However, Yoshimune kept his domain by giving it to Munenao TOKUGAWA, his cousin, claiming that gosanke was a sacred land granted by Tosho-Shinkun (literally, 'sacred lord of the east') Ieyasu.
しかし吉宗は、御三家は東照神君家康から拝領した聖地であるとして、従兄の徳川宗直に家督を譲ることで存続させた。