Hotta Masatoshi

Hotta Masatoshi was appointed tairo under Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. He became the shogun's chief advisor and helped implement Tsunayoshi's policies, including the controversial Laws of Compassion regarding animal protection.

As tairo, Masatoshi helped enforce Tsunayoshi's edicts protecting dogs, horses, and other animals, which included severe punishments for violators. These laws caused hardship for commoners and were widely resented, but Masatoshi supported them as loyal advisor.

Hotta Masatoshi was stabbed to death in Edo Castle by a disgruntled junior official, Inaba Masayasu, who was then executed. The assassination shocked the shogunate and led to a purge of Inaba's faction, strengthening Tsunayoshi's authoritarian rule.