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[[Image:tomon.jpg|left|thumb|The Tokugawa kamon.]] The Tokugawa served as the [[Shogun|Shôgun]] of Japan from [[1603]] until [[1867]] and were therefore the longest - and most stable - of Japan's three [[Bakufu|bakufu]]. The Tokugawa's actual roots are obscure for while [[Tokugawa Ieyasu|Ieyasu]] claimed descent from the Nitta and therefore the Seiwa-Minamoto, there seems to be little historical evidence of this. The genealogy Ieyasu commissioned claimed that a branch of the Kôzuke Nitta had taken the name Tokugawa and later transferred to [[Mikawa province]], where it was adopted into the Matsudaira. In fact, Ieyasu also maintained an alternate family history that suggested Fujiwara roots - which supports the supposition that the Tokugawa's early family tree was largely made out of whole cloth. The Tokugawa were 'officially' restored when Ieyasu petitioned the court to allow him to use the name Tokugawa in [[1566]].  

[[Image:tomon.jpg|left|thumb|The Tokugawa kamon.]]  

 

 

The Tokugawa served as the [[Shogun|Shôgun]] of Japan from [[1603]] until [[1867]] and were therefore the longest - and most stable - of Japan's three [[Bakufu|bakufu]]. The Tokugawa's actual roots are obscure for while [[Tokugawa Ieyasu|Ieyasu]] claimed descent from the Nitta and therefore the Seiwa-Minamoto, there seems to be little historical evidence of this. The genealogy Ieyasu commissioned claimed that a branch of the Kôzuke Nitta had taken the name Tokugawa and later transferred to [[Mikawa province]], where it was adopted into the Matsudaira. In fact, Ieyasu also maintained an alternate family history that suggested Fujiwara roots - which supports the supposition that the Tokugawa's early family tree was largely made out of whole cloth. The Tokugawa were 'officially' restored when Ieyasu petitioned the court to allow him to use the name Tokugawa in [[1566]].  

They became the new Shôgun following the [[Battle of Sekigahara]] ([[1600]]) and a formal endorsement by the court in [[1603]]. Ieyasu established a number of branch families whose role it was to provide heirs when the main line was unable to do so - these included the [[Kii Tokugawa clan|Kii]], [[Mito Tokugawa clan|Mito]], and [[Owari Tokugawa clan|Owari]] lines (the last Shôgun, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]], would be born into the Mito house). To these would in time be added the [[Hitotsubashi Tokugawa clan|Hitotsubashi]], [[Shimizu Tokugawa clan|Shimizu]], and [[Tayasu Tokugawa clan|Tayasu]], junior branches, the first of which was to provide the last Shôgun, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] (although Yoshinobu had actually been born into the Mito house.) These were to be known collectively as [[Shinpan]] Daimyo.

They became the new Shôgun following the [[Battle of Sekigahara]] ([[1600]]) and a formal endorsement by the court in [[1603]]. Ieyasu established a number of branch families whose role it was to provide heirs when the main line was unable to do so - these included the [[Kii Tokugawa clan|Kii]], [[Mito Tokugawa clan|Mito]], and [[Owari Tokugawa clan|Owari]] lines (the last Shôgun, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]], would be born into the Mito house). To these would in time be added the [[Hitotsubashi Tokugawa clan|Hitotsubashi]], [[Shimizu Tokugawa clan|Shimizu]], and [[Tayasu Tokugawa clan|Tayasu]], junior branches, the first of which was to provide the last Shôgun, [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] (although Yoshinobu had actually been born into the Mito house.) These were to be known collectively as [[Shinpan]] Daimyo.