TOKUGAWA Ieyasu

徳川家康 (1543-1616)

Together with ODA Nobunaga and TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi he played a decisive role in the unification of Japan in the 16th century. The “Battle of Sekigahara” (1600) ended in victory for Ieyasu, who had himself appointed shogun in 1603 and established the seat of the new government in Edo castle. The country was given a strong central government, which placed the continued rule of the regional lords under strict supervision.