Tokugawa Yoshimune 1684-1751.

Tokugawa Yoshimune (徳川 吉宗 Tokugawa Yoshimune, November 27, 1684 - July 12, 1751) 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. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. ... Events Adam Smith is appointed professor of logic at the University of Glasgow March 25 - For the last time, New Years Day is legally on March 25 in England and Wales. ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. ... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... Events Adam Smith is appointed professor of logic at the University of Glasgow March 25 - For the last time, New Years Day is legally on March 25 in England and Wales. ... Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate Shōgun )   is supreme general of the samurai,a military rank and historical title in Japan. ... The Tokugawa shogunate or Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) (also known as the Edo bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family until 1868. ... // Events August 5 - In the Battle of Peterwardein 40. ... // Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected... Tokugawa Mitsusada ) (January 28, 1627–September 25, 1705) was a daimyo in Japan during the Edo period. ... Tokugawa Yorinobu (1602 - 71) is Tokugawa Ieyasus 8th son and founder of the Kii branch of the Tokugawa family. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until...

Yoshimune's Lineage

Yoshimune was not the son of any former shogun. Rather, he was a member of a cadet branch of the Tokugawa clan. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, well aware of the extinction of the Minamoto line in 1219, had realized that his descendants might die out, leaving the Tokugawa family at risk of extinction. Thus, while his son Tokugawa Hidetada was the second shogun, he selected three other sons to establish the Gosanke, hereditary houses which would provide a shogun if a shogun did not provide an heir. The three Gosanke were the Owari, Kii, and Mito branches. In noble families, the title of nobility is usually passed to the first-born son, although more recently it has often passed to the eldest offspring regardless of gender, e. ... The Tokugawa clan crest The Tokugawa clan ) was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. ... Minamoto (源) was an honorary surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period to their sons and grandsons after accepting them as royal subjects. ... // Events Saint Francis of Assisi introduces Catholicism into Egypt, during the Fifth Crusade The Flag of Denmark fell from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse Ongoing events Fifth Crusade (1217-1221) Births Christopher I of Denmark (died 1259) Frederick II of Austria (died 1246) Guillaume de Gisors, supposedly the... Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada Tokugawa Hidetada May 2, 1579—March 14, 1632) was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. ... The Tokugawa Gosanke ) were three branches of the Tokugawa clan of Japan. ... Kii (紀伊国; -no kuni) or Kishu (紀州 kishÅ«) was a province of Japan in the part of Honshu that is today Wakayama and the southern part of Mie Prefecture. ... Mito (水戸市; -shi) is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and has a central location, moderately offset towards the coast in that prefecture. ...

Yoshimune was from the branch of Kii. The founder of the Kii house was one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's sons, Tokugawa Yorinobu. Ieyasu appointed him daimyo of Kii. Yorinobu's son, Tokugawa Mitsusada, succeeded him. Two of Mitsusada's sons succeeded him, and when they died, Tokugawa Yoshimune, Mitsusada's fourth son, became daimyo of Kii. Later, he became shogun. Tokugawa Yorinobu (1602 - 71) is Tokugawa Ieyasus 8th son and founder of the Kii branch of the Tokugawa family. ... Daimyo Matsudaira Katamori visits the residence of a retainer. ... Tokugawa Mitsusada ) (January 28, 1627–September 25, 1705) was a daimyo in Japan during the Edo period. ...

Yoshimune was closely related to the Tokugawa shoguns. His grandfather, Tokugawa Yorinobu, was a brother of second shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, while Yoshimune's father, Tokugawa Mitsusada, was a first cousin of third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. Yoshimune thus was a second cousin to the fourth and fifth shoguns (both brothers) Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, as well as a second cousin to Tokugawa Tsunashige, whose son became Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu. Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada Tokugawa Hidetada May 2, 1579—March 14, 1632) was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. ... Tokugawa Iemitsu (previously spelled Iyemitsu); 徳川 家光 (August 12, 1604 — June 8, 1651) was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty who reigned from 1623 to 1651. ... Tokugawa Ietsuna (徳川 家綱, 1641-1680) was the fourth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan who was in office from 1651 to 1680. ... Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (February 23, 1646–February 19, 1709) was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. ... Tokugawa Ienobu (1662–1712) was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan. ...

Early Life (1684-1716)

Tokugawa Yoshimune was born in 1684 in the rich region of Kii, a region which was then ruled by his father, Tokugawa Mitsusada. Yoshimune's childhood name was Tokugawa Genroku. At that time, his second cousin Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was ruling in Edo as shogun. Kii was a rich region of over 500,000 koku, but it was still in debt. Even during Mitsusada's time, Kii was in deep debt and had a lot to pay back to the bakufu. Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. ... Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (February 23, 1646–February 19, 1709) was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. ... A koku ) is a unit of volume in Japan, equal to ten cubic shaku. ...

In 1697, Genroku had his rites of passage and took the name Tokugawa Shinnosuke. In 1705, when Shinnosuke was just 21 years old, his father Mitsusada and two older brothers died. Thus, the ruling shogun Tokugawa Ienobu appointed him Daimyo of Kii. He took the name Tokugawa Yorikata and began to administer the province. Nonetheless, great financial debt which the domain had owed to the shogunate since his father's and even grandfather's time continued to burden the finances. What made things worse was that in 1707, a tsunami destroyed and killed many in the coastal areas of Kii Province. Yorikata did his best to try to stabilize things in Kii, but relied on leadership from Edo. // Events Construction begins on Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, England. ... Tokugawa Ienobu (1662–1712) was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan. ... Events January 1 - John V is crowned King of Portugal March 26 - The Acts of Union becomes law, making the separate Kingdoms of England and Scotland into one country, the Kingdom of Great Britain. ... The tsunami that struck Malé in the Maldives on December 26, 2004. ...

In 1713, Shogun Ienobu died, and was succeeded by his son, the boy-shogun Tokugawa Ietsugu. Now, Yorikata decided that he could not rely on the conservative Confucianists like Arai Hakuseki in Edo and must do his best to stabilize things in Kii. But before he could plan things in effect, Shogun Ietsugu died in early 1716. He was only seven years old, and died without an heir. The other children of the late Shogun Ienobu were too young to rule, thus it was decided by the bakufu to select the next shogun from one of the cadet lines. The Kii branch seemed to be the line which was most direct to Ieyasu, and Tokugawa Yorikata was the head of it. Year 1713 (MDCCXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Tokugawa Ietsugu (徳川 家継, 1709–1716) was the seventh shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, from 1713 to 1716, taking office at the age of three. ... Arai Hakuseki (新井 白石 March 24, 1657-June 29, 1725) is a Confucianist, poet and politician in Japan during the middle of Edo Period, who advised the Shogun, Ienobu. ... // Events August 5 - In the Battle of Peterwardein 40. ...

Eras of Yoshimune's shogonate

• Shōtoku
• Kyōhō
• Genbun
• Kanpō
• Enkyō

Shōtoku (正徳) was a Japanese era after Hōei and before Kyōhō and spanned from 1711 to 1716. ... Kyōhō (享保) was a Japanese era after Shōtoku and before Gembun and spanned from 1716 to 1736. ... Gembun (元文) was a Japanese era after Kyōhō and before Kampō and spanned from 1736 to 1741. ... Kampō (寛保) was a Japanese era after Gembun and before Enkyō and spanned from 1741 to 1744. ... Enkyō (延享) was a Japanese era after Kampō and before Kanen and spanned from 1744 to 1748. ...

Shogun and retired shogun

Yoshimune succeeded the post of the shogun in 1716, given that the main lineage lacked a legitimate heir. In 1745, he retired, taking the title "Ōgosho" and leaving his public post to his oldest son. The title is the one that Tokugawa Ieyasu had taken on retiring in favor of his son Hidetada, who in turn took the same title. // Events August 5 - In the Battle of Peterwardein 40. ... // Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected...

Yoshimune established the Gosankyo (御三卿) to augment (or perhaps to replace) the Gosanke. Two of his sons, together with the second son of his successor Ieshige, became the founders of the Tayasu, Hitotsubashi and Shimizu lines. Unlike the Gosanke, they did not rule domains. Still, they remained prominent until the end of Tokugawa rule, and some later shoguns were chosen from the Hitotsubashi line. The Han ) were the fiefs of feudal clans of Japan that were created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and existed until their abolition in 1871, three years after the Meiji Restoration. ...

As shogun, Yoshimune is best known for his financial reform and for dismissing his conservative adviser Arai Hakuseki and instigating the Kyōhō reforms. He is often considered the politically most able Tokugawa shogun after the line's founder Tokugawa Ieyasu. Arai Hakuseki (新井 白石 March 24, 1657-June 29, 1725) is a Confucianist, poet and politician in Japan during the middle of Edo Period, who advised the Shogun, Ienobu. ... The Kyōhō reforms (享保の改革) were a set of reforms instigated by the eighth shogun of Japan, Tokugawa Yoshimune, that lasted from the beginning of his reign in 1716 until 1736. ... Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest This is a Japanese name; the family name is Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu) January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until...

Although foreign books were strictly forbidden from 1640, rules were relaxed under Tokugawa Yoshimune in 1720, starting an influx of foreign books and their translations into Japan, and initiating the development of Western studies, or Rangaku. Events December 1 - Portugal regains its independence from Spain and João IV of Portugal becomes king. ... // Events January 6 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings February 11 - Sweden and Prussia sign the (2nd Treaty of Stockholm) declaring peace. ... Rangaku (蘭学) or Dutch Learning was the method by which Japan kept abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the country was closed to foreigners, 1641-1853, because of the Tokugawa shogunates policy of national isolation (sakoku). ...

Yoshimune in Fiction

Tokugawa Yoshimune was the central character of the long-running television series Abarembo Shogun. This jidaigeki included a few factual aspects of the career of Yoshimune, although the program was mostly fiction. Lantern, Megumi (Firefighting company), Abarenbo Shogun Abarenbo Shogun (暴れん坊将軍) was a Japanese television program on the TV Asahi network. ... Jidaigeki (時代劇) is a genre of film and television in Japan. ...

The 1995 Taiga drama Hachidai Shogun Yoshimune portrayed the life of Yoshimune in the NHK Sunday prime time slot. Toshiyuki Nishida portrayed the adult Yoshimune in the James Miki series. He is also a minor character in the recent Ghost in the Tokaido Inn books. Taiga drama (大河ドラマ) is the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. ... NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya, Tokyo NHK (, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai), or the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is Japans public broadcaster. ... Prime time is the block of programming on television during the middle of the evening. ... Toshiyuki Nishida (西田敏行; born 4 November 1947) is a Japanese actor. ...