Early life

Tokugawa Yoshinobu was born in Edo as the seventh son of Tokugawa Nariaki, daimyō of Mito. Mito was one of the gosanke, the three branch families of the Tokugawa clan which were eligible to be chosen as shōgun. His birth name was Matsudaira Shichirōmaro His mother, Princess Arisugawa Yoshiko, was a member of the Arisugawa-no-miya, a cadet branch of the imperial family; through her, he was a third cousin (once removed) of the then-Emperor Ninkō. Shichirōmaro was brought up under strict, spartan supervision and tutelage. His father Nariaki followed the example of the second Mito daimyo, Tokugawa Mitsukuni (1661-1690), who had sent all his sons after the firstborn to be raised in Mito. Shichirōmaro was seven months old when he arrived in Mito in 1838. He was taught in the literary and martial arts, as well as receiving a solid education in the principles of politics and government at Kōdōkan.

At the instigation of his father, Shichirōmaro was adopted by the Hitotsubashi-Tokugawa family in order to have a better chance of succeeding to the shogunate and changed his first name to Akimune (昭致). He became family head in 1847, coming of age that year, receiving court rank and title, and taking the name Yoshinobu. Upon the death of the 13th shōgun, Iesada, in 1858, Yoshinobu was nominated as a potential successor. His supporters touted his skill and efficiency in managing family affairs. However, the opposing faction, led by Ii Naosuke, won out. Their candidate, the young Tokugawa Yoshitomi, was chosen, and became the 14th shōgun Iemochi. Soon after, during the Ansei Purge, Yoshinobu and others who supported him were placed under house arrest. Yoshinobu himself was made to retire from Hitotsubashi headship.

The period of Ii's domination of the Tokugawa government was marked by mismanagement and political infighting. Upon Ii's assassination in 1860, Yoshinobu was reinstated as Hitotsubashi family head, and was nominated in 1862 to be the , receiving the position soon afterwards. At the same time, his two closest allies, Matsudaira Yoshinaga and Matsudaira Katamori, were appointed to other high positions: Yoshinaga as , Katamori as . The three men then took numerous steps to quell political unrest in the Kyoto area, and gathered allies to counter the activities of the rebellious Chōshū Domain. They were instrumental figures in the kōbu gattai political party, which sought a reconciliation between the shogunate and the imperial court.

In 1864, Yoshinobu, as commander of the imperial palace's defense, defeated the Chōshū forces in their attempt to capture the imperial palace's in what is called the Kinmon Incident. This was achieved by use of the forces of the Aizu–Satsuma coalition.

Shōgun (1866–1867)

After the death of Tokugawa Iemochi in 1866, Yoshinobu was chosen to succeed him, and became the 15th shōgun. He was the only Tokugawa shōgun to spend his entire tenure outside of Edo: he never set foot in Edo Castle as shōgun. Immediately upon Yoshinobu's ascension as shōgun, major changes were initiated. A massive government overhaul was undertaken to initiate reforms that would strengthen the Tokugawa government. In particular, assistance from the Second French Empire was organized, with the construction of the Yokosuka arsenal under Léonce Verny, and the dispatch of a French military mission to modernize the armies of the bakufu.

The national army and navy, which had already been formed under Tokugawa command, were strengthened by the assistance of the Russians, and the Tracey Mission provided by the British Royal Navy. Equipment was also purchased from the United States. The outlook among many was that the Tokugawa Shogunate was gaining ground towards renewed strength and power; however, it fell in less than a year.

Boshin War (1868–69)

Fearing the renewed strengthening of the Tokugawa shogunate under a strong and wise ruler, samurai from Satsuma, Chōshū and Tosa formed an alliance to counter it. Under the banner of sonnō jōi ("revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians!") coupled with a fear of the new shōgun as the "Rebirth of Ieyasu" (家康の再来) who would continue to usurp the power of the Emperor, they worked to bring about an end to the shogunate, though they varied in their approaches. In particular, Tosa was more moderate; it proposed a compromise whereby Yoshinobu would resign as shōgun, but preside over a new national governing council composed of various daimyōs. To this end, Yamanouchi Toyonori, the lord of Tosa, together with his advisor, Gotō Shōjirō, petitioned Yoshinobu to resign in order to make this possible.

On 9 November 1867, Yoshinobu tendered his resignation to the Emperor and formally stepped down ten days later, returning governing power to the Emperor. He then withdrew from Kyoto to Osaka. However, Satsuma and Chōshū, while supportive of a governing council of daimyōs, were opposed to Yoshinobu's leading it. They secretly obtained an imperial edict calling for the use of force against Yoshinobu (later shown to be a forgery) and moved a massive number of Satsuma and Chōshū troops into Kyoto. There was a meeting called at the imperial court, where Yoshinobu was stripped of all titles and land, despite having taken no action that could be construed as aggressive or criminal. Any who would have opposed this were not included in the meeting. Yoshinobu opposed this action, and composed a message of protest, to be delivered to the imperial court; at the urging of the leaders of Aizu, Kuwana, and other domains, and in light of the immense number of Satsuma and Chōshū troops in Kyoto, he dispatched a large body of troops to convey this message to the court.

When the Tokugawa forces arrived outside Kyoto, they were refused entry, and were attacked by Satsuma and Chōshū troops, starting the Battle of Toba–Fushimi, the first clash of the Boshin War. Though the Tokugawa forces had a distinct advantage in numbers, Yoshinobu abandoned his army in the midst of the fight once he realized the Satsuma and Chōshū forces raised the Imperial banner, and escaped to Edo. He placed himself under voluntary confinement, and indicated his submission to the imperial court. However, a peace agreement was reached wherein Tayasu Kamenosuke, the young head of a branch of the Tokugawa family, was adopted and made Tokugawa family head; On 11 April 1868, Edo Castle was handed over to the imperial army, and the city spared from all-out war.

Together with Kamenosuke (who took the name Tokugawa Iesato), Yoshinobu moved to Shizuoka. Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, had also retired to Shizuoka, centuries earlier. Iesato was made the daimyō of the new Shizuoka Domain, but lost this title a few years later, when the domains were abolished. Even after losing his position as ruling shogun, Yoshinobu strove to promote his son Iesato's political career so that he could attain the highest level of influence in the Japanese Imperial court, and also serve as a bridge between old world Japan and modern emerging Japan both domestically and internationally. The close relationship between father and son is highlighted in the illustrated biography on Prince Tokugawa Iesato titled The Art of Peace.

Many of the hatamoto also relocated to Shizuoka; a large proportion of them did not find adequate means to support themselves. As a result, many of them resented Yoshinobu, some of them to the point of wanting him dead. Yoshinobu was aware of this, and was so afraid of assassination that he redesigned his sleeping arrangement to confuse any potential assassin.

Later life

Living a life in quiet retirement, Yoshinobu indulged in many hobbies, including oil painting, kyudo (archery), hunting, photography, and cycling. Some of Yoshinobu's photographs have been published in recent years by his great-grandson, Yoshitomo. His other great-grandson, Yasuhisa Tokugawa of the Mito line, is the former Chief Priest at Yasukuni Shrine and current Kaicho of the Kokusai Budoin (IMAF).

On 3 June 1902, the Emperor Meiji allowed him to re-establish his own house as a Tokugawa branch (bekke) with the highest rank in the peerage, that of prince (kōshaku), for his loyal service to Japan. He took a seat in the House of Peers, and resigned in 1910. Tokugawa Yoshinobu died on 21 November 1913 and is buried in Yanaka Cemetery, Tokyo.

On 9 January 1896, his ninth daughter Tsuneko Tokugawa (1882–1939) married Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu, a second cousin to both Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kōjun and nephew of Prince Kan'in Kotohito.

On 26 December 1911, his granddaughter Kikuko Tokugawa was born. She married Prince Takamatsu, the brother of Emperor Hirohito, to become Princess Takamatsu.

Honors

• Prince (3 June 1902)

• Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (30 April 1908)

• Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers (22 November 1913; posthumous)

Order of precedence

• Third rank (first day, 12th month of the fourth year of Koka (1847))

• Second rank (10th day, 12th month of the first year of Keio (1865))

• Senior second rank (fifth day, 12th month of the second year of Keio (1866); degraded 28th day, ninth month of the second year of Meiji (1869))

• Fourth rank (appointed 6 January 1872, following degradation in 1869)

• Senior second rank (18 May 1880, restored)

• Junior first rank (20 June 1888)

Eras of Yoshinobus bakufu

The years in which Yoshinobu was shōgun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.

• Keiō (1865–1868)

• Meiji (1868–1912)

Family

• Father: Tokugawa Nariaki

• Mother: Arisugawa Yoshiko (1804–1893)

• Wife: (1835–1894)

• Concubines:

　• (1852–1905)

　• (1851–1915)

• Children:

　• Kyokoin Tonoike Mizukage Gendaidōjō (1858-1858) by Mikako

　• Akiko (1862-1862) by Mikako

　• Sumiko (1863-1927) by Mikako

　• unknown daughter by Mikako

　• Genji (1871–1872) by Nobu

　• Kaito (1871–1872) by Sachi

　• Takuma (1873–1873) by Sachi

　• Tokugawa Kyoko (1873–1893) married Tokugawa Satotaka (1856–1941) by Nobu

　• (1874–1930) by Sachi

　• Kaneko (1875–1875) by Sachi

　• Tokugawa Tetsuko (1875–1921) married Tokugawa Satomichi by Nobu

　• (1876–1907) married Hachisuka Masaaki by Sachi

　• Ikeda Nakahiro (1877–1948) inherited Tottori Domain by Nobu

　• Hitoshi (1878–1878) by Nobu

　• Yoshiko (1878–1878) by Sachi

　• Ryōko (1880–1880) by Nobu

　• Namiko (1880–1954) by Sachi, married Matsudaira Hitoshi, son of Matsudaira Naritami

　• Kuniko (1882–1942) by Sachi, married Okouchi Kiko

　• Tokugawa Tsuneko (1882–1939) by Nobu, married Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu

　• Itoko (1883–1953) by Sachi, married Shijo Ryuai

　• stillborn boy (1884–1884) by Sachi

　• Tokugawa Yoshihisa (1884–1922) by Nobu

　• Yasushi (1885–1886) by Sachi

　• Tokugawa Eiko (1887–1924) married Tokugawa Satotaka

　• (1887–1968) by Sachi

　• Katsu Kuwashi (1888–1932) by Nobu

　• Yoshiko (1891-1891) by Sachi

• Adopted Children:

　• Tokugawa Iesato (1863-1940) adopted son, who became 16th head of the Tokugawa Clan, after the end of the Shogunate dynasty.

His grandson Tokugawa Hiromi graduated as part of the 65th Class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in March 1938. On 12 July 1943, he was killed in action during World War II when the submarine he was deployed on was fired on by the destroyer in Indispensable Strait near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Shrapnel cut down Tokugawa and two enlisted lookouts, but the submarine was able to dive and escape. Tokugawa was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

背景

德川慶喜出生於德川御三家之一的水戶家，父親是水戶齊昭，母親登美宮吉子為齊昭的正室；慶喜是初代征夷大將軍德川家康第十一子德川賴房的第十代子孫，在眾多兄弟中排行第七。

生平

西化改革

天保八年九月二十九日（1837年10月28日）出生於江戶，11歲時奉第十二代將軍德川家慶之命，過繼到御三卿之一的一橋家為養子，直到出任將軍為止。

面對日漸衰落的德川幕府，慶喜原希望在繼任將軍後藉助法國之力進行西化（取得法國貸款600萬美元以招募法國軍官、購買兵器及船隻，並組成日法公司發展工商貿易），重提公武合體以改革幕政。不料1866年7月，出掌法國外相，不再支持法國駐日公使〔或譯陸修〕聯合幕府的外交路線，反而與英國採取同一陣線，傾向組成解除幕府的公議政體；慶喜頓失外援，加上在1866年底，一直支持公武合體、反對倒幕的孝明天皇暴斃（因此有傳是倒幕派所為），更使慶喜維護幕府政權合法性的美夢幻滅。

大政奉還

1867年6月，土佐藩的阪本龍馬及後藤象二郎定下「船中八策」，主張幕府奉還大政，組成以天皇領導的大名公議政體，更取得薩摩藩、土佐藩及廣島藩簽訂約定書支持。9月，薩摩藩及長州藩達成出兵協議，後再加入廣島藩組成倒幕同盟；10月，三藩代表更在京都集合，取得天皇討幕密詔，決意出兵。慶喜為避免一場日本內戰，主動在二條城舉行了大政奉還的儀式，將大政奉還予明治天皇。翌年天皇頒佈《王政復古令》，廢除幕府。

慶喜希望以此作為苦肉計，好在新政體下保留實力，以便爭回主導權。不過倒幕同盟並不信任幕府的舉動，決心發動以「王政復古」為名的政變，建立由天皇主導的新政府。慶喜面對朝廷及倒幕派的苛刻要求，迫於一戰，帶領幕府軍一萬五千人由大阪進攻京都，決戰為數五千人的政府軍，幕府軍卻於鳥羽伏見之戰大敗，慶喜匆忙拋下軍隊乘軍艦逃回江戶。

辭將納地

最後，慶喜在海軍奉行勝海舟遊說下，同意無血開城。1868年5月3日，德川慶喜交出江戶，改封於靜岡，領70萬石地，德川幕府在江戶265年的統治結束。

歸隱田園

退任將軍後，慶喜為免被新政府猜疑，對政治興趣明顯減退。在新政府任職的舊家臣，慶喜亦盡量避不見面。慶喜熱衷於投入攝影、狩獵、民謠歌曲研究等生活興趣之中，並專注於這些工作，甚少理會政治。且因為自小便受水戶藩水戶學盛行的尊皇攘夷理論薰陶，認為自己身屬亂臣，故一直都無意覲見明治天皇。德川本家的家督，則由他的養子田安家的德川家達接任。

明治三十年（1897年），他從靜岡回到東京居住。翌年他前往皇居（即前江戶城），首次覲見明治天皇。

受封公爵

明治三十五年（1902年），慶喜被明治天皇冊封為公爵，兼任貴族院議員。

明治四十一年（1908年），慶喜被明治天皇授予勳一等旭日大綬章。

大正二年（1913年），慶喜因肺炎而逝世，享壽76歲。身後以神道教儀式葬於現今東京都台東區谷中的家族墓園，後來該處更名為谷中靈園。

榮譽

• 1906年（明治39年）4月1日 - 勳四等旭日小綬章

• 1908年（明治41年）4月30日 - 勳一等旭日大綬章

• 1913年（大正2年）11月22日 - 旭日桐花大綬章

軼事

• 與生父齊昭一樣都很喜歡吃薩摩藩出產的豬肉，所以被人稱為（就是喜好豬肉的一橋大人之意）。對西洋文物十分關心，晚年喜好麵包及牛乳，對照相機及寫真攝影、釣魚、騎腳踏車、顯微鏡、手藝（刺繡）頗有興趣。在將軍時代曾向西周學習法語。

• 擁有駕駛執照，明治時期在靜岡市內駕駛汽車時，曾在蕎麥屋前引起了交通事故。

• 愛好攝影，但技術不佳。雖屢次向寫真雜誌上投稿，卻沒有被採用過。與他有共同興趣生活的友人則是慶喜的異母弟昭武。

家庭、親族

德川慶喜出身於水戶德川家，後過繼一橋家繼承家督。成為征夷大將軍亦同時是德川宗家的當主，1902年與宗家分家，創立德川慶喜家（已絕嗣）。

安政2年12月3日，與一條美賀子結婚。與美賀之間的長女（瓊光院殿池水影現大童女）於安政5年7月16日誕生，7月20日時夭折。之後便與美賀之間再也沒有生下孩子，明治年間一共生下了10男11女，皆是與兩位側室所生。子女有繼承德川慶喜家公爵的七男慶久、勝伯爵家的婿養子十男精與成為伏見宮博恭王妃的九女經子。慶久的女兒即是高松宮宣仁親王妃宣仁親王妃喜久子。

• 正室：一條美賀子（之女、一條忠香養女、天保6年7月19日～明治27年7月9日）

• 側室：（一色貞之助定住之女、天保9年4月26日 - 昭和4年）

• 側室：（松平政隆之女、新村猛雄養女、嘉永5年 - 明治38年2月8日）

　• 長男：敬事（明治4年6月29日-明治5年5月22日）

　• 長女：鏡子（明治20年3月23日結婚、夫人、明治6年6月2日-明治26年9月29日）

　• 三女：鐵子（明治23年12月30日結婚、德川達道夫人、明治8年10月27日-大正10年12月10日）

　• 五男：（明治23年成為養子、明治10年8月28日-昭和23年1月1日）

　• 六男：齊（明治11年8月17日-明治11年11月28日）

　• 六女：良子（明治13年8月24日-明治13年9月29日）

　• 九女：經子（明治30年1月9日結婚、伏見宮博恭王妃、明治15年9月23日-昭和14年8月18日）

　• 七男：（明治17年9月2日-大正11年1月22日）

　• 十一女：英子（明治44年4月29日結婚、德川圀順夫人、明治20年3月22日-大正13年7月5日）

　• 十男：（明治32年成為勝伯爵家的婿養子、明治21年8月23日-昭和7年7月10日）

• 側室：（中根芳三郎長女、大正4年12月29日去世）

　• 次男：善事（明治4年9月8日-明治5年3月10日）

　• 三男：琢磨（明治5年10月5日-明治6年7月5日）

　• 四男：（明治7年2月21日-昭和5年6月12日）

　• 次女：金子（明治8年4月3日-明治8年7月22日）

　• 四女：筆子（明治28年12月26日結婚、夫人、明治9年7月17日-明治40年11月30日）

　• 五女：脩子（明治11年8月17日-明治11年10月8日）

　• 七女：浪子（明治28年12月7日結婚、松平齊夫人、明治13年9月17日-昭和29年1月13日）

　• 八女：國子（明治34年5月7日結婚、夫人、明治15年1月23日-昭和17年9月11日）

　• 十女：糸子（明治39年5月19日結婚、夫人、明治16年9月18日-昭和28年10月11日）

　• 死產：男子（明治17年8月22日死產）

　• 八男：寧（明治18年9月22日-明治19年7月2日）

　• 九男：（明治20年10月31日-昭和43年11月11日）

　• 死產：女子（明治24年6月2日死產）

• 妾：芳（的女兒）

登場作品

;小說

• 最後的將軍（文藝春秋、司馬遼太郎著）

• 德川慶喜（文藝春秋、著）

• 十五代將軍 德川慶喜（文藝春秋、著）

• 天狗徬徨：德川慶喜與水戶天狗黨（文藝春秋、著）

• 將軍慶喜與幕末風雲 （文藝春秋、著）

• 德川慶喜（講談社、山岡莊八著）

• 大政奉還－德川慶喜的2000日（、著）

• 真說 德川慶喜（PHP研究所、童門冬二著）

• 德川慶喜（、三好徹著）

• 德川慶喜：敢於背負汚名的男人（PHP研究所、著）

• 德川慶喜之英略（世界文化社、著）

• 德川慶喜（東洋經濟新報社、著）

• 德川慶喜與家族（KIBA BOOK、著）

• 德川慶喜－血戰！長州戰爭（、著）

• 最後的將軍德川慶喜的遺憾－圖謀獲取統領的男人誤算（、・遠藤由紀子著）

• 在你安眠的朝晨（集英社、著）

• 正妻 慶喜與美賀子（講談社、著）

• 孤高的月將 德川慶喜（學研、著）

• 予德川慶喜公的斬奸狀（光文社、須田狗一著）

;影視劇

• （1927年、日活、演：）

• （1942年、大映、演：）

• 新選組鬼隊長（1954年、東映、演：）

• 新選組血風錄 近藤勇（1963年、東映、演：山城新伍）

• 西鄉隆盛（1964年、CX、演：）

• 大奧（1968年、KTV、演：天知茂）

• 龍馬來了（1968年、NHK大河劇、演：）

• （1971年、ABC、演：）

• （1974年、NHK大河劇、演：津川雅彥）

• （1977年、NHK大河劇、演：）

• （1978年、TBS、演：）

• （1980年、東映、演：）

• （1982年、NHK、演：細川俊之）

• （1982年、TX、演：）

• 大奧（1983年、KTV、演：）

• 天璋院篤姬（1985年、ANB、演：江守徹）

• （1986年、NTV、演：石田信之）

• （1988年、NTV、演：石田信之）

• （1988年、TX、演：國分鬱男）

• （1989年、NTV、演：）

• （1989年、TBS、演：）

• （1990年、NTV、演：津川雅彥）

• 宛如飛翔（1990年、NHK大河劇、演：）

• 尾張幕末風雲錄（1998年、TX、演：）

• 勝海舟最畏懼的男人：武士小慄上野介（1998年、ANB、演：近藤誠人）

• 德川慶喜（1998年、NHK大河劇、演：本木雅弘）

• 大奧（2003年、CX、演：）

• （2003年、NHK、演：）

• （2003年、松竹、演：伊藤英明）

• 新選組！（2004年、NHK大河劇、演：）

• （2007年、TBS、演：豐田茂）

• 篤姬（2008年、NHK大河劇、演：）

• 龍馬傳（2010年、NHK大河劇、演：田中哲司）

• 仁者俠醫（2011年、TBS、演：大治幸雄）

• 八重之櫻（2013年、NHK大河劇、演：小泉孝太郎）

• 花燃（2015年、NHK大河劇、演：）

• 龍馬的遺言（2018年、NHK、演：）

• 西鄉殿（2018年、NHK大河劇、演：松田翔太）

• 黑書院六兵衛（2018年、WOWOW、演：忍成修吾）

• （2020年、松竹、演：東出昌大）

• （2020年、東寶、演：山田裕貴）

• 直衝青天（2021年、NHK大河劇、演：草彅剛）

• （2022年、NHK、演：）

• （2023年、NHK、演：大東駿介）

;動漫畫

• 神劍闖江湖（集英社、和月伸宏作）

• 銀魂（集英社、空知英秋作）

• 幕末Rock（配音：齋賀光希）

• 擾亂 THE PRINCESS OF SNOW AND BLOOD

;電子遊戲

• 如龍 維新！（配音：）

史料

• 昔夢會筆記－德川慶喜回想談（平凡社、澀澤榮一編）

• 德川慶喜公傳（平凡社、澀澤榮一編）

• 明治將軍攝影－德川慶喜公攝影寫真集（朝日新聞社、德川慶喜・編）

• 德川慶喜－將軍家的明治維新 増補版（中央公論新社、著）

• 德川慶喜（吉川弘文館、著）

• 明治維新與世界認識體系（有志舍、奈良勝司著）

• 徳川慶喜的總總（、編）

• 幕末的將軍（講談社、久住真也著）

• 最後的將軍德川慶喜（中央公論新社、著）

• 德川慶喜 其人與時代（岩田書院、編）

註解

相關條目

與慶喜有關的都市

• 水戶市

• 東京都

• 靜岡市

建造物

• 日本橋

側近

• （水戶藩藩士、一橋德川家家臣）

• （一橋德川家家臣）

• 西周助（慶喜的政治顧問）

• 土岐朝義（一橋德川家家臣）

• （一橋德川家家臣）