Samurai Ranks: Roju

Between 1593 and 1868, Some 147 Men Served the Tokugawa Clan as Roju.

Roju (老中) or senior elder was the highest permanent position within the Edo Shogunate and generally appointed from within the ranks of the inner fudai daimyo with stipends of between 25,000 to 50,000 koku or more. Like their slightly lesser ranked counterparts, the karo, several serving roju took monthly turns at handling government affairs, with the chief roju acting as the de facto regent and head of the Shogunate government during that month. Under the Tokugawa shogun Ieyasu and Hidetada, there were two serving roju.Later shogun had as many as five, but for most of the Edo period there were four men serving as roju at any one time. Between 1593 and 1868, some 147 men served the Tokugawa clan as roju.