For Iesada's successor, there were two groups diverged over proposed heirs; Naosuke II and others of the Nanki group favored Yoshitomi TOKUGAWA (Iemochi TOKUGAWA) who was the lord of the Kishu domain and Nariakira SHIMAZU and Nariaki TOKUGAWA of the Hitotsubashi group favored Yoshinobu HITOTSUBASHI (Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA).
家定の後継者候補として、井伊直弼らが推薦する紀州藩主の徳川慶福（のちの徳川家茂）を将軍継嗣に推す南紀派と、島津斉彬や徳川斉昭が推す一橋慶喜（徳川慶喜）支持の一橋派が上がる。