Tokugawa Ienobu

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Tokugawa Ienobu in classic court dress

Tokugawa Ienobu ( Japanese 徳 川 家 宣 ; born June 11, 1662 in Edo ; † November 12, 1712 ) was the 6th Shogun of the Edo period in Japan from 1709 to 1712 . His work was strongly influenced by Confucian views.

Life path

Youth and education

Toramatsu was the first son of Tokugawa Tsunashige . Tsunashige, in turn, was the third son of Tokugawa Iemitsu . He was raised by his older sister Senhime ( 千 姫 ; 1597–1666), Tenju-in and nurse Matsusaka . This had a servant Ohora ( お 保 良 ), the biological daughter of a fishmonger, who had been adopted into a samurai family. She seduced the 19-year-old Tsunashige and gave birth to the later Toramatsu. When Tsunashige was appropriately married to a daughter of the regent Nijō Mitsuhira (1625–1683; 二条 光 平 ) as the main wife († 1669), the - meanwhile pregnant for the second time - Ohora was married to the secretary Ochi Yoshikiyo . The firstborn Toramatsu was entrusted to the vassal Shinmi Masanobu for care. Since Masanobu feared for the boy's inheritance, he asked the Tairō Sakai Tadakiyo (1626–1681) to guarantee his claim if necessary. In 1670 the question of inheritance was discussed in the Kofu -Han. Masanobu insisted that his foster child be recognized. However, two false witnesses emerged claiming that Toramatsu died years ago. They also spread rumors of Tsunashige's mental illness. An investigation by the Bakufu uncovered the plot. The boy was brought to Edo and introduced to his uncle, the shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna . He changed his youth name to Tsunatoyo ( 綱 豊 ) in 1676 . When Tsunashige retired in 1677 († 1678), his son took over as the daimyo of Kofu (formerly Fuchū ) with an income of 250,000 koku .

Tsunatoyo was married in 1679/12/18 to Hiroko ( 熙 子 ), the 13-year-old daughter of the Chancellor on the left, Konoe Motohiro in Edo. Hiroko was the only chief wife of a Tokugawa shogun who had surviving children with her husband. In Edo they resided in the Sakurada. The marriage seems to have been harmonious throughout life.

After Ietsuna's death, it would actually have been his turn as the next male relative as Shogun. However, the council decided to pass it over in favor of Tsunayoshi . However, his fiefdom was extended by 100,000 koku .

The Confucian Arai Hakuseki (1657-1725), a Rōnin who had already taught in the house of Hotta Masatoshis , was hired in 1693 as a teacher of philosophy and Chinese history for Tsunatoyo. A relationship of trust developed between the two and Arai became the closest political advisor.

Shogun

When he was designated as the successor of Tsunayoshi in 1704 at the age of 52 and was adopted by him, he changed his name to Ienobu. At that time he moved with his family to the western palace of Edo-jō .

Ienobu's decisions are strongly influenced by Confucian ideas ( shōtoku no chi ) that Arai had taught him. The first official act of Ienobus was to defuse the strict animal protection laws of his predecessor on 1709/1/21 , especially with regard to dogs. In order to prevent this measure (as well as the confiscation of the unpopular taisen copper coins) from appearing in the Confucian sense as acting against the express will of the deceased, the funeral rites were delayed, making Tsunayoshi still ruling. Ienobu did not officially receive the title of Shogun until 1709/5/11. At the same time the elevation to the real second court rank and to Naidaijin took place.

Tsuneyoshi's most important counselor, Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu (1658–1714), was dismissed, expropriated and sent to a monastery. Yoshiyasu was installed in 1704 as Ienobu's successor as a daimyo of Kofu. In the spirit of Confucian “benevolence”, the new shogun issued 8831 pardons in the first year, of which 5599 fell under the jurisdiction of the daimyo. Taxes on alcohol were lifted. The repeal of the regulation for members of the imperial family that later-born children were to be placed in monasteries also goes back to Arai's recommendation. Overall, Ienobu was the first shogun to work to improve relations with the court in Kyoto . To strengthen finances, the import of luxury goods via Nagasaki was restricted, while contact with neighboring countries was maintained by receiving embassies.

His grave is in the Zōjō-ji ( Shiba ); posthumously he was given the name Bunshō-in and the title of Grand Chancellor ( Dajō Daijin ). When his bones were reburied, it was found that he was around 1.60 m tall, the average at the time and had blood group 0.

Women and children

  • Main woman : Konoe Hiroko (1666/3/26 - 1741/2/28) in the Edō-jō; 近衛 熙 子 , the Ten'ei-in ( 天 英 院 )
  1. Toyohime ( 豊 姫 ) * 1681 (died after two months)
  2. Mugetsuin ( 夢 月 院 ) * 1699 (died one day old)
  • Concubine: Okomu (1682–1766); お 古 牟 の 方 , the ( 法 心 院 ). The daughter of the monk Sōjun (Ōta Sōan) had been in the household since 1702, originally as a maid. From 1706/2/2 she was officially ochūro , i.e. bed companion of the landlord. She became a nun after the death of Ienobus under the name Hōshin-in and lived in his estate in Hama.
  1. Tokugawa Iechiyo ( 家 千代 ) * 1707/7/10 (died after two months)
  • Concubine: Okiyo (1685–1752; お 喜 世 ), the Gekkō-in ( 月光 院 ) had been in the household since 1704. Also called sakkyō . After Ienobus' death he had an affair with his secretary Manabe Akifusa (1667–1720). Contemporaries describe them as power-hungry and dissolute.
  1. Tokugawa Ietsugu (1709–1716; 徳 川 家 継 ), born Nabematsu, the 7th Shogun
  • Concubine (since 1703): Osume († お 須 免 , 蓮 浄 院 )
  1. Tokugawa Daigoro ( 大 五郎 ) 1708–1710 / 8/13
  2. Tokugawa Torakichi ( 虎 吉 ) * 1711 (died about three months )
  • Concubine: Itsuki ( 斎 宮 ); † 1710/7/24 after freak, was the daughter of a vassal on the estate in Hama.

The adopted daughter Masahime (1699–1704 / 7/22 ; 政 姫 ) was adopted as a four year old . She was a biological daughter of the regent Konoe Iehiro , a brother of Hirokos.

Literature and Sources

The Sannō gaiki ( 三 王 外 気 ), which has circulated as a manuscript since 1747 and is the author of Tōbu Yashi , which is probably a pseudonym for Dazai Shundai , tells in a novel-like form the events of the terms of office of Tsunayoshi, Yoshimune and Ienobu.

  • Ramming, Martin (ed.); Japan Handbook , Berlin 1941
  • Berend Wispelwey (Ed.): Japanese Biographical Archive; Munich 2007, ISBN 3-598-34014-1 , Fiche 386
  • Cecilia Seigle; Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu; in: Harvard Journal Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59, № 2, pp. 485-522
  • Nakai, Kate William; Shogunal Politics - Akai Hakuseki and the Premises of Tokugawa Rule; Journal of Japanese Studies, Vol 16, № 1

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ according to Bafuku soiden 1670/12/3, deviating from Tokugawa bakufu kafu 1671/12/15
  2. ↑ Cecilia Seigle; Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu; in: Harvard Journal Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59,2, p. 493ff
  3. ↑ a b c d Japanese calendar
  4. ↑ Cecilia Seigle; Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu; in: Harvard Journal Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59,2, p. 495.
  5. ↑ Bailey, Beatrice; The Laws of Compassion; Monumenta Nipponica , Vol 40 (1985), pp 165, 181, 186f
  6. ↑ jp: 徳 川 家 宣
  7. ↑ Cecilia Seigle; Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu; in: Harvard Journal Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59,2, (detailed curriculum vitae)
  8. ↑ Cecilia Seigle; Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu; in: Harvard Journal Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59.2, deviating: * 1690; P. 504f.
  9. ↑ Cecilia Seigle; Konoe Hiroko, Consort of Tokugawa Ienobu; in: Harvard Journal Asiatic Studies, Vol. 59,2, p. 507
  10. ↑ printed: Tokyo 1880 (Gajikan gashōya)
Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus Tokugawa is the family name, Ienobu the first name.
personal data
SURNAME Tokugawa, Ienobu
ALTERNATIVE NAMES 徳 川 家 宣 (Japanese); Tokugawa Toramatsu (youth name); Tsunatoyu (16–42 years old); 綱 豊 (Japanese, ages 16 to 42); Bunshō-in (posthumous)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Shogun (1709-1712)
DATE OF BIRTH June 11, 1662
PLACE OF BIRTH Edo
DATE OF DEATH November 12, 1712