Tadayiko served under
shōgun Tokugawa Ietsuna as one of the
Rōjū (chief advisor) from 1653–1666, and then as
Tairō, head of the
Rōjū council, from 1666–1680. Generally regarded today as self-indulgent and corrupt, his policies (or lack thereof) are generally said to have been responsible for initiating the shift to hedonism, and debauchery which characterized the
Genroku era (1688–1704). Though a
Golden Age for the arts, this era was regarded by the following generation of officials as one of immorality, impropriety, and excessive extravagance. By the time Tadakiyo became head of the
Rōjū in 1666, most of the capable and stalwart politicians who might have opposed him, such as
Matsudaira Nobutsuna had died.
Abe Tadaaki remained as his only significant critic, until his death in 1671. Tadaaki constantly rebuked Tadakiyo for his poor sense of proper policy, and his laidback nature. He accused Tadakiyo of taking bribes, and of handling situations on a case-by-case basis, without any sense of overall policy or progress towards a goal. Tadakiyo was also criticized by a number of
daimyō, including a member of the
Ikeda clan of
Okayama Province, who warned of poor conditions and discontent in the provinces, and the threat of peasant revolt. Some historians believe that Tadakiyo could have, and should have, seen the entire affair to an end years earlier, and judge it likely therefore that he was taking bribes from Tsunamura's regents, who sought to draw out the situation and avoid any action being taken against them. When Shogun Ietsuna died in 1680, Tadakiyo suggested that his successor be chosen from the
princely houses of the
Imperial family. This reportedly infuriated
Rōjū Hotta Masatoshi, who had been appointed the previous year, and who vehemently objected to this obvious attempt on Tadakiyo's part to seize power for himself;
Rōjū and
Tairō wielded significant power, but were not meant to control shogunal succession, as this would also imply the ability to gain power over the shogun himself. Tadakiyo resigned his post, and
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, Ietsuna's younger brother, was installed the following day, appointing Masatoshi as Tadakiyo's successor as
Tairō. Tadakiyo died the following year. ==References==