Who was this person?
The tenth shōgun of the Edo shogunate. Born at Edo Castle as the eldest son of the ninth shōgun Tokugawa Ieshige, he was raised with the affection of his grandfather Yoshimune. He became shōgun in 1760 and entrusted government to Tanuma Okitsugu. Late in his reign came the eruption of Mount Asama and the Tenmei famine, and the grief of losing his heir Iemoto.
| Name | Tokugawa Ieharu (徳川家治) |
|---|---|
| Born–died | 1737 – 1786 |
| Period | Edo period |
| Birthplace | Edo Castle |
| Main achievements |
|
He was born in the Nishinomaru of Edo Castle as the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieshige, later the ninth shogun. His childhood name was Takechiyo. His grandfather, the eighth shogun Yoshimune, is said to have rejoiced at the birth of his bright grandson. With his father having difficulty speaking, the boy was looked to as the future pillar of the shogunate.
He came of age and took the name Ieharu. His grandfather Yoshimune doted on him and is said to have taught him learning and martial arts himself. He eagerly studied calligraphy, riding and archery, absorbing the outlook of an heir. His respect for his grandfather never wavered throughout his life.
His beloved grandfather Yoshimune died. Yoshimune had restored the shogunate's finances through the Kyōhō Reforms and is said to have passed on to Ieharu his advice on being shogun. By this time his father Ieshige was already the ninth shogun, and Ieharu lived in the Nishinomaru as heir.
He married Isonomiya Tomoko of the Kan'in-no-miya princely house of Kyoto. The couple were very close, and Ieharu is known for keeping almost no concubines. Daughters were born to them. Among the shoguns, he is remembered as one who cherished his wife.
His father Ieshige stepped down and he became the tenth shogun. His father is said to have told him to make good use of Tanuma Okitsugu as an honest man, and Ieharu kept those words, relying heavily on Okitsugu. Ieharu himself left much of government to trusted vassals and enjoyed shogi and painting.
His eldest son Iemoto was born to his concubine Ochiho no Kata. Iemoto proved bright and skilled in martial arts, and great hopes were placed on him. Ieharu rejoiced at the birth of an heir and looked forward to watching him grow. These high hopes would later turn into deep sorrow.
He promoted Tanuma Okitsugu, who had served as his sobayōnin, to rōjū. Okitsugu pursued new policies that harnessed merchant power, recognizing kabunakama guilds to collect taxes and planning the development of Ezo. This period is called the Tanuma era. That year a great fire also broke out in Edo.
His heir Iemoto suddenly fell ill on the way back from falconry and died. Ieharu grieved deeply and is said to have been despondent for a long time. The loss of the son on whom he had pinned his hopes threw the question of the shogunal succession into turmoil.
He adopted Toyochiyo of the Hitotsubashi house as his heir, the future eleventh shogun Ienari. Tanuma Okitsugu, who had close ties with the Hitotsubashi, is thought to have been involved in the choice. In this way the shogunal line passed to the Hitotsubashi house, descended from Yoshimune.
Mount Asama erupted violently, and together with cold summers the Tenmei famine spread, especially in the northeast. Many people suffered from hunger, and peasant uprisings and uchikowashi riots broke out in many places. Rice prices soared and discontent grew with Tanuma's merchant-friendly government.
Tanuma Okitomo, Okitsugu's son and a junior councilor, was attacked with a sword inside Edo Castle by the hatamoto Sano Masakoto and died of his wounds. Some townspeople even hailed Masakoto as a god of world renewal. From this incident on, Tanuma's power began to wane sharply.
He died of illness at Edo Castle. The cause is said to have been beriberi, and the exact date is disputed. Right afterward, Tanuma Okitsugu, having lost his patron, was forced out as rōjū. Ieharu was also known as a master of shogi, and a collection of shogi problems he composed survives today.
A. The tenth shōgun of the Edo shogunate. Born at Edo Castle as the eldest son of the ninth shōgun Tokugawa Ieshige, he was raised with the affection of his grandfather Yoshimune. He became shōgun in 1760 and entrusted government to Tanuma Okitsugu. Late in his reign came the eruption of Mount Asama and the Tenmei famine, and the grief of losing his heir Iemoto.
A. Period: Edo period. Born in 1737, died in 1786.
A. Tokugawa Ieharu was born in Edo Castle.
A. Ieharu trusted Tanuma Okitsugu, who had served since his father Ieshige's time, promoting him from chamberlain to senior councilor and entrusting him with government. Okitsugu pursued policies favoring commerce, but soon after Ieharu's death he had to step down.
See also: Wikipedia (ja) / Wikipedia (en) / Wikipedia (fr) / Wikipedia (zh) / Wikidata
Follow this life (autoplay)Tokugawa IeshigeTanuma OkitsuguHasegawa HeizōTokugawa Ienari
Motoori NorinagaSugita GenpakuMaruyama ŌkyoUeda AkinariHayashi ShiheiKoikawa HarumachiInō TadatakaHanawa Hokiichi
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.