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Why did Tokugawa Ieyasu make his son Tokugawa Hidetada shogun in 1605?

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Statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu in ornate robes holding a bow, with arrows on his back, at the Tosho-gu shrine in Nikko, Japan. — Tokugawa Ieyasu Statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Tōshō Shrine in Nikkō, Japan.

Tokugawa Ieyasu appointed his son, Tokugawa Hidetada, as shogun in 1605 primarily to ensure the stability and longevity of his family's rule. By formally transferring the title to Hidetada just two years after establishing the Tokugawa shogunate, Ieyasu intended to establish the shogunate as a hereditary Tokugawa prerogative.12

This strategic move was designed to secure a smooth succession and solidify the legitimacy of his dynasty. Although Ieyasu retired to Sumpu, he continued to oversee the actual workings of the government and foreign affairs until his death in 1616, while Hidetada served as the official shogun. This arrangement allowed Ieyasu to maintain control while simultaneously institutionalizing the transfer of power, thereby preventing potential challenges to his family's authority.123