Yoshimune Tokugawa was the eighth Tokugawa shogun, he is noted for the efforts he made to restore efficiency and financial health to the shogunatc and improve the state of the nation.
Background
Yoshimune Tokugawa was born on 27 Noember 1684 in Wakayama Castle, the fourth son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the lord of the fief of Kishu (Kii Province). His mother was Oyuri-no-kata, the daughter of Rose Rokuzacmon. In childhood he went by the names Genrolui and Shinnosuke, and later was called Yorikata.
Career
In 1697 he had an audience with the fifth shogun, Tsunayoshi, at the official residence of the fief of Kishu in Edo. In 1705, as a result of the sudden deaths of his father and elder brothers, he was unexpectedly raised to the position of lord ot the fief of Kishu. In 1716 the seventh shogun, Ietsugu, died without leaving an heir, and Yoshimune, because of his reputation for keen intelligence, was chosen by the higli shogunatc officials to succeed to the position of shogun.