Tokugawa Ieshige
Encyclopedia
Tokugawa Ieshige; 徳川 家重 (January 28, 1712 – July 13, 1761) was the ninth shogun
of the Tokugawa shogunate
of Japan
.
The first son of Tokugawa Yoshimune
, his mother was the daughter of Okubo Tadanao
, known as Osuma no kata. His childhood name was Nagatomi-maru. He underwent the genpuku
coming-of-age ceremony in 1725. His first wife, Nami-no-miya, was the daughter of Prince Fushimi-no-miya
Kuninaga (伏見宮 邦永親王). His second wife, Okō, was the daughter of one of the courtiers who had followed his high-born first wife from the Imperial Court to the Shogunal Court in Edo
. This famously good-natured second wife was the mother of Ieharu, who would become Ieshige's heir.
In Enkyō 2, Ieshige was made shogun.
Ieshige suffered from chronic ill health and a severe speech defect. Yoshimune's choice of Ieshige as his heir created considerable controversy within the shogunate as his younger brothers Tokugawa Munetake
and Tokugawa Munetada
appeared to be far more suitable candidates. Yoshimune continued to insist on his decision, favoring the Confucian principle of primogeniture
; and Ieshige continued in the role of formal head of the shogunate. Yoshimune directed affairs after his official retirement in 1745. This attention was designed to ensure that Ieshige was secure in his office. Ieshige remained shogun until 1760.
Uninterested in government affairs, Ieshige left all decisions in the hands of his chamberlain
, Ooka Tadamitsu (1709–1760). He officially retired in 1760 and assumed the title of Ōgosho, appointed his first son Tokugawa Ieharu
as the 10th shogun, and died the following year.
Ieshige's second son Tokugawa Shigeyoshi
became the founder of the Shimizu Tokugawa clan, which together with the Tayasu and Hitotsubashi (established by Ieshige's younger brothers) became the gosankyō
, three cadet branch
es of the Tokugawa
family from which future shoguns might be selected if the main line were to die out. They joined the existing three cadet branches, the gosanke
, to which Ieshige's father Yoshimune had been born.
Ieshige's reign was beset by corruption, natural disasters, periods of famine and the emergence of the mercantile class, and his clumsiness in dealing with these issues greatly weakened the rule of Tokugawa.
Ieshige died in 1761. His posthumous title is Junshin-in; and his grave is at the Tokugawa family mausoleum at Zōjō-ji
in Shiba
. His remains were disinterred and underwent scientific investigation from 1958-1960. It was discovered that his teeth were crooked and badly deformed, confirming historical references to his speech defect.
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The first son of Tokugawa Yoshimune
Tokugawa Yoshimune
was the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1716 until his abdication in 1745. He was the son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the grandson of Tokugawa Yorinobu, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Lineage:...
, his mother was the daughter of Okubo Tadanao
Ōkubo Tadanao
was the 8th daimyō of Odawara Domain in Sagami Province, in late-Edo period Japan. His courtesy title was Kaga no Kami.-Biography:...
, known as Osuma no kata. His childhood name was Nagatomi-maru. He underwent the genpuku
Genpuku
or genbuku was an historical Japanese coming-of-age ceremony. The etymology is atypical; in this case means "head" and means "wearing". The ceremony is also known as , , , , and ....
coming-of-age ceremony in 1725. His first wife, Nami-no-miya, was the daughter of Prince Fushimi-no-miya
Fushimi-no-miya
The ' is the oldest of the four shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the event that the main line should die out....
Kuninaga (伏見宮 邦永親王). His second wife, Okō, was the daughter of one of the courtiers who had followed his high-born first wife from the Imperial Court to the Shogunal Court in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
. This famously good-natured second wife was the mother of Ieharu, who would become Ieshige's heir.
In Enkyō 2, Ieshige was made shogun.
Ieshige suffered from chronic ill health and a severe speech defect. Yoshimune's choice of Ieshige as his heir created considerable controversy within the shogunate as his younger brothers Tokugawa Munetake
Tokugawa Munetake
was a Japanese samurai of the mid-Edo period, also known as Tayasu Munetake . The first head of the Tayasu branch of the Tokugawa clan, he held daimyo-level income, but was not a daimyo himself, instead having his residence inside the Tayasu gate of Edo Castle.The 2nd son of the 8th shogun...
and Tokugawa Munetada
Tokugawa Munetada
was a Japanese samurai of the mid-Edo period who was the founder of the Hitotsubashi-Tokugawa family, one of the Gosankyō, the three lesser branches of the Tokugawa family. He was the fourth son of Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eighth shogun. Munetada's wife was Tomohime , the daughter of the imperial...
appeared to be far more suitable candidates. Yoshimune continued to insist on his decision, favoring the Confucian principle of primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
; and Ieshige continued in the role of formal head of the shogunate. Yoshimune directed affairs after his official retirement in 1745. This attention was designed to ensure that Ieshige was secure in his office. Ieshige remained shogun until 1760.
Uninterested in government affairs, Ieshige left all decisions in the hands of his chamberlain
Chamberlain of Japan
The is a domestic caretaker and aide of the Emperor of Japan. He also keeps the Privy Seal and the State Seal and has been an official civil servant since the Meiji Period. Today the Grand Chamberlain, assisted by a Vice-Grand Chamberlain, heads the Board of the Chamberlains, the division of the...
, Ooka Tadamitsu (1709–1760). He officially retired in 1760 and assumed the title of Ōgosho, appointed his first son Tokugawa Ieharu
Tokugawa Ieharu
Tokugawa Ieharu Tokugawa Ieharu Tokugawa Ieharu (徳川家治 (June 20, 1737 – September 17, 1786) was the tenth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, who held office from 1760 to 1786.Ieharu was the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieshige, the ninth shogun.-Events of the Ieharu's bakufu:...
as the 10th shogun, and died the following year.
Ieshige's second son Tokugawa Shigeyoshi
Tokugawa Shigeyoshi
was a Japanese samurai of the mid-Edo period who was the founder of the Shimizu-Tokugawa family, one of the Gosankyō, the three lesser branches of the Tokugawa family. He was the second son of Tokugawa Ieshige, the ninth shogun.-References:...
became the founder of the Shimizu Tokugawa clan, which together with the Tayasu and Hitotsubashi (established by Ieshige's younger brothers) became the gosankyō
Gosankyo
The ' were three branches of the Tokugawa clan of Japan. They were descended from the eighth of the fifteen Tokugawa shoguns, Yoshimune . Yoshimune established the Gosankyo to augment the Gosanke, the heads of the powerful han of Owari, Kishū, and Mito...
, three cadet branch
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
es of the Tokugawa
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
family from which future shoguns might be selected if the main line were to die out. They joined the existing three cadet branches, the gosanke
Gosanke
The , also called simply Gosanke or even Sanke, were three branches of the Tokugawa clan of Japan descended from clan founder Tokugawa Ieyasu's three youngest sons, Yoshinao, Yorinobu and Yorifusa and allowed to provide a shogun in case of need. The three houses were called Owari House of Tokugawa,...
, to which Ieshige's father Yoshimune had been born.
Ieshige's reign was beset by corruption, natural disasters, periods of famine and the emergence of the mercantile class, and his clumsiness in dealing with these issues greatly weakened the rule of Tokugawa.
Ieshige died in 1761. His posthumous title is Junshin-in; and his grave is at the Tokugawa family mausoleum at Zōjō-ji
Zojo-ji
San'en-zan is a Buddhist temple in the Shiba neighborhood of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is the Great Main Temple of the Chinzai sect of the Shingon school. The main image is of Amida Buddha...
in Shiba
Shiba, Tokyo
Shiba is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, located near Hamamatsucho and Tamachi Stations on the Yamanote Line and Mita Station on the Toei Mita Line....
. His remains were disinterred and underwent scientific investigation from 1958-1960. It was discovered that his teeth were crooked and badly deformed, confirming historical references to his speech defect.
Eras during Ieshige's rule
The years in which Ieshige was shogun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- Enkyō (1744–1748)
- Kan'enKanenwas a after Enkyō and before Hōreki. This period spanned the years from July 1748 to October 1751. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:...
(1748–1751) - HōrekiHorekiwas a after Kan'en and before Meiwa. The period spanned the years from October 1751 through June 1764. The reigning emperor and emperess were and .-Change of era:...
(1751–1764)