Parents: Tokugawa Iemitsu, shogun of Edo, and Keishōin
Date of Birth: 23 February 1646
Royal House: Tokugawa
Reign: 1680 – 1709
Predecessor: Tokugawa Ietsuna
Summary: Tsunayoshi was born in Edo, the Japanese Imperial capital, in 1646, the second son of the reigning shogun, Iemitsu. Fearful that Tsunayoshi would become ambition and claim the title from his elder brother, Iemitsu send the boy away to become a scholar. During his years in academia, he became close to his mother while his father remained faithful to the eldest son. His father died in 1651 and Ietsuna, the eldest son, became the new shogun of Edo. Little is known of Tsunayoshi during the years of his brothers, reign, but things changed in 1680 when that brother died prematurely, leaving the shogunate to Tsunayoshi. Yet despite his legitimate claim, Tsunayoshi had to fight for his title against a son of the Emperor Go-Sai. He finally was confirmed as shogun in 1681.
Tsunayoshi was a harsh shogun, sticking rigidly to the samurai code. He confiscated vast tracks of lands from disloyal or failing government officials. He banned prostitution and expensive fabrics in an effort to increase the standard of living. As a result, smuggling became commonplace. Tsunayoshi also promoted Neo-Confucianism and traveled around Japan lecturing about it. His devotion also led to an interesting fondness for dogs, a trait linked to Tsunayoshi being born in the Year of the Dog. He passed laws protecting strays and diseased dogs, and by 1695 the city of Edo smelled terribly. The next year, 50,000 dogs were deported to kennels outside of Edo and city taxes paid for their food and lodging. The final years of Tsunayoshi's reign were beset with natural disasters. In 1706, a typhoon hit Edo, and the next year Mt. Fuji erupted. The shogun became ill and, in 1709, was murdered by his wife only days away from his 63rd birthday. She killed herself immediately after. The shogun was succeeded by his nephew, the son of a younger brother, who was the default heir since Tsunayoshi was unable to announce his adoption of the son of a different family.
Tsunayoshi was a harsh shogun, sticking rigidly to the samurai code. He confiscated vast tracks of lands from disloyal or failing government officials. He banned prostitution and expensive fabrics in an effort to increase the standard of living. As a result, smuggling became commonplace. Tsunayoshi also promoted Neo-Confucianism and traveled around Japan lecturing about it. His devotion also led to an interesting fondness for dogs, a trait linked to Tsunayoshi being born in the Year of the Dog. He passed laws protecting strays and diseased dogs, and by 1695 the city of Edo smelled terribly. The next year, 50,000 dogs were deported to kennels outside of Edo and city taxes paid for their food and lodging. The final years of Tsunayoshi's reign were beset with natural disasters. In 1706, a typhoon hit Edo, and the next year Mt. Fuji erupted. The shogun became ill and, in 1709, was murdered by his wife only days away from his 63rd birthday. She killed herself immediately after. The shogun was succeeded by his nephew, the son of a younger brother, who was the default heir since Tsunayoshi was unable to announce his adoption of the son of a different family.
Date of Death: 19 February 1709
Successor: Tokugawa Ienobu
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Frederick III, king of Denmark (1670)
No comments:
Post a Comment