Title of the Shogunal heir

So I've recently gotten really interested in Japanese history around the Edo and Meiji periods, especially in the titles of the Imperial Court, family and the Tokugawa clan. Now there are numerous special titles, ones for retired Emperors, retired Shoguns, Wives of the Shoguns and Emperors and other things of that nature but I can't seem to find if the heir of the Shogunate had an official title. So did they and if so what was the title?
 

Kou Gakei

Banned
At least within the Tokugawa Shogunate, the title was "右大将 (Migi-Shogun)" meaning "Right-Hand General". This was the title of Tokugawa Hidetada after Ieyasu was granted the title of shogun, and came to be used to designate the heir.
 

dead_wolf

Banned
At least within the Tokugawa Shogunate, the title was "右大将 (Migi-Shogun)" meaning "Right-Hand General". This was the title of Tokugawa Hidetada after Ieyasu was granted the title of shogun, and came to be used to designate the heir.

This isn't strictly true. While Hidetada was granted the title, the title didn't designate him as the heir per say - it was merely a recognition of the fact that he was Ieyasu's heir. After Hidetada became Shogun in 1605 he didn't name anyone to the position until 1617, though it was obvious his eldest son Iemitsu was his heir. Further when he did fill the position, it went to Ichijō Akiyoshi, the 9th son of Emperor Go-Yōzei. As well there was a parallel office, the Left-Handed General (左大将), which served a similar role. Often the roles were separated but on occasion one person held both titles - Akiyoshi for example was both Left- & Right-Handed General until 1620. The position was effectively the highest-ranked administrator, and the separation of such into two titles was a long-held Japanese tradition dating back to the Heian period meant to ensure that no one bureaucrat had complete control over the administrative functions of the state.
 
Last edited:
it should be noted that, in some parts of Japanese history, the Shogun was not a hereditary office. i haven't looked into it nearly as much as i should have by now, but i know that in around the start of the 14th century the Hojo clan were the de facto rulers of Japan and they selected who would be Shogun as their puppet
 
Top