Prince Tokugawa Yoshinobu was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
27 Facts About Tokugawa Yoshinobu
2.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
3.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned his position as shogun in late 1867, while aiming at keeping some political influence.
4.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu was born in Edo as the seventh son of Tokugawa Nariaki, daimyo of Mito.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu's birth name was Matsudaira Shichiromaro Tokugawa Yoshinobu's mother, Princess Arisugawa Yoshiko, was a member of the Arisugawa-no-miya, a cadet branch of the imperial family; through her, he was a third cousin of the then-Emperor Ninko.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu's father Nariaki followed the example of the second Mito daimyo, Tokugawa Mitsukuni, who had sent all his sons after the firstborn to be raised in Mito.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu was taught in the literary and martial arts, as well as receiving a solid education in the principles of politics and government at Kodokan.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu became family head in 1847, coming of age that year, receiving court rank and title, and taking the name Yoshinobu.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu's supporters touted his skill and efficiency in managing family affairs.
10.
The period of Ii's domination of the Tokugawa Yoshinobu government was marked by mismanagement and political infighting.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu was the only Tokugawa shogun to spend his entire tenure outside of Edo: he never set foot in Edo Castle as shogun.
12.
The national army and navy, which had already been formed under Tokugawa Yoshinobu command, were strengthened by the assistance of the Russians, and the Tracey Mission provided by the British Royal Navy.
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The outlook among many was that the Tokugawa Yoshinobu Shogunate was gaining ground towards renewed strength and power; however, it fell in less than a year.
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In particular, Tosa was more moderate; it proposed a compromise whereby Tokugawa Yoshinobu would resign as shogun, but preside over a new national governing council composed of various daimyos.
15.
On November 9,1867, Tokugawa Yoshinobu tendered his resignation to the Emperor and formally stepped down ten days later, returning governing power to the Emperor.
16.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu opposed this action, and composed a message of protest, to be delivered to the imperial court; at the urging of the leaders of Aizu, Kuwana, and other domains, and in light of the immense number of Satsuma and Choshu troops in Kyoto, he dispatched a large body of troops to convey this message to the court.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu placed himself under voluntary confinement, and indicated his submission to the imperial court.
18.
Together with Kamenosuke, Yoshinobu moved to Shizuoka.
19.
The close relationship between father and son is highlighted in the illustrated biography on Prince Tokugawa Yoshinobu Iesato titled The Art of Peace.
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Tokugawa Yoshinobu was aware of this, and was so afraid of assassination that he redesigned his sleeping arrangement to confuse any potential assassin.
21.
Some of Tokugawa Yoshinobu's photographs have been published in recent years by his great-grandson, Yoshitomo.
22.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu took a seat in the House of Peers, and resigned in 1910.
23.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu died on 21 November 1913 at 16:10 and is buried in Yanaka Cemetery, Tokyo.
24.
On 9 January 1896, his ninth daughter Tsuneko Tokugawa Yoshinobu married Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu, a second cousin to both Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun and nephew of Prince Kan'in Kotohito.
25.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu married Prince Takamatsu, the brother of Emperor Showa, to become Princess Takamatsu.
26.
The years in which Tokugawa Yoshinobu was shogun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengo.
27.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.