Changes

*''Born: [[1837]]''

*''Born: [[1837]]''

*''Died: [[1913]]''

*''Died: [[1913]]''

*''Distinction: Fifteenth and final [[Tokugawa bakufu|Tokugawa shogun]] ([[1866]]-[[1867]])''

*''Distinction: Fifteenth and final [[Tokugawa bakufu|Tokugawa shogun]] ([[1867]]-[[1868]])''<ref>Yoshinobu became Shogun in January 1867, and stepped down just under one year later in January 1868; both of these took place in the last month of the lunar year more generally corresponding to the previous Western year. Thus his reign is often listed as 1866/12 to 1867/12 on the lunar calendar, though this corresponds to Jan 1867 to Jan 1868 on the Western calendar.</ref>

*''Japanese:'' [[徳川]]慶喜 ''(Tokugawa Yoshinobu, or Tokugawa Keiki)''

*''Japanese:'' [[徳川]]慶喜 ''(Tokugawa Yoshinobu, or Tokugawa Keiki)''

Yoshinobu was the seventh son of [[Tokugawa Nariaki]] 斉昭, head of the [[Mito Tokugawa clan]]. He was adopted as heir of the [[Hitotsubashi Tokugawa clan]].  

Yoshinobu was the seventh son of [[Tokugawa Nariaki]] 斉昭, head of the [[Mito Tokugawa clan]]. He was adopted as heir of the [[Hitotsubashi Tokugawa clan]].  

When it became clear that the shogun  [[Tokugawa Iesada]] was not going to produce an heir, Yoshinobu was proposed as heir by a group who believed that in the turbulant age (now known as the [[Bakumatsu Period|bakumatsu]]), a mature man was needed as shogun. The group included [[Shimazu Nariakira]] of [[Satsuma han|Satsuma]], who married his adopted daughter [[Atsu-hime]] to the shogun in an attempt to influence him. Yoshinobu's supporters even tried to get backing from the imperial court, involving it for the first time in a Tokugawa family matter (Reishauer p. 208). However, the young [[Tokugawa Iemochi]] of the [[Kii Tokugawa clan]] was named as heir just before Iesada died in [[1858]]. The next year, during the [[Ansei Purge]], Yoshinobu was ordered into domiciliary confinement. But in [[1862]] he was made the guardian of the young Iemochi, and upon the latter's death in [[1866]] became shogun.

When it became clear that the shogun  [[Tokugawa Iesada]] was not going to produce an heir, Yoshinobu was proposed as heir by a group who believed that in the turbulant age (now known as the [[Bakumatsu Period|bakumatsu]]), a mature man was needed as shogun. The group included [[Shimazu Nariakira]] of [[Satsuma han|Satsuma]], who married his adopted daughter [[Atsu-hime]] to the shogun in an attempt to influence him. Yoshinobu's supporters even tried to get backing from the imperial court, involving it for the first time in a Tokugawa family matter (Reishauer p. 208). However, the young [[Tokugawa Iemochi]] of the [[Kii Tokugawa clan]] was named as heir just before Iesada died in [[1858]]. The next year, during the [[Ansei Purge]], Yoshinobu was ordered into domiciliary confinement. But in [[1862]] he was made the guardian of the young Iemochi, and upon the latter's death in [[1866]] became shogun in January [[1867]].

Yoshinobu embarked on reform of the administration with the advice of the [[France|French]] envoy [[Leon Roches|Léon Roches]]. There were also several attempts to form a council of leading [[daimyo]] which would be involved in government. Since until then only the hereditary Tokugawa vassal daimyo (fudai daimyo) had been involved in the administration, this was a major change. However, these plans fell through. Then [[Tosa han]] proposed that the shogun return his political authority to the emperor and head a council of daimyo under the emperor. The shogun would also continue to control the Tokugawa estate. Yoshinobu announced this "Return of Power" ([[Taisei Hokan|Taisei Hôkan]] 大政奉還) in Kyoto on [[1867]]/10/14 and was again entrusted with the government of the nation. But nothing really happened.  

Yoshinobu embarked on reform of the administration with the advice of the [[France|French]] envoy [[Leon Roches|Léon Roches]]. There were also several attempts to form a council of leading [[daimyo]] which would be involved in government. Since until then only the hereditary Tokugawa vassal daimyo (fudai daimyo) had been involved in the administration, this was a major change. However, these plans fell through. Then [[Tosa han]] proposed that the shogun return his political authority to the emperor and head a council of daimyo under the emperor. The shogun would also continue to control the Tokugawa estate. Yoshinobu announced this "Return of Power" ([[Taisei Hokan|Taisei Hôkan]] 大政奉還) in Kyoto on [[1867]]/10/14 and was again entrusted with the government of the nation. But nothing really happened.  

Following his death, Yoshinobu was not enshrined and entombed like his predecessors, at either [[Kan'ei-ji]] or [[Zojo-ji|Zôjô-ji]], but was instead buried in [[Yanaka Cemetery]], in a still grand but comparatively ordinary burial.

Following his death, Yoshinobu was not enshrined and entombed like his predecessors, at either [[Kan'ei-ji]] or [[Zojo-ji|Zôjô-ji]], but was instead buried in [[Yanaka Cemetery]], in a still grand but comparatively ordinary burial.

==Tokugawa Yoshinobu in Fiction==

==Tokugawa Yoshinobu in Fiction==