Changes

* ''Birth: [[1835]]/12/19''

* ''Birth: [[1835]]/12/19''

* ''Death: [[1883]]/11/12''

* ''Death: [[1883]]/11/12''

* ''Birth Name'': [[島津]]一子 ''(Shimazu Sumiko)''

* ''Birth Name'': [[島津]]一子 ''(Shimazu Katsuko)''

* ''Other Names'': [[近衛]]敬子 ''(Konoe Sumiko)'', [[藤原]]敬子 ''(Fujiwara Sumiko)''

* ''Other Names'': [[近衛]]敬子 ''(Konoe Sumiko)'', [[藤原]]敬子 ''(Fujiwara Sumiko)''

* ''Married Name'': [[徳川]]篤姫 ''(Tokugawa Atsu-hime)''

* ''Married Name'': [[徳川]]篤姫 ''(Tokugawa Atsu-hime)''

Atsu-hime <ref>"Hime," often translated "princess," is a title used with the personal name of a woman of high rank, such as the daughter of a daimyo.</ref> was a daughter of the [[Imaizumi clan|Imaizumi]] [[Shimazu clan]], and,　for about two years, the wife of the thirteenth shogun, [[Tokugawa Iesada]] ([[1824]]-[[1858]]).  

Atsu-hime <ref>"Hime," often translated "princess," is a title used with the personal name of a woman of high rank, such as the daughter of a daimyo.</ref> was a daughter of the [[Imaizumi clan|Imaizumi]] [[Shimazu clan]], and,　for about two years, the wife of the thirteenth shogun, [[Tokugawa Iesada]] ([[1824]]-[[1858]]).  

Born the daughter of [[Shimazu Tadatake]] (島津忠剛), in the Imaizumi mansion in Ibusuki, [[Satsuma province]], she was initially named Katsuko, or Okatsu. She was adopted by the lord of the fief, [[Shimazu Nariakira]], in [[1853]], given the name Atsu, and brought to Kagoshima. She lived at [[Kagoshima castle]] only very briefly, however, before moving to Kyoto the same year, being adopted into the [[Konoe family]] and renamed Konoe or Fujiwara Sumiko, and then relocating, yet again, to the [[Satsuma Edo mansion|Shimazu clan mansion]] at Shiba in Edo.

Born the daughter of [[Shimazu Tadatake]] (島津忠剛), in the Imaizumi mansion in Ibusuki, [[Satsuma province]], she was initially named Katsuko, or Okatsu. She was adopted by the lord of the fief, [[Shimazu Nariakira]], in [[1853]], given the name Atsu, and brought to Kagoshima. Though actually an adopted daughter, she was represented to the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] as being Nariakira's biological daughter.<ref>See ''[[omote and uchi]]''.</ref><ref name=mansion>Plaques on-site at former site of Imaizumi Shimazu family mansion, Dairyû-chô, Kagoshima.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15066707939/sizes/h/]</ref> Atsuhime lived at [[Kagoshima castle]] for only two months, however, before moving to Kyoto in the 8th month that same year, being adopted into the [[Konoe family]] and renamed Konoe or Fujiwara Sumiko, and then relocating, yet again, to the [[Satsuma Edo mansion|Shimazu clan mansion]] at Shiba in Edo, in the 10th month.<ref name=mansion/>

Adopting the daughter of a branch house or a high-ranking retainer for use in marriage politics was not an unusual practice in Japan; it was much used by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]], among others. In Atsu's case, Nariakira intended to marry her to the shogun Tokugawa Iesada. However, Nariakira's purpose was not to become the grandfather of the future shogun. Iesada had already buried two wives and was still childless. His successor had to be chosen from among the heads of several Tokugawa branch houses. The most natural one was his cousin, the young lord of [[Wakayama han|Kii]] [[Tokugawa Iemochi|Iemochi]] (aka Yoshitomi, [[1846]]-[[1866]]). However, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu|Yoshinobu]] ([[1837]]-1913), originally of the [[Mito Tokugawa clan]], but adopted into the [[Hitotsubashi Tokugawa clan|Hitotsubashi branch]], was also a strong candidate. The latter was supported by those, including Nariakira, who believed the shogunate needed a strong leader who could make necessary reforms, especially in view of the foreign threat typified by the visit of [[Matthew Perry]] in 1853. It was hoped that Atsu could be influential in getting Yoshinobu to be named as successor. The "outer lords" (''[[tozama]] daimyô''), including the Shimazu, had been shut out of the shogunate administration since the beginning, but from the shogunate's perspective it was hoped that this marriage would strengthen the weakening shogunate by allying it to this powerful clan.

Adopting the daughter of a branch house or a high-ranking retainer for use in marriage politics was not an unusual practice in Japan; it was much used by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]], among others. In Atsu's case, Nariakira intended to marry her to the shogun Tokugawa Iesada. However, Nariakira's purpose was not to become the grandfather of the future shogun. Iesada had already buried two wives and was still childless. His successor had to be chosen from among the heads of several Tokugawa branch houses. The most natural one was his cousin, the young lord of [[Wakayama han|Kii]] [[Tokugawa Iemochi|Iemochi]] (aka Yoshitomi, [[1846]]-[[1866]]). However, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu|Yoshinobu]] ([[1837]]-1913), originally of the [[Mito Tokugawa clan]], but adopted into the [[Hitotsubashi Tokugawa clan|Hitotsubashi branch]], was also a strong candidate. The latter was supported by those, including Nariakira, who believed the shogunate needed a strong leader who could make necessary reforms, especially in view of the foreign threat typified by the visit of [[Matthew Perry]] in 1853. It was hoped that Atsu could be influential in getting Yoshinobu to be named as successor. The "outer lords" (''[[tozama]] daimyô''), including the Shimazu, had been shut out of the shogunate administration since the beginning, but from the shogunate's perspective it was hoped that this marriage would strengthen the weakening shogunate by allying it to this powerful clan.