大老) was the name of the highest position that was temporarily a higher position than "Roju" (Japanese: 老中), under the Tokugawa Shogunate. It is believed that the Five Elders were referred to as the "Go-Tairo" after the title of "Tairo" was created in the Edo Period.
The Five Elders.
Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Tokugawa Ieyasu (Japanese: 徳川 家康) was the founder and first "shōgun" of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which effectively ruled Japan from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Among the Five Elders, Ieyasu held the most power measured in "koku." He was also entrusted by Hideyoshi with the order of "Soufujirei" (Japanese: 惣無事令) to take control of Kanto and Okuryogoku (Mutsu Province and Dewa Province) in 1587. After the Hidetsugu Incident (Japanese:秀次事件 "Hidetsugu Jiken") in 1597, Ieyasu was appointed to act as Regent temporarily until Hideyori reached 15 years of age and requested him to reside in Fushimi. Before the establishment of the Council, Hideyoshi awarded the province of the Hojo to Ieyasu after the successful Odawara campaigns in the Kanto region. This action demonstrated the power that Hideyoshi had over Ieyasu.
Ukita Hideie.
Ukita Hideie (Japanese: 宇喜多 秀家) was the "daimyō" of Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture). He was a military commander and feudal lord during Azuchi-Momoyama period. Also referred to as "Hachirō" (八郎). He was banished to Hachijō Island after the Battle of Sekigahara. At the age of 26, Ukita was elected to be one of the five elders when he returned from Imjin war, also known as the Japanese invasions of Korea. (Japanese: 慶弔の役 "keicho no eki"). While he was an elder, he was also serving as a "daimyō" during the Warring States period (Japanese: 戦国時代 "Sengoku Jidai").
Maeda Toshiie.
Maeda Toshiie (Japanese: 前田 利家) was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi–Momoyama period. Referred to as "Chikuzen" in the letters by Hideyoshi. He became one of the Five Elders at the age of 53. Hideyoshi entrusted the province of Kaga and Etchū to Toshiie after taking the province from the "daimyō" Sassa Narimasa. While he was an elder, he also had a position as senior second rank (Japanese: 権大納言 "Gon-Dainagon)" and had the authority to pass his opinions on to the national government. After the death of Maeda Toshiie, his son, Maeda Toshinaga was to succeed him as a member of the Five Elders.
Uesugi Kagekatsu.
Uesugi Kagekatsu (Japanese: 上杉 景勝) was a Japanese samurai and "daimyō" during the Sengoku and Edo periods. He was the primary lord of the feudal domain of Yonesawa. He was elected to be a part of five elders at the age of 43. Since the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, he had cooperated with Hideyoshi by aiding him during battles, and he was one of the earliest "daimyō" to render homage to Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi had made alliances with Uesugi because he had the potential power to attack Ieyasu from the Echigo province in the north.
Mōri Terumoto.
Mōri Terumoto (Japanese: 毛利 輝元) was a Japanese "daimyō" during the Azuchi-Momoyama period and the Edo period. He was a descendant of the feudal lord of the Choshu domain. He became one of the Five Elders at the age of 46.
Terumoto fought against Hideyoshi before the latter's rise to power, but lacked enough supporters. Realizing that Hideyoshi would be the next leader of the country, he began to build trust by sending gifts to celebrate Hideyoshi's victory at the Battle of Shizugatake and helping him in the Kyushu Campaign in 1587.
He was allied with Ishida Mitsunari at the Battle of Sekigahara and acted as the head general of the Western Army.
Kobayakawa Takakage.
Kobayakawa Takakage (Japanese: 小早川 隆景) was a samurai and "daimyō" (feudal lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. At first he fought against Hideyoshi as he was the one holding the power in the Mōri family, but after the Battle of Shizugatake, he decided to submit to Hideyoshi. Under Hideyoshi's rule, he was assigned to be in charge of Chikuzen province, which is modern day Fukuoka. Takakage handed over rule of the family to Hidetoshi (Hideaki) and retired, moved to Mihara. Takakage refurbished Najima Castle (Japanese: "Najima Jō") and made it his own residence. Kobayakawa died on June 12, 1597 at the age of 65. Due to the death of Kobayakawa in 1597, he is often excluded from the list of the Five Elders or referred as the 6th Elder. After his death his nephew, Mōri Terumoto, took his place on the council of Five Elders.
Roles of the Council Members.
Raising Hideyoshi's heir.
Hideyoshi had given ownership of Osaka castle to his son Hideyori in 1594, Hideyori was just one year old at the time. Maeda Toshiie was given the order to raise Hideyori in Osaka Castle until he came of age to take his place as Hideyoshi's successor. Tokugawa Ieyasu was also charged with the role of guardian of Hideyori, as well as to see to Hideyori being appointed to the role of Regent. Ukita Hideie was to be counted on as a loyal member of Hideyori's service.
Attending to political business.
Ieyasu was appointed by Hideyoshi to act as Regent (Japanese: 摂政 "Sesshō") until Hideyori reached maturity and could take his place as leader. Uesugi Kagekatsu and Mōri Terumoto were to informed and consulted on all political matters as advisers. The Elders were to deal with the administering of punishment to any person who broke the law. All monetary transactions were to be supervised by the Elders, and the elders were tasked with to setting up an account for Hideyori when he came of age.
Withdrawal from Korea.
After Hideyoshi's death the Council of Five Elders issued an order for the Japanese army at the Korean Peninsula to return. The Council feared disorder among Hideyoshi’s troops in Korea if they were to be told of his death and so, his death was not told to the armies in order to preserve their morale. After the withdrawal of Japanese armies which followed a military stalemate, the final peace negotiations to mark the end of war continued for several years.
Other roles.
Ieyasu and Toshiie were to clear up any difficulties in administration encountered by the Five Commissioners, further acting as advisers or mediators in administration matters. The sons of both Tokugawa Ieyasu and Maeda Toshiie (Tokugawa Iesada and Maeda Toshinaga respectively) were to assist their fathers with work related to the Five Elders, with plan of the latter being appointed as an Elder in the future.
Changes to Oath of Allegiance document
Tokugawa Ieyasu made some changes to Article 2 of the Oath of Allegiance document that no rules shall be amended, and that decisions were to be made by the majority in all cases.
On the Article 6 of the Allegiance Document Ieyasu added the following statements: "No questions concerning landed estate will be dealt with during the minority of Hideyori. No petitions made to him will be sent in; neither will Ieyasu himself ask for any changes to be made in the matter of land-ownership nor will he accept any gifts of land from Hideyori during his minority."
Maeda Toshiie added the following words "When Hideyori shall have reached his majority, certain representations shall be made to him by the Five Commissioners and by Ieyasu in reference to the bestowal of land on those whose services deserve reward and in reference to the confiscation of land in the case of those who have acted unworthily."
Power balance between the council.
The power balance between the council depended on the position each members held and the amount of "koku" they held. Ieyasu was entitled with the position of inner minister (Japanese: 内大臣 "Naidaijin") in the fifth month of 1596. Maeda was acting as counselor of the first rank (Japanese: 大納言 "Dainagon")and the other three were counselors of the second rank (Japanese: 中納言 "Chunagon"). Ieyasu was in the highest position among the members and his ownership of a great amount of "koku" allowed him to secure his position among other Elders. In general, 10,000 "koku" was believed to be equivalent to having 250 soldiers in one's control, so the amount of "Koku" (Japanese: 石) didn't only represent the income each "daimyō" has, but show how much military power they held. Hideyoshi himself owned approximately 2,000,000 koku, not including the lands held by his most trusted vassals. Ieyasu was also known as a powerful military commander, and Hideyoshi's fear of Ieyasu and riots in favor of Ieyasu also led him to appoint Ieyasu as a member of the Council of Five Elders.
The amount of potential income, measured in "koku", that each council member held (one "koku" = 4.96 bushels or 278.3 liters of rice):
Tokugawa hegemony.
Ieyasu engaged his sons and daughters into political marriages which became a cause of disagreement between the Elders and Commissioners. Ieyasu married his son Tadateru to the Date Masamune's daughter Irohahime. The cause for disagreement in these matters were due to statements in ”The wall writings of Osaka Castle" (Japanese: 大阪城中壁書 "Osakajochu-kabegaki") of 1595 that marriages would need the consultation of both Elders and Commissioners. The Commissioners called for Ieyasu's resignation on the grounds of these marriages. One of the retainers, Ishida Mitsunari, complained about this matter to Maeda Toshiie. Ieyasu insisted that it was not a big matter; and this issue was resolved by Horio Yoshiharu, who happened to be a friend of Ieyasu.
Rise of conflict.
After the death of Hideyoshi, friction generated between the council members. Two factions formed, the "Bunchiha" (Japanese: 文治派; those who wished for a state governed by a specialized civil service) and the "Bundanha" (Japanese: 武断派; those in favor of a strong military authority); Tokugawa Ieyasu was part of the "bundanha". One year after Maeda Toshiie died, Ieyasu saw his chance to take control. The death of Maeda Toshiie in 1599 made Ieyasu the most experienced of the Five Elders. Finally, due to the fact that Uesugi Kagekatsu had been illegally constructing and restoring forts, Ieyasu was able to justify going to battle which led to the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Following the battle, in 1603, Ieyasu became Shōgun while Hideyori was declared "naidaijin". Ieyasu sent his granddaughter, Senhime to Osaka to marry Hideyori in order to stabilize the relationship between the two families.
Tokugawa Ieyasu rose to power while originally working in the name of Toyotomi Hideyori. Ieyasu's power seemed to be threatened by Hideyori in a long series of plots both against Ieyasu and Hideyori occurred followed by the multiple battles of the Siege of Osaka (1614–15). Tokugawa Ieyasu was victorious against the Toyotomi clan, eliminating them completely, thus cementing his place as ruler of Japan.
Following the Tokugawa victory at the Siege of Osaka in 1615, Ieyasu was not satisfied with destruction of Hideyori alone, but in order to make sure the Toyotomi clan would not be able to return to power in the future, he had as many as possible of the Toyotomi family killed, or in the case of Hideyori's daughter, placed in a nunnery. Ieyasu had Hideyori’s son Kunimatsu, then 8 years old, killed at the Rokujō riverbed (Rokujō-Gawara) in Kyoto.
In popular culture.
The Council of Five Elders can also be seen in Japanese historical drama, "Taiga Drama", which is broadcast by NHK. This topic is briefly mentioned in "Gunshi Kanbei" and "Tenchijin", and more in detail in "Sanadamaru". In the 31st episode of "Sanadamaru", a brief explanation of why the Council of Five Elders didn't work out as Hideyoshi expected is explained and we can also see that Elders were referred as "Otonashu"(Japanese: 老衆). The drama also shows that early death of Maeda Toshiie had led to Ieyasu gaining more power, and Ishida Mitsunari's lack of popularity among the Toyotomi family caused a lot people to support Ieyasu during the Battle of Sekigahara.


Fujiwara no Nagate

 was a Japanese noble of the Nara period. He was the second son of the founder of the Hokke branch of the Fujiwara, the "sangi" Fujiwara no Fusasaki. He achieved the court rank of and the position of sadaijin, and posthumously of daijō-daijin. He was also known as .
Life.
With the early death of his older brother Fujiwara no Torikai, Nagate became the effective leader of the Hokke. In 737, he was promoted from to , but the emperor of the time, Shōmu, favored Nagate's younger brother Yatsuka. Nagate was not promoted again until 749, immediately before the emperor's abdication, when he gained the rank of .
He was more highly valued in the court of the new ruler Empress Kōken, where he was promoted to in 750 and again in 754 to , marking him among the ranks of the "kugyō". Immediately after the death of ex-emperor Shōmu in 756, Nagate was promoted directly to "chūnagon", skipping "sangi" entirely.
On the other hand, he remained in conflict with his powerful relative Fujiwara no Nakamaro. After the disinheritance of Crown Prince Funado in 757, he joined with Fujiwara no Toyonari in supporting Prince Shioyaki as Empress Kōken's new heir, but Nakamaro's favored candidate Prince Ōi, the future Emperor Junnin, won out. In 758, Nagate was the only member of a committee to sit out a "daijō-kan" meeting called by Nakamaro. After 757, Nakamaro controlled the court, and this bad relationship left Nagate in an uncomfortable political position, despite his status as the third most powerful man in the Daijō-kan after Ishikawa no Toshitari and Fun'ya no Kiyomi.
In 764, Fujiwara no Nakamaro rebelled, and Nagate supported the side of Empress Kōken and Dōkyō. He was promoted to and "dainagon" and conferred honors, second-class. After Dōkyō established his power, and after Toyonari's death in 765, Nagate held his position as the most powerful "kugyō" in the "daijō-kan" until his death. In 766 he was promoted to "udaijin" and then "sadaijin", and obtained the rank of .
Empress Kōken died in 770, and in the ensuing dispute over the heir, Nagate supported Prince Shirakabe, the future Emperor Kōnin. He was rewarded for his efforts with a promotion to by the new sovereign.
Nagate died of sickness on March 11, 771, at the age of 58. He was posthumously granted the position of "Daijō-daijin" on the same day.


Tanaka Domain

 was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Suruga Province in what is now modern-day Fujieda, Shizuoka. It was centered around Tanaka Castle. Tanaka Domain was controlled by a large number of "fudai daimyō" clans in the course of its history, seldom for more than one generation.
History.
Tanaka Castle was built by the Imagawa clan as a subsidiary fortification guarding the eastern approaches to Sunpu Castle and was greatly expanded by the Takeda clan after they occupied Suruga Province. After the defeat of the Takeda clan, the castle came under the control of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1590, the Tokugawa clan was transferred to the Kanto region by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who awarded the castle to his retainer, Nakamura Kazutada. Ieyasu regained control after the defeat of the Toyotomi forces at the Battle of Sekigahara.
In 1601, Ieyasu made Sakai Tadatoshi castellan, with a "kokudaka" of 10,000 "koku". This marked the start of Tanaka Domain. Tadatoshi developed Fujieda-juku into a post station on the Tōkaidō, and as a castle town. He was so successful in his efforts that he was rewarded with a larger domain at Kawagoe in Musashi Province in 1607, and Tanaka Domain reverted to direct Shogunal control.
Tanaka Domain was then given to Matsudaira Tadashige, with its "kokudaka" increased to 25,000 "koku" in 1633. However, Tadashige was transferred to Kakegawa two years later, and his place was taken Mizuno Tadayoshi, with "kokudaka" of 45,000 "koku". The Mizuno clan was subsequently replaced by the Fujii-Matsudaira, Hōjō, Nishio, Sakai, Tsuchiya, Ōta, Naitō, and Toki clans until Tanaka Domain finally came under the rule of the Honda clan in 1730. The Honda continued to rule Tanaka Domain over seven generations, until the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
After the final Tokugawa Shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, surrendered his title to Emperor Meiji, he relocated from Edo to Sumpu, with the provinces of Suruga, Izu and Mikawa assigned as his personal domains. Tanaka Domain was included within the area of the new Shizuoka Domain. Thus, in September 1868, Tanaka Domain officially ceased to exist. The final "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain, Honda Masamori, received the new (and short-lived) domain of Nagao Domain in Awa province in exchange for his previous holdings, and took steps to relocate to that location before the abolition of the han system in 1871.
Holdings at the end of the Edo period.
As with most domains in the han system, Tanaka Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assigned "kokudaka", based on periodic cadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields.
List of daimyō.
Honda Masanori.
 was the 3rd "daimyō" of Numata Domain in Kōzuke Province and 1st Honda "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain. The son of a hatamoto, he was adopted as heir to Honda Masatake in 1713 and became "daimyō" on the latter's death in 1721. In 1723, he served as "sōshaban" in the shogun's court. In 1730, he was ordered to relocate to Tanaka Domain in Suruga Province, with the same nominal "kokudaka" of 40,000 "koku".
Honda Masayoshi.
 was the 2nd Honda "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain. Masayoshi was the third son of Honda Masanori. He was presented in formal audience to the Shōgun in 1725, and received the courtesy title of "Kii-no-kami". He became "daimyō" on his father's death in 1735. In 1737, he served as "sōshaban" in the shogun's court and in 1739 he was appointed "Jisha-bugyō". In 1746, he promoted to "rōjū" and received the courtesy title of "Hōki-no-kami" and the honorific title of chamberlain in 1747. he resigned his posts in 1758 due to accusations of mishandling a major peasant uprising in Mino Province and was ordered the shave his head in atonement. He retired in 1773 and died in 1768. His grave is at the temple of Renshō-ji in Fujieda. His wife was a daughter of Matsudaira Nobutoki of Yoshida Domain.
Honda Masatomo.
 was the 3rd Honda "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain. Masatomo was born in Edo as the second son of Honda Masayoshi, and became heir on the death of his eldest brother in 1757. He was presented in formal audience to the Shōgun in 1761, and received the courtesy title of "Kii-no-kami". He became "daimyō" on his father's retirement in 1773. Although he encouraged the development of martial arts within the domain, he died after a short tenure in 1777. His grave is at the temple of Tokuhon-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo. He did not have a formal wife.
Honda Masaharu.
 was the 4th Honda "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain. Masaharu was born in Edo as the eldest son of Honda Masatomo, and became "daimyō" on the death of his father in 1777. Due to his youth, the shogunate appointed his uncle, Kuroda Naokuni, as regent. He was presented in formal audience to the Shōgun in 1782, and received the courtesy title of "Hōki-no-kami". The shogunate ordered Tanaka Domain to take control of Sagara Castle after the dispossession of Tanuma Okitsugu in 1787.In 1798 he changed his name from Masatoku to Masaharu. In 1794, he brought Kishu mikan trees from Kii Province to his domain, establishing the start of the orange industry in Shizuoka. In 1799, the shogunate ordered him to reconstruct Edo's Yushima Seidō. However, due to a peasant's revolt in his domain, he retired from office in 1800. He died in 1831 and his grave is at the temple of Tokuhon-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo. His wife was a daughter of Nagao Naoyoshi of Takatsuka Domain.
Honda Masaoki.
 was the 5th Honda "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain. Masaoki was born in Edo as the eldest son of Honda Masaharu. Masaharu had divorced his wife earlier that year, not realizing that she was pregnant and Masaoki was born at the Nagai clan's Edo residence. After he received word of the birth, he agreed to take Masaoki as his heir. He became "daimyō" on his father's retirement in 1800. In 1808, he served as "sōshaban" in the shogun's court. He was noted for encouraging education within the domain, including financial incentives similar to a modern scholarship program for people with financial difficulties; however, this applied only to the samurai class, and the peasants rose in revolt again in 1816 after a typhoon resulted in a crop failure. In 1822, he was appointed "Jisha-bugyō" and in 1825 was promoted to "wakadoshiyori", with his courtesy title changed to "Tōtōmi-no-kami". He died in 1829 and his grave is at the temple of Tokuhon-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo. HIs wife was a daughter of Toda Takanaka of Utsunomiya Domain.
Honda Masahiro.
 was the 6th Honda "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain. Masaoki was born in Edo as the eldest son of Honda Masaoki and became "daimyō" on his father's death in 1829. During his tenure he attempted to reform the financial situation of the domain through planting new crops, encouraging wood, oil and charcoal production and domain monopolies on certain goods. In 1836, he served as "sōshaban" and in 1837 he opened a han school. He also modernized the domain's military forces by creating a rifle brigade and by purchasing artillery. The domain suffered considerable damage during the 1854 Tōkai earthquake. He died in 1860 at the age of 53. His wife was a daughter of Matsudaira Naritaka of Tsuyama Domain.
Honda Masamori.
 was the 7th (and final) "daimyō" of Tanaka Domain. Masamori was the younger brother of Honda Masahiro, and became "daimyō" on his brother's death in 1860. After the Meiji restoration, he was forced to relocate from Tanaka to newly created Nagao Domain in Awa province, with the same nominal revenue of 40,000 "koku". He retired in 1870 and died in 1885.


Typhoon Vera

Typhoon Vera, also known as the , was an exceptionally intense tropical cyclone that struck Japan in September 1959, becoming the strongest and deadliest typhoon on record to make landfall on the country. The storm's intensity resulted in catastrophic damage of unparalleled severity and extent, and was a major setback to the Japanese economy, which was still recovering from World War II. In the aftermath of Vera, Japan's disaster management and relief systems were significantly reformed, and the typhoon's effects would set a benchmark for future storms striking the country.
Vera developed on September 20 between Guam and Chuuk State, and initially tracked westward before taking a more northerly course, reaching tropical storm strength the following day. By this point Vera had assumed a more westerly direction of movement and had begun to rapidly intensify, and reached its peak intensity on September 23 with maximum sustained winds equivalent to that of a modern-day Category 5 hurricane. With little change in strength, Vera curved and accelerated northward, resulting in a landfall on September 26 near Shionomisaki on Honshu. Atmospheric wind patterns caused the typhoon to briefly emerge into the Sea of Japan before recurving eastward and moving ashore Honshu for a second time. Movement over land greatly weakened Vera, and after reentering the North Pacific Ocean later that day, Vera transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 27; these remnants continued to persist for an additional two days.
Though Vera was accurately forecast and its track into Japan was well anticipated, limited coverage of telecommunications, combined with lack of urgency from Japanese media and the storm's intensity, greatly inhibited potential evacuation and disaster mitigation processes. Rainfall from the storm's outer rainbands began to cause flooding in river basins well in advance of the storm's landfall. Upon moving ashore Honshu, the typhoon brought a strong storm surge that destroyed numerous flood defense systems, inundating coastal regions and sinking ships. Damage totals from Vera reached US$600 million (equivalent to US$ billion in ). The number of fatalities caused by Vera remain discrepant, though current estimates indicate that the typhoon caused more than 5,000 deaths, making it one of the deadliest typhoons in Japanese history. It also injured almost 39,000 people and made around 1.5 million people homeless.
Relief efforts were initiated by Japanese and American governments immediately following Typhoon Vera. Due to the inundation caused by the typhoon, localized epidemics were reported, including those of dysentery and tetanus. The spread of disease and blocking debris slowed the ongoing relief efforts. Due to the unprecedented damage and loss of life following Vera, the National Diet passed legislation in order to more efficiently assist affected regions and mitigate future disasters. This included the passage of the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act in 1961, which set standards for Japanese disaster relief, including the establishment of the Central Disaster Prevention Council.
Meteorological history.
The origin of Typhoon Vera can be traced back to a diffuse area of low pressure first incorporated into surface weather analysis early on September 20. At the time, the disturbance was situated between Guam and Chuuk State. Though the Joint Typhoon Warning Center  did not classify the incipient system as a tropical cyclone, the Japan Meteorological Agency  analyzed the disturbance to be a tropical depression as early as 0000 UTC that day. Initially, the depression tracked westward, but transiently shifted to a more northerly course on September 21. Late that day, a reconnaissance airplane dispatched by the JTWC to analyze the disturbance failed to reach its center due to engine failure. However, the data collected from the storm's periphery was sufficient enough for the warning center to classify the depression as a tropical storm at 1800 UTC that day. Despite the flight data, the JMA had already determined the system to have been of at least tropical storm intensity six hours earlier. As a result of the reclassification, the tropical storm was designated the name "Vera" by the JTWC. At this point the tropical cyclone began to take a more westerly course.
Early on September 22, an aircraft fix located Vera 175 km (110 mi) north-northeast of Saipan. Throughout the course of the day, periodic reconnaissance flights into the storm indicated that Vera had begun to rapidly intensify. By 1800 UTC later that day, data analysis concluded that the tropical cyclone had reached typhoon intensity. Rapid intensification continued into the following day, as the typhoon's maximum sustained winds and barometric pressure quickly rose and fell, respectively. Concurrently, Vera's size grew to a point at which it spanned 250 km (155 mi) across. At 0600 UTC the following day, Vera achieved its minimum estimated barometric pressure at 895 mbar (hPa; 26.43 inHg). This indicated a 75 mbar (hPa; 2.22 inHg) pressure drop in the preceding 24 hours. Upon reaching its minimum pressure, Vera was estimated to have attained winds equivalent to a Category 5 – the highest classification possible on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. The typhoon's winds continued to increase before peaking at 1200 UTC on September 23, when reconnaissance aircraft reported maximum sustained winds of 305 km/h (190 mph). Upon peaking in wind speed, Vera was located 645 km (400 mi) northeast of Guam. The tropical cyclone's ability to quickly intensify was attributed to conducive atmospheric divergence and highly sustainable sea surface temperatures.
Vera only maintained peak intensity for roughly twelve hours, but still remained a powerful tropical cyclone. With very little change in strength, the typhoon tracked northwestward throughout September 24. Due to the influence of a nearby high-pressure area, Vera began to gradually curve and rapidly accelerate northward towards Japan. At 0900 UTC on September 26, Vera made its first landfall on Honshu, just west of Shionomisaki. At the time, the typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) and a barometric pressure of 920 mbar (hPa; 27.17 inHg). Vera traversed the Japanese island rather quickly at a speed 61 km/h (38 mph), and emerged into the Sea of Japan at 1530 UTC that day. Despite its short stint over land, the terrain greatly weakened the tropical cyclone. Tracking into a westerly wind flow, Vera was forced eastward, resulting in a second landfall near Sakata, Honshu, with an intensity equivalent to that of a Category 1 hurricane. Vera re-emerged into the North Pacific Ocean late on September 26, having weakened due to advection of cold air in addition to continued land interaction. At 0600 UTC on September 27, the JTWC analyzed the typhoon to have weakened to tropical storm intensity. The warning center discontinued its periodic monitoring of the system, as Vera had begun to transition into an extratropical cyclone. Consequently, the JMA officially reclassified the system as an extratropical storm at 1200 UTC that day. Vera's extratropical remnants continued to persist and track eastward for the next two days before the JMA last noted the storm at 1200 UTC on September 29.
Impact.
Despite being well forecast and tracked throughout its duration, Typhoon Vera's effects were highly disastrous and long-lasting. In addition to the storm's intensity, the severe damage and large death tolls were partially attributed to a lack of urgency from Japanese media in advance of Vera's landfall. Though estimates for damage costs indicated totals in excess of US$261 million (equivalent to US$ billion in ), other damage estimates suggested that damage costs were as high as US$600 million (equivalent to US$ billion in ). Death tolls also remain unclear, but reports generally indicated that around 5,000 people were killed, with hundreds of other persons missing. In addition to the dead nearly 40,000 people were injured, and an additional 1.6 million people were rendered homeless. Countrywide approximately 834,000 homes were destroyed and roughly 210,000 ha (520,000 ac) of agricultural fields were damaged. The damage wrought by Vera made it the deadliest typhoon in Japanese history, succeeding the 1934 Muroto typhoon. Vera was also the third deadliest natural disaster in Japan during the 20th century, only behind the Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995 and the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923.
Well in advance of Vera's landfall, heavy rainfall ahead of the typhoon occurred across the Tōkai region of Japan starting on September 23, when the storm reached peak intensity over open waters. In Nagoya, rainfall totals reached 10 cm (4 in). In other parts of the Tōkai region, nearly 20 cm (8 in) of rain was reported. The precipitation caused flooding along several river basins in the swath of rain. Steady rainfall occurred throughout Vera's passage of Honshu, though the worst of the rain-induced flooding occurred well after the typhoon's initial landfall. In Kawakami, Nara, a landslide killed 60 people after crushing 12 homes.
Most of the damage associated with Vera was a result of highly destructive storm surge. At the coast, the typhoon's intensity resulted in a strong storm surge that inundated low-lying coastal regions. In Ise Bay, storm surge heights were greatly enhanced due to the curvature of the land and the bay's shallow depth, which allowed water to be easily driven the length of the bay towards the coast. In addition, the storm passed the area at high tide. Water levels began to rise prior to Vera's landfall and peaked during the typhoon's first traversal of Honshu. The highest storm surge measurement was observed in the Port of Nagoya, where water levels peaked above normal. The intense storm surge easily engulfed or breached earthen levees and other flood prevention mechanisms around Ise Bay. However, these coastal dykes still remained partially unfinished and were seriously impacted by Vera's storm surge. Only newly installed flood mitigation systems along the southern portion of the bay were able to withstand the wave action. Offshore, the waves sunk 25 fishing boats, with thousands of other ships grounded or missing. In total, damage was reported to 7,576 vessels. In addition to the damaged craft, numerous oyster rafts were also lost, with losses totaling US$6 million. Also, 75 million individual pearl oysters were lost to the waves, resulting in US$10 million in additional losses.
The resulting inundation caused by Vera's storm surge submerged areas around the periphery of the bay for extended periods of time, with some low-lying areas remaining underwater in excess of four months. Due to the failure of multiple flood mitigation systems in quick succession, coupled with the narrow coverage of telecommunications exacerbated by Vera's strong winds, many persons in affected regions had very little time to evacuate. Nagoya was one of the worst impacted cities by Vera, and as a result of the storm surge and wind, its harbor was put out of service in under three hours. The effects of the typhoon's storm surge there were further worsened by the destruction of lumber yards in Nagoya Harbor, which set loose large quantities of logs that caused considerable damage to structures. The release of logs also hampered relief efforts following the typhoon's passage. Citywide, 50,000 homes were severely damaged by flood waters, and 1,800 other residences were washed away off of their foundations. Total damage to crops was estimated at US$30 million. Rice crops sustained heavy impacts, with 150,000 tons (135,000 tonnes) of rice lost. In addition to the crop damage, US$2.5 million worth of fruits and US$4 million worth of vegetables were lost. The collapse of a single apartment home in the city buried 84 people under debris; a similar incident in Naka, Ibaraki buried roughly 300 people. Beach houses were destroyed, and large swaths of nearby cropland were heavily damaged. In addition to the storm surge, Nagoya experienced sustained winds of about 145 km/h (90 mph), with gusts reaching as high as 260 km/h (160 mph), downing power lines and causing power outage. Southeast of Nagoya, in Handa, Aichi, around 300 people were killed after Vera's waves engulfed more than 250 homes. Casualties throughout Aichi totaled 3,168 and roughly 59,000 people were injured, based on an enumeration conducted in March 1960.
On the western side of Ise Bay, in Mie Prefecture, 1,233 people were killed, with approximately 5,500 others sustaining injuries. Approximately 95% of Nagashima was submerged underwater. Nearby Kuwuna suffered a similar fate as 80% of the city proper was flooded. There, 58 people were killed and 800 others were displaced. The towns of Kamezaki and Kamiyoshi were also wiped out by the flood inundation. Further inland, in Nagano Prefecture, strong winds unroofed numerous homes. The United States Air Force's Tachikawa Airfield near Tokyo sustained significant damage from the typhoon, with damage costs totaling in excess of US$1 million.
Aftermath.
In the immediate aftermath following Typhoon Vera, the Japanese government established a disaster headquarters in Tokyo and allocated resources to aid impacted areas. The government also set up the Central Japan Disaster Relief Department in Nagoya. Due to the large estimated damage cost of Vera's impacts, Japanese parliament was forced to introduce a supplementary national budget to cover the losses. Beginning on September 27, refuge shelters were opened and local government agencies assisted in rescuing stranded civilians. On September 29, the Japan Self-Defense Forces began to take part in the relief effort. United States lieutenant general Robert Whitney Burns ordered all available servicemen stationed in Japan to take part in typhoon relief efforts. The was dispatched to Nagoya to assist in relief efforts there. In Nagoya, the flood waters contaminated drinking water, greatly reducing clean water supplies. Despite rapid sanitation and disinfection work, disease epidemic broke out in parts of the city. Over 170 cases of dysentery were reported, along with other cases of gangrene and tetanus. In addition to water shortage, food rationing, which had been prompted due to food shortages caused by Vera, resulted in hunger issues for impacted populations. As a result of breaches in flood defenses around Ise Bay, seawater continued to pour into inundated areas after Vera's passage, slowing down repair efforts. One breach spanning 150 km (93 mi) across required 5,000 personnel, 32,000 sandbags, and bulldozers dispatched by the Japanese Ministry of Defense to relieve water flow. In Aichi's Ama District, reconstruction efforts for levees, roadways, and infrastructure lasted until the end of December 1959. Due to losses sustained by the pearl industry as a result of the typhoon, Japanese pearl production in 1959 was expected to decrease by 30% in 1959, with production losses of 40% expected in 1960. Monetary losses to the industry were expected to eclipse US$15 million, causing Japanese pearl costs to hike up by 20%. Furthermore, the effects of Vera on the country's pearl industry were expected to persist for two to three years.
Disaster relief and mitigation reformation.
The unprecedented destruction caused by Vera prompted Japanese parliament to pass legislation in order to more efficiently assist affected regions and mitigate future disasters. In October 1959, a special parliamentary session enacted several measures coordinated by various government ministries and provided subsidiaries to persons effected by Vera and other natural disasters in Japan from August and September of that year. A long lasting legislation prompted by Vera's effects was the 1961 passage of the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act, widely regarded as the "cornerstone of legislation on disaster risk reduction in Japan." The act established the Central Disaster Prevention Council, which was set to coordinate disaster risk reduction. The legislation also mandated an annual disaster prevention plan, to be submitted to the Japanese parliament yearly. Finally, the act established September 1 as a National Disaster Prevention Day.
In addition to legislative reform, the breaching of coastal flood defense systems during Vera prompted a redesign of such mechanisms. In Nagoya, regulation was created for coastal construction and their heights. Development of flood defenses in Ise, Osaka, and Tokyo bays was also set into motion. The heights of such defense systems were based on worst-case scenarios and maximum storm surge heights caused by the typhoon.


Boyi and Shuqi

Boyi or Bo Yi () and his brother Shuqi or Shu Qi () were two brothers who lived in China at the time of the transition between the Shang dynasty and the Zhou dynasty (either side of about 1046 BCE). They are still remembered in Chinese literary culture for their personal and moral virtue, loyalty, and pacifist idealism. Sometimes they are referred to together just as "Boyi", after the elder brother. They were natives of the state of Guzhu (in modern Hebei province, around the area of Tangshan), a vassal state of the Shang dynasty. Boyi and Shuqi represent some paradoxes in ethics: Boyi refused to take over rule of his father's kingdom because he felt his father really preferred his younger brother and going against his father's wishes would not be in accord with filial piety to go against his father. Shuqi refused the rule because it would be unfilial to allow his older brother to be bypassed. So the two fled together. Then, after the overthrow of the Shang dynasty to which they had then pledged loyalty (and which theoretically owned the land and its produce by divine right), the two brothers faced the dilemma of disloyally eating the food of the new (in their opinion, usurping) dynasty or remaining loyal in spirit to the former dynasty, and so the two were left only with starvation.
Background.
Boyi and Shuqi lived during the reign of the last Shang ruler Di Xin, who at this point had become given over to drinking, women, sex, and a disdain for morals. His country was misruled, with high taxes, mass hunger, and arbitrary acts of violence and cruelty. Sima Qian provides lurid details of prolonged orgies of drunken sex and acts of violence and torture, during which he refused to heed the advice of his ministers. At the same time the leader of the Zhou clan, posthumously known as King Wen of Zhou, was preparing to replace the Shang dynasty with the rule of his own clan (the subsequent Zhou dynasty), though at the time they were a vassal state to Shang. In contrast to Shang, the leadership of Zhou was famous for its provision of food and protection for its subjects, in part due to their advances in agricultural techniques.
Biography.
Boyi and Shuqi, together with a third brother Yà Píng (亞憑/亚凭), were the sons of Ya Wei (亞微/亚微), the Ruling Lord of the Guzhu State, also sometimes referred to in English language sources as Lonely Bamboo (kingdom). Traditionally, the succession to the rulership would have gone to the elder son, namely Boyi; but, when Shuqi was preferred to succeed him as ruler, rather than engaging in conflict or disharmonious relationships, together they fled to the Zhou territory; which, at the time was actively encouraging immigration, particularly of skilled and talented persons.
The moral sensitivities of Boyi and Shuqi were such that they would not abide by the violence and horror then rampant in the directly ruled part of Shang territory due to the misrule of emperor Di Xin. At first, the two brothers were welcomed by the Zhou, who held a vassal kingdom to the West of the main Shang territory. However, the ruler of the Zhou, Wen, died and his son Ji Fa, later known as king Wu, upon succeeding him as ruler, immediately proceeded to marshal his forces and lead them to conquer Shang: the brothers attempted to change the course of history by pulling on the chariot reins of the ruler, Ji Fa (Wu), remonstrating with him for his lack of filial piety, both because rather than sufficiently mourning his recently deceased father he was going off to war and also that he was betraying his sacred allegiance to his sovereign lord, Di Xin, the ruler of the Shang. Wu's outraged guards would have killed the brothers, except for the intervention of general Jiang Taigong, who recognized the sincerity of their moral convictions. But, when instead of heeding their protests, the army continued on its way to eventual victory over the Shang, in the extremely violent slaughter known as the Battle of Muye.
Boyi and Shuqi made their protest widely known through their refusal to eat the produce of Zhou, (the traditional and very culturally significant "Five Grains"), saying, "King Wu, as a minister who assassinated his king, is an disloyal and unrighteous man. We cannot work as ministers for an emperor lacking in loyalty, righteousness, and virtue. We are ashamed to accepted an emolument from him." They retired to the wilderness of Shouyang Mountain (首陽山), in modern Yongji, Shanxi, also called "West Mountain", and lived on fiddlehead ferns, until they were reminded that these plants too now belonged to Zhou, at which point they starved themselves to death. According to a version, which appears in the "Heavenly Questions", the brothers were eventually warned not to eat the ferns by a maiden (or other unidentified woman), after which a white deer miraculously appeared, suckling them, nurturing them with her milk, and thus preventing immediate starvation; however, all known versions of the story end with the demise of Boyi and Shuqi, by starvation.
Posthumous elevation.
During the Song dynasty, in 1102, Boyi and Shuqi were both posthumously awarded the rank of marquis.
Legacy.
Boyi and Shuqi have had a long legacy both in philosophy and literature and in art and poetry.
Philosophy and literature.
Boyi and Shuqi's life and their choices in life became a mainstay of Chinese philosophy and literature. Why did they make the choices that they did, giving up chances for fortune, power, and riches? In the end, would they have regretted their choices, or done the same? If Heaven rewards good and punishes evil, why did Boyi and Shuqi starve, while various wicked evil doers seem to thrive?
Confucius.
Confucius, the famous philosopher, was asked: "Didn't Boyi and Shuqi feel wronged for starving to death in the western mountains?"
Confucius answered, "They pursued the perfection of humaneness, and they achieved it. Why should they feel wronged?"
Sima Qian.
Sima Qian, the famous historian, included various biographical sketches in his "Records of the Grand Historian", including the "A Biographical Sketch of Boyi". In this, he incorporates discussion of morality and Heaven from the perspective of Lao Zi. Sima addresses the question of whether there are consequences for choosing good or evil, by comparing Boyi with the robber Zhi (盜), who was said to have lived to a ripe old age feeding on human flesh, among other heinous deeds.
Art and poetry.
Boyi and Shuqi have been used as artistic references in painting, poetry, and literature, including a surviving painting by Li Tang and references in poems by Du Fu, and others. The "Chuci" anthology's "Qi jian"s second piece ("Drowning in the River") references Bo Yi and Shuqi with extravagant praise: in this case, metrical considerations have led to an artificial apparent separation between the brothers, with Boyi in line 29 being described as starving himself on Shouyangshan and in line 30 Shuqi described as having (thus) won eternally-spreading glory. In literature Boyi and Shuqi are also referred to as Yi-Shu, that is, Yi and Shu. For example, in lines of the second of the "Drinking Songs" series by Tao Yuanming (using poetic antithesis):
<poem>
 It is said that accumulated good brings a reward.
 Yi and Shu starved at West Mountain.
 ("積善云有報　夷叔在西山")</poem>


Battle of Thirupurambiyam

Battle of Thirupurambiyam was fought between the Pandya king Varagunavarman II and a confederacy of the Pallavas, Western Ganga Dynasty and the Medieval Cholas in about 879 CE near modern-day Kumbakonam. The Pandyas lost the battle with Varagunavarman II going into retirement.
The battle is considered to be a turning point in the history of South India for it precipitated the fall of the Pallava and Pandya kingdoms and triggered the re-emergence of the Chola power in history after centuries of obscurity during Kalabhra rule.
Causes.
At the dawn of the 9th century, the Pallava kingdom which had ruled most of South India for three centuries began to decline. Seizing the opportunity provided by weak Pallava rule, the Pandya king Varagunavarman tried to force the Pallava king Aparajitha into submission. The Chola king Vijayalaya, then a feudatory of the Pallavas, and his son Aditya Chola I, came to his assistance. Aparajitha was also assisted by the Western Ganga king Prithvipati I. Involvement of Vijayalaya Chola in the battle is still in debate since he is said to be deceased in 870 AD, about nine years before the war happened.
Events.
The forces of the Pallava kingdom, Western Ganga kingdom and the Chola kingdom met the Pandyan army at Sri Purambiyam or Thiruppurambiyam in the Thanjavur district of present-day state of Tamil Nadu in 879 CE. Though, according to the Udyendiram plates of Prithvipati II, Prithvipati I was killed after a brave fight, the allies were still able to salvage a pyrrhic victory.
Consequences.
The Pandyas were completely devastated as a result of the battle and never recovered from the loss for two centuries. The Pallavas, though victorious, were forced to give heavy concessions to their rising Chola feudatories, who declared their independence. The Pallava kingdom was eventually annexed by the Cholas during the reign of Vijayalaya Chola's son Aditya I. What started as an internecine conflict between the Pallava heirs blew up into a huge war which set the tone for the Chola regime for the next few centuries.


Saraikistan

Saraikistan () is a proposed new province of Pakistan, comprising the areas with a majority of Saraiki speakers in the south-western part of Punjab province. The proposed Saraikistan forms about 52 per cent of the total area and 32 per cent of the population of the Punjab province. Saraikistan has a population of 34,743,590 as of 2017.
The proposed territorial extent generally includes 24 districts of Punjab (Multan, Jhang, Okara, Lodhran, Khushab, Bhakkar, Faisalabad, Khanewal, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Pakpattan, Sargodha , Chiniot and Mianwali) and 2 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Dera Ismail Khan and Tank).
Events.
In 2012, Punjab Provincial Assembly and the National Assembly passed resolutions for the creation of new province in Punjab. These resolutions were supported by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PMLN) and was passed.
In 2013 election the PPP tried to mobilize the Seraiki voters over the Saraikistan province creation. But they got only one National Assembly seat from the Seraikistan region.
In the 2018 the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) promised to create a new province in South Punjab within the first 100 days of taking office, if they win. PTI won the election and won 30 out of 50 seats of the National Assembly seats in South Punjab. On August 15, 2018 the PTI MPA of Punjab Assembly, Mohsin Leghari tables a resolution for the creation of a new province in South Punjab.
Establishment of Separate Administrative Secretariat.
In 2020, a separate secretariat was established for southern areas of Punjab (Saraikistan). The secretariat is made up of Dera Ghazi Khan Division, Multan Division and Bahawalpur Division. It became officially operational on 15 October 2020.
Initially the departments of Services and General administration (S & GAD), Home department, Health, Law, Education, Agriculture, Planning and Development, Live stock and dairy development, Local government and community development, Housing, urban development and Public health engineering, Irrigation, Forest, Communication and works, Revenue
and Police are included in the separate Administrative Secretariat of Saraikistan region with following officers:
Geography.
The Seraikistan Qaumi Council demanded the creation of Seraikistan province by merging 24 districts in South Punjab and 2 districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Dera Ismail Khan and Tank districts, there 70 percent of the people speaks Seraiki).
The Main Political parties PTI, PPP and PML(N) have difference on the geography of Seraikistan. The PPP supports the formation of the South province by merging 11 districts of Punjab and 2 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI supports the formation of the South Punjab province by merging 11 districts South Punjab only. The PML(N) supports the formation of two provinces in South Punjab -the Bahawalpur Province and another South Punjab province containing Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan divisions.


Hasuni Caves

The Hasuni Caves are a series of ancient caves in Diyarbakır Province, Turkey. They were inhabited from prehistoric times until the Middle Ages.
Description.
The caves are located near the village of Bahçeköy, in the Silvan district of Diyarbakir Province. The caves have been inhabited from the Mesolithic period to the early years of Christianity.
In 2019, two ancient epitaphs in Syriac-Aramaic script were found next to the caves. According to Syriac Press, "The inscriptions are in fact epitaphs on a gravestone of a priest called Monoha who was buried there". Dicle University's İrfan Yıldız, who was in charge investigating the inscriptions told Daily Sabah that the inscription "records that a priest called Monoha is buried here and that everyone who reads the inscription should pray for him”.
Recent history.
Since 2013 the caves have been listed as a potential tourism project for development within Diyarbakir Province.
The Diyarbakir tourism board currently promotes the area as a location for hiking and paragliding. According to HaberTurk, the Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DTSO) has started to promote the area as a destination for tourism. DTSO Vice President Ercan Tayınlamak told HaberTurk that "The Hasuni Caves, located on the foothills of the Albat Mountain on the Malabadi highway in Silvan district, are located on one of the most dominant hills of the district. Remains belonging to the 13th century (AD) were found. It offers a full visual feast with the water tanks, bath, rock stairs, stone pavement paths, rock church and mini amphitheater next to the church."
Tayınlamak also said that the DTSO has applied to UNESCO for World Heritage Status for the caves, which include "the Hasuni Kaya Church, which is thought to have been used from the early periods of Christianity until the 13th century, and it is noteworthy that there is a mini amphitheater and water tanks next to the church consisting of many rooms. While the roof part of the bath was demolished, the exact construction date of this bathhouse, which was built with cut stones, is unknown. The bath and its surroundings became a haunt of treasure hunters before restoration and conservation work."
In February 2021, the DTSO organised a music concert in the caves. According to MedyaNews, "Klams (Kurdish folk songs) produced from the dengbej tradition were performed with santurs, violins and tambourines." DTSO's Deputy Chairman Ercan Avşar said that the concerts were intended to bring awareness and attention to the cultural heritage of Diyarbakir.


Maeda Shigehiro

 was an Edo period Japanese samurai, and the 7th "daimyō" of Kaga Domain in the Hokuriku region of Japan. He was the 8th hereditary chieftain of the Kanazawa Maeda clan.
Shigehiro was born in Edo as the second son of Maeda Yoshinori. His mother was a concubine, Shinkyo-in. From 1743, he was given the childhood name of Matsudaira Kamejirō (亀次郎). In 1746, on the unexpected death of his elder brother, Maeda Munetoki, he became "daimyō" and was renamed Maeda Toshiyasu (); however, upon being received in formal audience by "Shōgun" Tokugawa Ieshige, he was granted a "kanji" from Ieshige's name, becoming Maeda Shigehiro.
Early in his tenure, the former "ashigaru" councillor, Ōtsuki Denzō, who had risen to considerable influence and power under Maeda Yoshinori was exiled to remote Gokayama. However, this precipated an "O-Ie Sōdō" known as the “Kaga Sōdō”. Shigehiro's wet nurse and the mother of Maeda Munetoki, Jōshuin, was poisoned and killed in an attempt of Shigehiro's life by one of Maeda Yoshinori's other concubines, Shinyō-in. This Shinyo-in was a supporter of Ōtsuki Denzō and incriminating letters were found in her possession. In 1748, Ōtsuki Denzō was forced to commit suicide. Kaga Domain remained in a state of turmoil when Shigehiro himself died only a couple of years later in 1753 at the age of 23 without heir. At that time he was betrothed with Matsudaira Chohime, Matsudaira Yoritaka's daughter.
Kaga Domain passed to his younger brother Shigenobu.


Shoichi Yokoi

 was a sergeant in the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during the Second World War, and was among the last three Japanese holdouts to be found after the end of hostilities in 1945. He was discovered in the jungles of Guam on 24 January 1972, almost 28 years after U.S. forces had regained control of the island in 1944.
Early life.
Yokoi was born in Saori, Aichi Prefecture. He was an apprentice tailor when he was conscripted in 1941.
War years and post-war survival.
Initially, Yokoi served with the 29th Infantry Division in Manchukuo. In 1943, he was transferred to the 38th Regiment in the Mariana Islands and arrived on Guam in February 1943. When American forces captured the island in the 1944 Battle of Guam, Yokoi went into hiding with nine other Japanese soldiers. Seven of the original ten eventually moved away and only three remained in the region. These men separated, but visited each other periodically until about 1964, when the other two died in a flood. For the last eight years, Yokoi lived alone. He survived by hunting, primarily at night. He also used native plants to make clothes, bedding, and storage implements, which he carefully hid in his cave.
Discovery.
On the evening of 24 January 1972, Yokoi was discovered by two local men checking shrimp traps along a small river on Talofofo. They had assumed Yokoi was a villager from Talofofo, but he thought his life was in danger and attacked them. They managed to subdue him and carried him out of the jungle.
He was thin and weak but relatively healthy.
"It is with much embarrassment that I return," he said upon his return to Japan. The remark quickly became a popular saying in Japan.
He had known since 1952 that World War II had ended but feared coming out of hiding, explaining that "We Japanese soldiers were told to prefer death to the disgrace of getting captured alive."
Yokoi was one of the last three Japanese "holdout" soldiers discoveredsee Japanese_holdout#1970s.
Later life.
After a whirlwind media tour of Japan, he married and settled down in rural Aichi Prefecture.
Yokoi became a popular television personality and an advocate of austere living.
He was featured in a 1977 documentary film called "Yokoi and His Twenty-Eight Years of Secret Life on Guam."
He eventually received the equivalent of US$300 in back pay, and a small pension.
Although he never met Emperor Hirohito, while visiting the grounds of the Imperial Palace, Yokoi said, "Your Majesties, I have returned home ... I deeply regret that I could not serve you well. The world has certainly changed, but my determination to serve you will never change."
Yokoi died in 1997 of a heart attack at the age of 82, and was buried at a Nagoya cemetery, under a gravestone that had originally been commissioned by his mother in 1955, after Yokoi had been officially declared dead.
Museum.
The Shoichi Yokoi Memorial Hall opened in 2006 in Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya. Admission is free.


Tanagura Domain

 was a "fudai" feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in southern Mutsu Province, Honshū. The domain was centered at Tanagura Castle, located in what is now part of the town of Tanagura in Fukushima Prefecture.
History.
During the Sengoku period, Tanagura was an outpost of the Satake clan, who built the mountain-top Akadake Castle near what would later become Tanagura Castle. After the Satake were defeated and transferred to Dewa Province by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the area was awarded to Tachibana Muneshige. Following the Siege of Osaka, the domain was awarded to Niwa Nagashige, who was ordered to build a completely new castle by Shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada. The Niwa were followed by the Naitō clan, who continued to develop the castle and its surrounding castle town; however, under the Tokugawa shogunate the domain saw frequent changes of "daimyō".
During the Bakumatsu period, Matsudaira Yasuhide was transferred to Kawagoe Domain, and Abe Masakiyo was transferred from neighbouring Shirakawa Domain. During the Boshin War, the domain was a member of the pro-Tokugawa Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei, but fell to imperial forces in 1868 after only one day of fighting. In July 1871, with the abolition of the han system, Tanagura Domain briefly became Tanagura Prefecture, and was merged into the newly created Fukushima Prefecture. Under the new Meiji government, Abe Masakoto, the final "daimyō" of Tanagura Domain was given the "kazoku" peerage title of "shishaku" (viscount).
Bakumatsu period holdings.
As with most domains in the han system, Tanagura Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assigned "kokudaka", based on periodic cadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields.


Date Nariyoshi

 was an mid-Edo period Japanese samurai, and the 11th "daimyō" of Sendai Domain in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, and the 27th hereditary chieftain of the Date clan.
Biography.
Nariyoshi was the grandson of Date Yoshimura, the 5th "daimyō" of Sendai and he was the 4th son of Tamura Murasuke, the "daimyō" of Ichinoseki Domain. He was born in Edo, and his childhood name was Kichigorō (吉五郎). Shortly after his birth, his father retired, and turned the domain over to Tamura Muneaki.
In 1812, he underwent his "genpuku" ceremony and took the name of Tamura Akiyoshi. Tamura Muneaki declined to adopt him as heir as expected, and although the young Akiyoshi was sent to Ichinoseki, he was not given any official title or duties. A turning point came in 1819, when he was called to Aoba Castle. The sudden death of Date Narimune without an heir placed Sendai Domain in a very precarious position vis-a-vis the Tokugawa shogunate. Date Narimune, and his predecessor, Date Chikamune, had both died without heirs and the shogunate had taken extraordinary measures to ensure the continuation of the Date line; however, a third instance in such a short period of time placed the domain in danger of attainder. Akiyoshi was betrothed to Narimune's three-year-old daughter, Shiba-hime, and took the name of Date Muneyoshi. He was proclaimed 11th Date "daimyō" of Sendai, and was received in formal audience by "Shōgun" Tokugawa Ienari three months later. During this audience, he was granted a "kanji" from Ienari's name to become Date Nariyoshi. He was granted the Court rank of Junior Fourth, Lower Grade and courtesy title of "Mutsu-no-kami".
In 1826, he formally wed Shiba-hime, but died less than two years later in Edo. His death reopened the succession issue within Sendai Domain, as his son and heir was still a child.


Izumi Domain

 was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in southern Mutsu Province in what is now part of the modern-day city of Iwaki, Fukushima.
History.
In 1622, Torii Tadamasa, "daimyō" of Iwakitaira Domain was transferred to Yamagata Domain, and his place was taken by Naitō Masanaga. Masanaga transferred 20,000 "koku" of his 70,000 "koku" domain to his eldest son, Naitō Tadaoki who established a separate household. On Masanaga's death in 1634, Tadaoki inherited Iwakitaira Domain and turned his 20,000 "koku" holding over to his brother, Naitō Masaharu, who received official confirmation as a "daimyō". The marked the start of Izumi Domain. His son, Naitō Masachika ruled from 1646–1696, and also served as "wakadoshiyori" from 1690–1696. His son, Naitō Masamori was transferred to Annaka Domain in 1702.
Izumi Domain was then assigned to Itakura Shigeatsu, with a reduction in revenues to 15,000 "koku". His son, Itakura Katsukiyo served as "rōjū" and traded places with Honda Tadayuki of Sagara Domain in 1746. The Honda clan continued to rule Izumi domain through the remainder of the Edo period. Tadayuki's son, Honda Tadakazu caught the eye of "rōjū" Matsudaira Sadanari after successfully reforming the domain's finances, and was promoted to "wakadoshiyori" and "sobayonin", where he played an important role in the Kansei Reforms. As a reward for his efforts, his revenues were increased by 5000 "koku". The 5th "daimyō" of Izumi, Honda Tadanori established the domain's academy in an effort to modernize the domain in the Bakumatsu period. Honda Tadatoshi served as "jisha-bugyō" and led the domain in support of the Tokugawa during the Boshin War. Following the Meiji restoration, he was punished for his support of the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei by a reduction in income of 2000 "koku", and was forced to resign in favor of his adopted son Honda Tadanobu, who served as imperial governor until the abolition of the han system in 1871.
Holdings at the end of the Edo period.
As with most domains in the han system, Izumi Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assigned "kokudaka", based on periodic cadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields.
List of daimyō.
Honda Tadayuki.
 was the 3rd "daimyō" of Sagara Domain in Tōtōmi Province and the first Honda "daimyō" of Izumi Domain in Mutsu Province. His wife was a daughter of Matura Atsunobu of Hirado Domain. His courtesy title was "Etchū-no-kami" and he held lower 5th court rank. He was the third son of Honda Tadanao, "daimyō" of Yamato-Kōriyama Domain and was posthumously adopted to succeed Tadanao's elder brother Honda Tadamichi as "daimyō" of Sagara in 1721. In 1746, the Tokugawa shogunate relocated the clan to Izumi Domain in southern Mutsu Province. In 1754, he retired in favor of his son, Honda Tadakazu. He died in 1773. His grave is at the temple of Rinshō-in in Bunkyō-ku, Tokyo.
Honda Tadakazu.
 was the 2nd Honda "daimyō" of Izumi Domain. He was the eldest son of Honda Tadayuki and was born at the domain's residence in Edo. His wife was a daughter of Matsura Sanenobu of Hirado Domain. In 1754, on the retirement of his father, he became "daimyō". In 1787, he was promoted to "wakadoshiyori" within the shogunate administration, and "sobayōnin" the following year. In 1790, his position rose to "rōjū-kaku", and together with Matsudaira Sadanobu and Matsudaira Nobuakira, he is regarded as one of the central figures of the Kansei period. In 1790, the "kokudaka" of the domain was also increased by 5000 "koku" and he received permission to be styled as “castellan”, even though the domain did not have a castle. He was a noted scholar of economics, and a proponent of the "Shingaku" movement. he is noted for establishing grain stores in each village as insurance against famine, and for banning abortion in his domain. He was instrumental to the shogunate's Kansei Reforms and also strongly pushed for increasing Japan's defences against the southward expansion of the Russian Empire, which threatened Ezo. He resigned his posts in 1798, and retired as "daimyō" in 1800 and died in 1812.
Honda Tadashige.
 was the 3rd Honda "daimyō" of Izumi Domain. He was the older brother of Honda Tadakazu, but as his mother was a concubine, he was bypassed in the succession by his legitimate younger brother, Honda Tadao. However, Tadao was disinherited in 1785, and Tadashige became "daimyō" on the retirement on Honda Tadakazu in 1800. His wife was a daughter of Itakura Katsutoshi of Annaka Domain. He continued the fiscal policies of his father. He retired in 1815, and died in 1832.
Honda Tadatomo.
 was the 4th "daimyō" of Izumi Domain. He was the eldest son of Honda Tadashige, and became "daimyō" in 1815 on the retirement of his father. His wife was a daughter of Yanagihara Masaatsu of Takada Domain. In 1836, he retired, turning the domain over to his 3rd son, Honda Tadanori. He died in 1839, and his grave is at the temple of Kōfuku-ji in Mukojima, Sumida, Tokyo.
Honda Tadanori.
 was the 5th "daimyō" of Izumi Domain, He was the third son of Honda Tadatomo, and his wife was a daughter of Yanagisawa Yasuhiro of Yamato-Kōriyama Domain. He became "daimyō" on the retirement of his father in 1836. He built the han school. He served as a "wakadoshiyori" from 1841–1860 under Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyoshi. He died in Edo in 1860 at age 43 without heir.
Honda Tadatoshi.
 was the 6th "daimyō" of Izumi Domain. He was the 4th son of Honda Tadatomo. His wife was a daughter of Hori Naotada of Suzaka Domain. He was posthumously adopted on the death of his older brother, Honda Tadanori in 1860, and was received in formal audience by Shōgun Tokugawa Ieshige. In 1863, he became "jisha-bugyō" and the same year was also appointed "sōshaban". In 1864, he advanced to the post of "wakadoshiyori", but was dismissed only five months later. In 1866, he again became "wakadoshiyori", but again resigned after ten months. In 1868, with the start of the Boshin War, he favored the imperial cause, but was pressured into joining the pro-Tokugawa Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei instead. As a result, the domain was invaded by the forces of the Satchō Alliance and Izumi "jin’ya" was burned during the Battle of Iwaki. Tadatoshi was forced to flee to Sendai. A few months later he surrendered to the Meiji government and was placed under house arrest, with the domain reduced in "kokudaka" by 2000 "koku" He was released from house arrest]in 1870 and his court rank restored. He died in 1883 and his grave is at the temple of Kōfuku-ji in Mukojima, Sumida, Tokyo.
Honda Tadanobu.
 was the 7th and final "daimyō" of Izumi Domain. As his predecessor, Honda Tadatoshi had been forced into retirement by the Meiji government over his involvement in the Boshin War. He was selected as heir by the Honda clan in 1868. From 1869, he became imperial governor until the abolition of the han system in 1871. He died in 1903, and his grave is at the temple of Kōfuku-ji in Mukojima, Sumida, Tokyo.


Hansa Bai

Hansa Bai was Rani of the Rajput kingdom of Mewar during the early 15th century. She was the wife of Maharana Lakha Singh and mother to his heir, Mokal.
Born as a Rathore princess of Mandore, she brought peace between her clan and that of her husband, the Sisodias, which lasted until the reign of her grandson, Rana Kumbha.
She advised her son during the beginning of his reign, questioned the intentions of Mewari nobles, and is also believed to have educated Rana Kumbha.
Early life and marriage.
Hansa Bai, born Hansa Kumari, was the daughter of Chunda Rathore of Mandore and Rani Suram Sankhali. As a daughter of the king, she lived in the palace's harem (Rani Mahal) with her mother. Hansa learned how a woman could rule effectively by watching her stepmother, Sona Mohil. Sona influenced Hansa's father to appoint Sona's son, Kanha, as his successor, instead of his son, Ranmal. In response, Ranmal left Mandore in self-imposed exile.
She was first betrothed to the elder son of Maharana Lakha Singh of Mewar, Prince Chunda Sisodia. However, when the delegation from Mandore had arrived in Chittor to officialize the betrothal, Chunda was away from court. Lakha waited with the delegation until the prince returned. The aging leader of Chittor said the proposal was not meant for a "greybeard" like him and turned them down jokingly. When Prince Chunda later learned of the comment, the prince refused the marriage, for he could not accept a proposal which his father had publicly declined, however offhanded. The Maharana failed to change his son's mind, and, rather than offend Hansa's powerful family, was forced to marry the princess himself. In return, Chunda gave up his right to inheritance to the eldest son born by Hansa Bai.
After Marriage.
As Rani of Mewar.
Hansa Bai married Lakha Singh around either 1408 or 1407 and later gave birth to her son Mokal in 1409. She taught him as he grew and introduced him to his father's building plans, which would have a huge impact on him later in life. She also taught him of his lineage, his kingdom, and the Sisodia Hindu traditions, such as the God Eklinji, the many honor traditions such as robes of honor (which her brother used to kill another of Lakha's sons Raghedev) and the many other traditions such as Jahar, Saka and how to perform puja. In this way, she prepared him to be king.
As Queen Mother.
In 1421 Lakha Singh, Hansa's husband died in the war, leaving young Mokal as his successor. Being a minor, Hansa's former betrothed Chunda began to look after the state of affairs, as promised to Rana Lakha. But Hansa Bai disapproved of the influence that Chunda had over the nobles of Mewar. She questioned his integrity and doubted his intentions. Her resentment made Chunda leave Chittor and retire to Mandu, capital of Malwa. Rani Hansa Bai obtained help from her brother Ranmal to administer the state of affairs on behalf of Mokal until he became older. He fulfilled this role admirably over the following years, launching military campaigns against Mewar's rivals. These include Firuz Khan of Nagaur, Ahmad Shah I of Gujarat and the Hadas of Bundi. However, there was resentment among the nobles of Mewar at the growing Rathore influence at court, in particular regarding the level of nepotism with which Ranmal awarded high positions. During this time Hansa also arranged Mokal's marriage to Sobhagya Devi. Though the couple was young, they conceived quickly and had Prince Kumbha.
Maharana Mokal had a brief stint as the ruler of Mewar but rose to fame as the most celebrated warrior of his race. He defeated Nagpur, Gujarat, and repelled an invasion by the Delhi Sultanate (Sayyid dynasty). But most importantly, he completed palaces that were commenced by his father, Maharana Lakha, and conspired to build more aesthetic structures. During this time, Hansa's father Chunda was killed in battle in 1423 and was succeeded, as the latter had planned, by his younger son Kanha. However, in 1428, Kanha too died and was followed by another son of Chunda, who also had a short reign. Seeing an opportunity, Ranmal marched on the capital city, Mandore, at the head of a Mewari army and seized the throne, becoming the new Rao of Marwar. As a Rao, his influence grew and the more power he had the more people resented him, such as Lakha's other son Raghedev. With more power, Ranmal began capturing land and while capturing land he made reforms, like introducing systems of weights and measures which Hansa and the other Mewar nobles agreed with.
As Queen Grandmother.
In 1433, Mokal was assassinated by his paternal uncles, Chacha and Mera, which brought an end to the great Maharana in the making at the young age of 24. Lack of support, however, caused Chacha and Mera to flee thus once more leaving a small child as ruler of Mewar, now in the person of Mokal's son Kumbha. Hansa Bai, now the queen-grandmother again called on her brother Ranmal to take charge of the state and become regent until the new Rana reached an older age. Ranmal accompanied by some of his twenty-four sons, returned to Chittor, nominally taking up the position of caretaker to his minor great-nephew though, for all intents and purposes, he became the true power in the kingdom.
The new regent's first action was to strike the allies of Mewar's rival kingdoms of Gujarat and Malwa, the latter of which having sheltered Mokal's killers. The rulers of Bundi, Abu, Bhoola and Basantgarh were crushed and the Sultan of Malwa, Mahmud Khalji, was defeated in the Battle of Sarangpur in 1437. He and Hansa also began to hunt down the conspirators, with some being killed and others being forced into hiding. One of them, Mokal's paternal uncle Chacha, had his daughter Bharmali taken captive and married by Ranmal. 500 other girls belonging to the families of the fugitives were captured and given out by Ranmal to his favorites.
One of Mokal's brothers, Raghavdev, objected to this action and took the women into his protection. He began to grow apprehensive of the growing Rathore influence in the court and started preparing a resistance to Ranmal. Conversely, Ranmal also viewed the Mewari prince as a threat and too launched a conspiracy. Events came to a head when Ranmal invited Raghadev to present him with a traditional robe of honor. However, unknown to the latter, the sleeves of the robe had been sown in such a way to restrict his movement. Raghadev was then ambushed oby Ranmal's men, who immediately cut down the helpless prince. Hansa was outraged and did not support her brother killing Raghavdev and the captivity of the women and this may be what influenced the young Kumbha to kill Ranmal as he was drunk and tied to his bed. During this time Ranmal's son Jodha escaped from Mewar and it is possible that Hansa helped him, not wanting her homeland of Mandore to be without a king. As King Kumbha regularly prayed to the god Eklingji he was likely taught by Hansa to do so.
Death.
The accurate date of Hansa's death is unknown and it is possible that she wasn't alive to see the assassination of her brother and died shortly after the reign of her grandson began and that is why the nobles waited to assassinate Ranmal, not wanting to displease the Queen Grandmother. Her descendants were kings of Mewar and the peace between the Rathores and Sisodias was broken after her death and chaos resumed for decades.
References.
Original from the University of Michigan


Terachi Site

 is an archaeological site containing the traces of a middle to late Jōmon period settlement located in the Teraji neighborhood of the city of Itoigawa, Niigata in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1980.
Overview.
The Terachi Site is located on a low hill in coastal area of the Sea of Japan at the western end of Niigata Prefecture. The site is facing the ocean, between the Hime River and the Oumi River, in the only area of Japan known to have natural jadeite deposits. Five archaeological excavations were conducted before and after 1973. The site encompasses five separate areas (designated Districts A through E) across a 150 meters east-to-west by 650 meters north-to-south site, and contains the ruins of a large village from in the middle to late Jōmon period (5,000 to 3,500 years ago).
District B of the site was first discovered in the latter part of the Meiji period during construction work for the Hokuriku Main Line railway, and was partially excavated in 1968-1970. District A was discovered in 1966 and District C in 1965. District B was found to contain seven pit dwellings, which were workshops for the mass production of jadeite and serpentine stone axes and jade beads, "magatama", fishhooks, spearheads and grinding stones. In addition to finished and semi-finished items, the site contained whetstones, abrasive sales and furnaces, indicating that these buildings were a complete production complex - one of the earliest to have been discovered in Japan. A peculiar arrangement with four huge wooden pillars has also attracted attention, and is believed to have been of some ritual significance, or part of an ancient calendar to determine the winter solstice. The pillars have been replaced by concrete reproductions.
Jade beads made at this site have been found throughout the Hokuriku region and into the Kantō region of Japan. The site is about a 15-minute walk from Aomi Station on the JR East Hokuriku Main Line.
The site is open to the public as an archaeological park, with a couple reconstructed pit dwellings.


Soul of Sand

Soul of Sand () is a 2010 Indian drama film directed by Sidarth Srinivasan, about a lower caste watchman, Bhanu Kumar who stands guard at his master Lakhmichand Ahlawat's abandoned silica mine on the outskirts of Delhi. It film deals with issues of caste system and land politics, feudalism and the urbanization of the Delhi NCR (National Capital Region). The film had its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September 2010.
Production.
The film was made with a grant from the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund (HBF). The film was shot digitally in Haryana and Delhi using a 24p Sony CineAlta F900R high-definition camera. Having applied for the grant, the shooting stretched to over a period of three-years, subsequently the director ran into huge debt before the grant came through. The editing was done 4–5 months, using 30 hours footage to create 99-minute final cut.
Release.
The film had its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival in September, 2010, under the Discovery section. The film was also shown as International Film Festival Rotterdam as a part of "HBF Harvest 2011": Bright Future section, for film produced with Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) funding. This also ensured its distribution through in the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and a European premiere in Rotterdam.
Global Lens 2011 series.
The film is featured in the Global Lens 2011 film series, sponsored by The Global Film Initiative. Global Lens is an annual program of eight to ten narrative films from around the world. Each year, the series premieres at MoMa and then tours throughout the United States and Canada. Global Lens 2011 includes eight other award-winning narrative feature films from Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, and Uruguay.
Awards.
Gasparilla International Film Festival - Official Selection


Saint Tydecho

Saint Tydecho was a 6th century saint of Wales.
The life of Saint Padarn described Tydecho as one of the saints who came to Wales from Armorica. There are questions as to whether this place was Brittany or an area in southeast Wales which is known for its saints. Tydecho was the son of Amwn Ddu (himself son of Emyr Llydaw) and a cousin of Saint Cadfan, with whom he travelled Wales.
He is said to have come to Wales during the time of King Arthur and became an anchorite after the great king's death.<ref name=tourhttps://books.google.com/books?id=fb9kAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA80&dq=Saint+Tydecho&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQmtbR5fznAhVSma0KHctbBY84ChDoATAJegQICRAC#v=onepage&q=Saint%20Tydecho&f=false|title=></ref> Tydecho lived with his sister Tegfedd in the Mawddwy area and was the founder of churches at Llanymawddwy, Mallwyd, Garthbeibio and Cemmaes. Tydecho is also credited with founding a chapel, "Capel Tydecho", in Llandegfan.
Tydecho acquired some of the land for his churches by interesting means. His sister Tegfedd was a beautiful woman who attracted the attention of a wealthy man named Cynon, who kidnapped her as he was so taken by her beauty. Tydecho caught up with the man and forced him to release his sister. He was also able to convince Cynon to compensate for his misdeed by ceding some land to Tydecho for a church at Garthbeibio.
Legends record the young prince of Gwynedd, Maelgwn Gwynedd, as a chief tormentor of the saint. Tydecho, who slept on rocks, wore a hair shirt and engaged in agriculture, used oxen to plow his fields. The prince decided to make off with Tydecho's team. A visit to Tydecho's land the next day found him using a pair of wild stags to plow with a grey wolf pulling the harrow behind them. The angry prince brought dogs to chase off the deer and sat down on a rock to watch the spectacle. When he tried to rise, Gwynedd was unable to do so. His only choice was to make apologies to the saint and beg forgiveness. Among the known concessions were: Tydecho's land was a sanctuary for both men and beasts and exempt from mortuaries, claims and any oppression.
Another legend says that a milkmaid working for Tydecho slipped when crossing the river and her pail of milk spilled into the water. Tydecho's response to the accident was to turn the river from its source to the village of Llanymawddwy into a stream of milk; he called this section Llaethnant. The Welsh poets Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Matthew Brwmffild have both written poems about St. Tydecho: "The Legend of St Tydecho" and "St. Tydecho, and the Two Parishes of Mawddwy".
A feast day is celebrated on 17 December.


Dalmatia Superior


List of years in Turkey

This is a list of years in Turkey. See also the timeline of Turkish history. For only articles about years in Turkey that have been written, see .