Tokugawa Tsunayoshi

Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (徳川 綱吉 February 23, 1646-February 19, 1709) was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the younger brother of Tokugawa Ietsuna, thus making him the son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The Decline of Shogun Tsunayoshi (1694-1709)

Perhaps owing to mental retardation, or perhaps even religious fundamentalism, Tsunayoshi had an obsession with living things in the later parts of his rule. In the 1690s and 1700s, Tsunayoshi, who was born in the Year of the Dog, thought he should take several matters against dogs. Edicts which told the populace to protect dogs were released everyday, since in Edo there were many stray and diseased dogs walking around the city.

Related Topics:
1690s - 1700s

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In 1695, there were so many dogs that Edo began to smell horrible. An apprentice was even executed because he wounded a dog. Finally, the trouble was taken to a distance, as over 50,000 dogs were deported to kennels in the suburbs of the city where they would be housed. They were apparently fed rice and fish which were at the expense of the taxpaying citizens of Edo.

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For the latter of Tsunayoshi's reign, he was advised by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, during which a flowering of Japanese art, otherwise known as the Genroku period took place. In 1701, another ronin problem took place, as a daimyo Asano Naganori attempted to kill Kira Yoshinaka in Edo Castle. Asano was executed, but Kira was not. Asano's Forty-seven Ronin avenged his death by killing Kira.

Related Topics:
Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu - Genroku period - 1701 - Asano Naganori - Kira Yoshinaka - Forty-seven Ronin

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In 1706, Edo was hit by a typhoon, and Mt. Fuji erupted the following year in 1707. Tsunayoshi already was ill, and on February 19, 1709, Shogun Tsunayoshi died at the age of 62, three days short of his 63rd birthday. He was suceeded by his nephew, Tokugawa Ienobu, who was the son of his other brother, Tokugawa Tsunashige, the former Lord of Kofu, which was a title Ienobu held before becoming shogun.

Related Topics:
1706 - Mt. Fuji - 1707 - February 19 - 1709 - Tokugawa Ienobu - Tokugawa Tsunashige

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Tsunayoshi is thought to be a weak and mentally ill shogun, but was also very religious.

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