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The Tokugawa dynasty: The Shōgunate from 1603 – 1868

 

 

Genealogical table of Tokugawa Shōgunate

 

 

 

 

The Great Families of the Tokugawa clan

  • Tokugawa (branch established by Hidetada, died out after the 7th Shogun)
  • Tokugawa Ieyasu named three cadet branches (gosanke) (each established by one of his sons) from which Shogun could be selected:  Owari, Kii, and Mito
    • Kii (from Yoshimune, the 8th Shogun, this cadet branch and its own branch families produced Shoguns from 8 to 14)
    • Mito (produced the last Shogun)
    • Owari (never produced a Shogun)

 

An illustrative note about dynastic politics, both imperial and shōgunal:  Tokugawa Kazuko (1607-1678), the daughter of the second Shōgun Hidetada, was married to the Emperor Go-Mizunoo in 1620.  When the Go-Mizunoo abdicated in 1629, their daughter (Tokugawa Ieyasu’s great granddaughter) became the Empress Meishō (reigned 1629-43); Tokugawa Kazuko’s influence on the Imperial court continued through the reigns of the three succeeding Emperors, each of whom were among her step-sons.

 

 

 

name

reign

birth-death

 

 

 

 

1

Ieyasu

1603-05

1543-1616

 

 

 

2

Hidetada

1605-23

1579-1632

Second son of Ieyasu

 

 

3

Iemitsu

1623-51

 

First son of Hidetada

 

 

4

Ietsuna

1651-80

 

First son of Iemitsu

 

1657 -- Meireki fire destroys Edo

5

Tsunayoshi

1680-1709

 

Adopted by Ietsuna; 3rd son of Iemitsu

adopted by brother

Genroku period

 

“The Dog Shōgun”

 

 

 

 

 

 

1703 – Chushingura; the incident of the 47 ronin

6

Ienobu

1709-13

 

adopted by Tsunayoshi: grandson of Iemitsu, son of Iemitsu’s 2nd son Tsunehige,

adopted by uncle

 

7

Ietsugu

1713-16

1709-16

Son of Ienobu

 

an infant as Shōgun

8

Yoshimune

1716-45

1684-1751

Adopted by Ietsugu; from the line of the House of Kii, established by Ieyasu’s 4th son Tadayoshi

 

 

9

Ieshige

1745-60

 

First son of Yoshimune

adopted by 8

 

10

Ieharu

1760-86

 

First son of Ieshige

 

 

 

regency for Ienari

1786-93

 

 

 

 

 

11

Ienari

1793-1838

 

From the line of the Hitotsubashi branch of the House of Kii, established by the 3rd son of Yoshimune

 

 

12

Ieyoshi

1838-53

 

First son of Ienari

 

 

13

Iesada

1853-58

 

Son of Ieyoshi

 

 

14

Iemochi

1858-66

 

From the line of the House of Kii, grandson of Ienari

adopted

 

15

Yoshinobu (Keiki)

1866-67

died 1913

From the line of the House of Mito, established by the 5th son of Ieyasu

adopted