Changes

[[Image:Atsuhime portrait.jpg|left|thumb|Atsuhime]]

[[Image:Atsuhime portrait.jpg|left|thumb|Atsuhime]]

However, Atsu was not able to exercise the influence that had been hoped. Iesada died in the 7th month of [[1858]], naming as his heir the young lord of Kii. Two months after her husband's death, Atsu-hime retired and took the name Tenshô-in, and at the end of the year she was given Third Degree rank. Her adoptive father Shimazu Nariakira died that same year; with both Iesada and Nariakira gone, Atsu-hime was freed from obligations, or expectations, to support Tokugawa Yoshinobu as the choice for shogunal heir. Iemochi became shogun instead; Atsushime continued living in Edo castle throughout Iemochi's reign, and that of Yoshinobu, who succeeded him as shogun in [[1866]].

However, Atsu was not able to exercise the influence that had been hoped. Iesada died in the 7th month of [[1858]], naming as his heir the young lord of Kii. Two months after her husband's death, Atsu-hime retired and took the name Tenshô-in, and at the end of the year she was given Third Degree rank. Her adoptive father Shimazu Nariakira died that same year; with both Iesada and Nariakira gone, Atsu-hime was freed from obligations, or expectations, to support Tokugawa Yoshinobu as the choice for shogunal heir. Iemochi became shogun instead; Atsushime continued living in Edo castle throughout Iemochi's reign, and that of Yoshinobu, who succeeded him as shogun in [[1866]]. She continued to advise these successive shoguns, and worked to manage the [[Ooku|Ôoku]].

During this time, the Shimazu clan joined forces with the [[Mori clan|Môri]] of [[Choshu han|Chôshû]] in support of the imperial restoration against the shogunate, and events eventually erupted into the [[Boshin War]] ([[1868]]), ending with the overthrow of the shogunate. At the end of the war, Tenshô-in (Atsuhime), who was from Satsuma, and Seikan-in-no-miya (静寛院宮) (formerly known as Kazu-no-Miya; the widow of Shogun Iemochi and the daughter of [[Emperor Ninko| Emperor Ninkô]]), successfully interceded with the victors for the continuance of the Tokugawa family. After the fall of Edo castle, Tenshô-in and the rest of the Tokugawa family were deprived of their rank. After vacating Edo castle at the age of 34 on [[1868]]/10/4, she moved into the Hitotsubashi mansion and stayed there until 7/28 the following year, when she then relocated to the mansion of the Kii Tokugawa in the Akasaka district of the city, now renamed Tokyo. She then moved to Ushigometoyama (牛込戸山) in Tokyo on [[1870]]/8/11. Yet in [[1872]], to better help supervise the raising and education of Yoshinobu's heir Yasuda Kamenosuke ([[Tokugawa Iesato]]), Atsuhime moved back to Akasaka, settling in Fukuyoshi-chô, where she remained until Iesato went to study abroad in England in [[1877]]. After that, she moved into the main Tokugawa residence in Sendagaya, in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. Tenshôin suffered from Parkinson’s disease, which eventually took her life at the age of 49 in [[1883]]. Upon her death her rank was restored.  

During this time, the Shimazu clan joined forces with the [[Mori clan|Môri]] of [[Choshu han|Chôshû]] in support of the imperial restoration against the shogunate, and events eventually erupted into the [[Boshin War]] ([[1868]]), ending with the overthrow of the shogunate. At the end of the war, Tenshô-in (Atsuhime) and Kazu-no-Miya (now known as Seikan-in-no-miya, 静寛院宮), successfully interceded with both sides for the bloodless surrender of Edo, and the continuance of the Tokugawa family. After the fall of Edo castle, Tenshô-in and the rest of the Tokugawa family were deprived of their rank. After vacating Edo castle at the age of 34 on [[1868]]/10/4, she moved into the Hitotsubashi mansion and stayed there until 7/28 the following year, when she then relocated to the mansion of the Kii Tokugawa in the Akasaka district of the city, now renamed Tokyo. She then moved to Ushigometoyama (牛込戸山) in Tokyo on [[1870]]/8/11. Yet in [[1872]], to better help supervise the raising and education of Yoshinobu's heir Yasuda Kamenosuke ([[Tokugawa Iesato]]), Atsuhime moved back to Akasaka, settling in Fukuyoshi-chô, where she remained until Iesato went to study abroad in England in [[1877]]. After that, she moved into the main Tokugawa residence in Sendagaya, in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. Tenshôin suffered from Parkinson’s disease, which eventually took her life at the age of 49 in [[1883]]. Upon her death her rank was restored.

 

Atsu-hime's grave was erected within the area of the mausoleum of Shogun [[Tokugawa Tsunayoshi]] at [[Kan'ei-ji]], only a short distance from that of her husband, Iesada. A [[loquat]] (''biwa'') tree, supposedly one of her favorite foods, was planted immediately next to her grave. It is not accessible to the public.

==Notes==

==Notes==

==References==

==References==

 

* 明治維新人名辞典, 日本歴史学会編集、吉川弘文館, 1981 (Dictionary of Personal Names of the Meiji Restoration).

* 明治維新人名辞典, 日本歴史学会編集、吉川弘文館, 1981 (Dictionary of Personal Names of the Meiji Restoration).

* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/広大院] From Japanese Wikipedia 広大院 (Kôdai-In)

* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/広大院] From Japanese Wikipedia 広大院 (Kôdai-In)