Tenshoin Temple

She was the wife of the 13th Tokugawa Shogun, Iesada. Her name was Atsuko, later Sumiko. She was commonly known as Atsuhime. Her childhood name was Okatsu. She was present when the shogunate was abolished, and did her best to prevent the abolition of the main Tokugawa family and the military capture of Edo Castle. During the Meiji period, she aimed to maintain the status and name of the main Tokugawa family. Her father, Shimazu Tadatake, was the 5th head of the Imaizumi Shimazu family (13,000 koku), one of the "Ichimon families (four branch families)" considered the highest-ranking Shimazu retainers. The shogunate approached Shimazu Clan heir Nariakira (later the 11th lord of the clan) with the idea of ​​marrying someone from the Shimazu clan as Iesada's wife, in the style of Shimazu Shigehide's daughter Shigehime (Kodain), who married the 11th shogun Ienari in 1789 (Kansei 1). Oichi of the Imaizumi Shimazu clan was selected as the candidate. Oichi became Nariakira's adopted daughter. She was then adopted by the Minister of the Right, Konoe Tadahiro (1808-98), and in 1856 (Ansei 3), she married Iesada, becoming his wife. She followed the pleas of Nariakira, a member of the Hitotsubashi faction, who wanted Yoshinobu to be the next shogun, but was opposed by those around her and the plan did not come to fruition. When Iesada died in 1858, she became a nun, was given the title of Tenshoin, and was awarded the rank of Junior Third Rank. After that, she was in charge of the Ooku. When the 15th Shogun, Yoshinobu, returned the government to the Emperor in 1867 (Keio 3), she worked hard with Princess Seikan'in (Kawanomiya) and others to ensure the survival of the Tokugawa family and to prevent the government army from attacking Edo Castle. However, in July 1868, she rebelled against the government army and asked the Oshu-Uetsu Alliance to defeat them. She then moved to the Hitotsubashi residence, the Kii domain residence, the Owari domain residence, and the Sagara domain residence, and spent her time at the Tokugawa Sendagaya residence of the 16th head of the Tokugawa family, Iesato, until she died on November 20, 1883 (Meiji 16), at the age of 47. Although she was stripped of her ranks when the Tokugawa family was dispossessed, she was restored to the rank of Junior Third Rank and was buried in Iesada's graveyard in Ueno.

[Yasushi Miki]

"Tenshoin" supervised by Matsudaira Norimasa (1995, Kagoshima Prefectural Historical Materials Center Reimeikan)" ▽ "All about Tenshoin Atsuhime" edited by Yoshimasa (2007, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

徳川13代将軍家定(いえさだ)の正室。名は篤子(あつこ)、のち敬子(すみこ)。通称篤姫。幼名は於一(おかつ)。幕府の消滅に立会い、徳川本家廃絶・江戸城武力攻略の回避に力を尽くし、明治期には徳川本家の家格・家名の維持を目ざした。父、島津忠剛(ただたけ)は島津家家臣のうち最上級とされる「一門家（四つの分家）」の一つ、今和泉(いまいずみ)島津家（石高1万3000石）5代目。幕府は11代将軍家斉(いえなり)に1789年（寛政1）嫁いだ島津重豪(しげひで)の娘茂姫（広大院）にあやかって、家定の室を島津家からめとりたいと、島津藩世子の斉彬(なりあきら)（後の11代藩主）に打診、その候補として今和泉島津家の於一が選ばれた。於一は斉彬の養女となった。さらに右大臣、近衛忠熈(ただひろ)（1808―98）の養女として、1856年（安政3）家定との婚儀が行われ、御台所(みだいどころ)となった。次期将軍に慶喜(よしのぶ)を望んだ一橋派・斉彬の懇請に従ったが、周囲に反対され実現できなかった。家定が1858年に没すると落飾して天璋院の号を得、従三位に叙せられる。その後大奥の取締りにあたる。1867年（慶応3）15代将軍慶喜が大政を奉還すると、徳川家の存続と官軍の江戸城攻め回避のため、静寛院宮（和宮）らとともに尽力した。しかし1868年7月、官軍に反発、奥羽越列藩同盟に官軍討伐を願った。その後一橋邸、紀伊藩邸、尾張藩邸、相良(さがら)藩邸と移り、徳川16代当主家達(いえさと)のいた徳川千駄ヶ谷邸で過ごし、1883年（明治16）11月20日、満47歳で没した。徳川家処分の際に位記を剥奪(はくだつ)されていたが、従三位に復し、上野の家定の墓域に埋葬された。

［三木　靖］

『松平乗昌監『天璋院』（1995・鹿児島県歴史資料センター黎明館）』▽『芳即正編『天璋院篤姫のすべて』（2007・新人物往来社）』

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