noun
union of the court and the shogunate
Historical term referring to the late Edo period policy of strengthening ties between the Imperial court and the Tokugawa shogunate, often through marriage.
公武合体政策の一環として、皇女和宮が将軍家茂に降嫁した。
As part of the policy of court-shogunate union, Princess Kazunomiya married Shogun Iemochi.
Compound of 公 (court, imperial) + 武 (military, shogunate) + 合体 (union). The term emerged in the late Edo period to describe the political movement aiming to unite the imperial court and the shogunate.