Tokugawa Ieyoshi

Tokugawa Ieyoshi (徳川 家慶, June 22, 1793–July 27, 1853; r.1837–1853) was the 12th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.

He was the second son of the 11th shogun, Tokugawa Ienari, and appointed Mizuno Tadakuni to conduct the Tenpo reform.

Shortly after the arrival of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry, in 1853, whose purpose was to negotiate a treaty allowing American trade with Japan, Tokugawa Ieyoshi died, and was succeeded by his third son Tokugawa Iesada. The following year the Tokugawa shogunate was forced to accept the American demands after signing the Convention of Kanagawa.

Events of Ieyoshi's bakufu

 * 1837 (Tenpō 7): Tokugawa Ieyoshi becomes the 12th shogun of the bakufu government.

Ieyoshi died in 1853. His grave is at the Tokugawa family mausoleum at Zōjō-ji in Shiba.

Eras of Ieyoshi's bakufu
The years in which Ieyoshi was shogun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.
 * Tenpō (1830–1844)
 * Kōka   (1844–1848)
 * Kaei        (1848–1854)

In popular culture
Tokugawa Ieyoshi is a minor character in Stephen Sondheim's musical "Pacific Overtures," in which he is murdered by his mother, using poisoned chrysanthemum tea.

He is also a minor character in the first two Nemuri Kyoshiro made-for-TV specials starring Tamura Masakazu.