Hōjō Tokiyori

Hōjō Tokiyori (北条時頼, June 29, 1227 – December 24, 1263) was the fifth shikken (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. He was born to Hōjō Tokiuji and a daughter of Adachi Kagemori.

Tokiyori became shikken following his brother Tsunetoki's death. Immediately after the succession, he crushed a coup plot by former shogun Kujō Yoritsune and Tokiyori's relative Nagoe Mitsutoki. In the next year, he let Adachi Kagemori destroy the powerful Miura clan in the Battle of Hochi. He recalled his experienced grandfather's brother, Hōjō Shigetoki, from Kyoto and appointed him as rensho. In 1252, he replaced Shogun Kujō Yoritsugu with Prince Munetaka. He successfully solidified the power base.

He has been praised for his good administration. He worked on reforms mainly by writing various regulations. He reduced service of the vassals to guard Kyoto. He worked toward resolving the increasing land disputes of his vassals. In 1249, he set up the legal system of Hikitsuke or High Court.

In 1252, he started to make policies at private meetings held at his residence instead of discussing at Hyōjō (評定), the council of the shogunate. In 1256, when he became a Buddhist priest, he transferred the position of shikken to Hōjō Nagatoki, a son of Shigetoki, while his infant son, Tokimune, succeeded to become tokusō, the head of the Hōjō clan. He continued to rule in fact but without any official position. This is considered the beginning of the tokusō dictatorship.

There are a number of legends that Tokiyori traveled incognito throughout Japan to inspect actual conditions and improve the lives of the people. He died in 1263.