The midaidokoro (御台所) was the official wife of the shōgun. During the
Edo period, she resided in the Ōoku of
Edo Castle and sometimes wielded considerable political power behind the scenes.
The first Midaidokoro in this period was wife of the second shōgun,
Tokugawa Hidetada, because when the
Tokugawa Ieyasu became shōgun, his wives had already died and there was no Midaidokoro at that time. When
Tokugawa Yoshimune's time came he didn't have Midaidokoro either because his wife had died before he became shōgun. Also when
Tokugawa Ieshige's time, his wife already died. At
Tokugawa Yoshinobu's time he and his wife didn't enter
Edo castle but they entered
Nijo castle so his wife was called "Gorenju".
The midaidokoro (御台所) was the official wife of the shōgun. During the
Edo period, she resided in the Ōoku of
Edo Castle and sometimes wielded considerable political power behind the scenes.
The first Midaidokoro in this period was wife of the second shōgun,
Tokugawa Hidetada, because when the
Tokugawa Ieyasu became shōgun, his wives had already died and there was no Midaidokoro at that time. When
Tokugawa Yoshimune's time came he didn't have Midaidokoro either because his wife had died before he became shōgun. Also when
Tokugawa Ieshige's time, his wife already died. At
Tokugawa Yoshinobu's time he and his wife didn't enter
Edo castle but they entered
Nijo castle so his wife was called "Gorenju".