was the 12th shà Âgun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
Ieyoshi was born as the second son of the 11th shà Âgun, Tokugawa Ienari and named Toshijirà  (æÂÂ次éÂÂ). Toshijirà  was appointed heir on the death of his elder brother, Takechiyo. He became shogun on September 2, 1837, at the age of 45 upon the retirement of his father, Tokugawa Ienari. However, Ienari continued to wield much power from behind the throne, and it was not until after his death in 1841 that Senior Rà Âjà « Mizuno Tadakuni was able to purge the government of his clique, and to implement measures to overhaul the shogunate's finances and controls in the aftermath of the Great Tenpà  Famine of 1832âÂÂ36.
Known as the Tenpà  Reforms, these numerous sumptuary laws attempted to stabilize the economy through a return to the frugality, simplicity and discipline that were characteristic of the early Edo period, by banning most forms of entertainment and displays of wealth. The restrictions proved extremely unpopular with the commoners.
Increasing criticism of the government's handling of foreign affairs led to the Bansha no goku in 1839, suppressing rangaku studies.
Another part of the Reform included the Agechi-rei of 1843, which was to have daimyà  in the vicinity of Edo and à Âsaka surrender their holdings for equal amounts of land elsewhere, thereby consolidating Tokugawa control over these strategically vital areas. However, this was also greatly unpopular amongst daimyà  of all ranks and income levels. To complicate the situation further, in May 1844, Edo Castle burned down, and Mizuno Tadakuni was forced into exile and retirement. Mizuno was replaced by Doi Yoshitsura, Abe Masahiro and Tsutsui Masanori as rà Âjà «. He forced the retirement of Tokugawa Nariaki in 1844 and placed Nariaki's seventh son, Tokugawa Yoshinobu as head of the Hitotsubashi-Tokugawa house in 1847. He also forced the retirement of Shimazu Narioki in 1851.
In August 1844, William II of the Netherlands urged Japan to also open the mainland to trade, but was rejected. US Commodore Matthew Perry arrived on 3 June 1853, on a mission to force a treaty opening Japan to trade. Ieyoshi died on 27 July 1853, before the treaty could be concluded, of heart failure possibly brought on by heat stroke, and was succeeded by his third son Tokugawa Iesada. The following year the Tokugawa shogunate was forced to accept the American demands by signing the Convention of Kanagawa.
Tokugawa Ieyoshi's grave is at the Tokugawa family mausoleum at Zà Âjà Â-ji in Shiba. His Buddhist name was Shintokuin.
Ieyoshi's official wife was Princess Takako (1795âÂÂ1840), the sixth daughter of Prince Arisugawa Orihito. She relocated to Edo Castle in 1804 when she was only age 10, and they were formally wed in 1810. In 1813, she gave birth to a son, Takechiyo, followed by a daughter in 1815 and in 1816. In addition, Ieyoshi had another 13 sons and 11 daughters by numerous concubines; however, only one son, Tokugawa Iesada, lived past the age of 20.
The years in which Ieyoshi was shà Âgun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengà Â.