In particular, under the leadership of Masayuki HOSHINA, the bakufu changed its existing policy of military backing to a civilian government by relaxing the Matsugo yoshi no kin (ban on adoption of an heir on one's deathbed) and issuing orders to forbid following one's master to the grave, partly to combat the influence of the many daimyo who were not hereditary retainers of the Tokugawa family.
特に保科正之を主導者にして外様大名などに一定の配慮を行ない、末期養子の禁を緩和し、さらに殉死禁止令が出されるなど、これまでの武力に頼った武断政治から、文治政治への政策切り替えが行われた。