Princess Tomoko (倫子女王)
Princess Tomoko (March 10, 1738-September 28, 1771) was a member of the Imperial family in the late Edo period, and the lawful wife of Ieharu TOKUGAWA, the tenth Shogun. Her childhood name was Isonomiya.
She was born to be the sixth daughter of Imperial Prince Kaninnomiya Naohito in Kyoto on January 20, 1738. Her mother's name was Sanuki who was a maid of the Kaninnomiya family. In October 1748, the marriage between Princess Tomoko and Ieharu TOKUGAWA was arranged, because the Kyoto shoshidai (the Kyoto deputy), Sadamichi MAKINO negotiated with the Imperial Court. She left Kyoto in February 1749, and once she arrived in Edo in March, she entered the Hama Goten (Hamagoten Palace) in Edo-jo Castle. In December 1754, she got married and entered the nishi no maru (the west palace which was a part of the castle) of Edo-jo Castle, which became her place to live; Since then she was called "gorenju" (the title of honor for a legal wife of a aristocrat as daijin, cabinet minister and kugyo, court noble). In July 1756, she gave birth to the first daughter of her husband, Ieharu; Although the daughter was named Chiyohime (華光院), she died only at the age of 2. In April 1760, she moved to the main ward of Edo-jo castle, and then she was called Midaidokoro (the wife of Shogun or a highest-ranking nobleman). In August 1760, she was promoted to the title "Jusani" (the Junior Third Rank); In September of the same year, her husband, Ieharu was appointed as Seii Taishogun (literally, "great General who subdues the barbarians"). Although she gave birth to the second daughter, Manjuhime, in August 1761, the daughter died at the age of 13. On August 20, 1771, Princess Tomoko died at the age of 34. She was buried in the temple, Shunshoin in Ueno, Edo (the present Tokyo). She was conferred the court ranks after her death:"Junii" (the Junior Second Rank) on August 23, 1771 and "Juichii (the Junior First Rank) in August 1783.