Tokugawa Ietsugu
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Tokugawa Ietsugu; 徳川 家継 (August 8, 1709-June 19, 1716) was the seventh shogun of the Tokugawa Dynasty, who ruled from 1713 until his death in 1716. He was the son of Tokugawa Ienobu, thus making him the grandson of Tokugawa Tsunashige, daimyo of Kofu, great-grandson of Tokugawa Iemitsu, great-great grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and finally the great-great-great grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
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[edit] Early Life (1709-1713)
Tokugawa Ietsugu was born in 1709 in Edo, being the eldest son of Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu and a concubine. At that time, his father was shogun, and was being advised by his long time Confucian advisor, Arai Hakuseki, who held considerable influence in the shogun's court at Edo. At the time Ietsugu was born, his father, Ienobu, was 48. Nonetheless, at the time when Ietsugu was three years old, his father Shogun Ienobu died, making Ietsugu, the heir to the Tokugawa, the new Shogun. Tokugawa Ietsugu thus became known as Shogun Ietsugu.
[edit] The Early Years of Shogun Ietsugu (1713-1715)
Since Shogun Ietsugu was still a toddler and not old or able enough to rule, he, like his father, was put under the protection and advice of Confucian scholar Arai Hakuseki. Two problems were addressed during Ietsugu's reign: currency reform and foreign trade in Kyushu. Ietsugu did not take much care of the country's matters - his advisors, namely Arai Hakuseki, addressed them.
In 1713, prices were rising. Thus, after various proposals (most after the death of Ienobu) submitted to Shogun Ietsugu and Hakuseki, it was decided that a new currency would be addressed. In 1714, the new metallic currency was introduced. While rice had increased during the rule of Ienobu, after the currency was introduced during the rule of Ietsugu, it fell to a down low.
[edit] Foreign Matters (1716)
The currency reform also had a lot to do with foreign trade. In 1716, only Dutch merchant ships and the Chinese could trade in Nagasaki. Reform of the currency system also led to reform of trade rules as well. In 1716, a document was addressed saying that the bakufu would appoint two commissioners of Foreign Trade in Edo and Nagasaki, and that 30 Chinese ships and 2 Dutch ships be allowed to enter the country each year. Nonetheless, Japan still remained very isolated.
[edit] Death of Shogun Ietsugu (1716)
In 1716, Shogun Ietsugu died of natural causes, at the age of seven. He had not done much to rule - but was thought of as a playful and mischeavous character. Since he left no children or direct heir, the direct paternal line of Tokugawa Ieyasu died out with him (one hundred years after Ieyasu died himself). Nonetheless, there were still collateral lineal branches descended from Ieyasu through one of his many children, and the new shogun would be chosen from one of these lineal Tokugawa branches.
| Preceded by Tokugawa Ienobu |
Tokugawa Shogun 1713-1716 |
Succeeded by Tokugawa Yoshimune |
