Hirohata Toyotada (広幡豊忠)

Toyotada HIROHATA (July 27, 1666 - August 26, 1737) was a Kugyo (top court official) during the early to mid Edo period. He served the Imperial Court mainly in three generations of Emperor Reigen (the 112th), Emperor Higashiyama (the 113th) and Emperor Nakamikado (the 114th) and promoted to Juichii (Junior First Rank) Naidaijin (Minister of the Center). His father was Michina KOGA (Jusanmi [Junior Third Rank], Chunagon [Associate Chief of the Councilor of State]). His mother was the daughter of Kinmitsu SAIONJI (Junii [Junior Second Rank], Sakone no chujo [Middle Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards]). His adoptive father was Tadayuki HIROHATA (Shosanmi [Senior Third Rank], Dainagon [chief councilor of state]). His elder brother was Michitomo KOGA (Juichii, Naidaijin), and his younger brother was Hiromasu HORIKAWA (who served the bakufu [Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun] and became Koke-Hatamoto [direct retainers of the bakufu, who were in a privileged family under Tokugawa Shogunate]). His children were Tadashige HIROHATA, Tadaaki HIROHATA, Tadanari HIROHATA, and Nagatada HIROHATA. His daughters were the wives of Nobusue OGURA (小倉宣季) (Shonii [Senior Second Rank], Dainagon) and the lawful wife of Sanetsura OGIMACHI (Shonii, Dainagon).

He was adopted into the Hirohata family from the Koga family in 1669. His ancestor, Haremichi KOGA was adopted from the Konoe family and Toyotada was descended from the Konoe family. His adoptive father, Tadayuki HIROHATA was from the former Imperial Family, with Imperial Prince Hachijonomiya Toshihito as his father. Therefore, the Hirohata family had the social status of the Seiga family (one of the highest court noble families in Japan at that time) in spite of the newly founded family. He was conferred peerage in 1670 and then was promoted at a fast pace as the family head of the Seiga family. After serving as Sakone no shosho (Minor Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards) and Sakone no chujo, he was appointed to Chugushiki (Office of the Consort's Household) of Fusako TAKATSUKASA, the second consort of the Emperor Reigen as well as becoming Jusanmi in 1683 and was raised to Kugyo. Later, he became Dainagon in 1692 after serving as Chunagon and Toka no sechie Geben (a kugyo who supervised many matters outside Jomei Gate at Toka no sechie, an Imperial Court ceremony). He served for 12 years until resigning in 1704. He was appointed to Dainagon again in 1710 and served for ten years until 1720. In 1719 during that period, he was also appointed to Ukone no daisho (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards) and Umaryo gogen (Inspector of the Right Division of Bureau of Horses). Although he was appointed to Naidaijin on March 10, 1723, he resigned on March 16. He was conferred to Juichii in 1726.

[Original Japanese]