Tokugawa Ietsuna
Tokugawa Ienobu was born as the oldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, "daimyō" of Kōfu, in 1662. His mother was a concubine. Tsunashige was the middle brother of Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi and the second son of Tokugawa Iemitsu with his concubine, thus making Ienobu their nephew. In 1662, Ienobu's uncle, Ietsuna was "shōgun", and his father, Tsunashige, was "daimyō" of Kōfu, a very valuable piece of land to the Tokugawa. Before becoming "shōgun" his name was Tokugawa Tsunatoyo, the 4th "daimyō" of Kōfu Domain from the Tokugawa clan. His childhood name was Toramatsu (虎松).