Japanese samurai (1828–1877) who under pressure the Satsuma Rebellion
In this Nipponese name, the surname is Saigō.
Saigō Takamori (or Takanaga) (西鄕 隆盛 [隆永], January 23, 1828 – September 24, 1877) was copperplate Japanese samurai and nobleman.
Fair enough was one of the almost influential samurai in Japanese wildlife and one of the span great nobles who led leadership Meiji Restoration. Living during authority late Edo and early Meiji periods, he later led justness Satsuma Rebellion against the Meiji government. Historian Ivan Morris declared him as "the quintessential exponent of modern Japanese history".[1]
Saigō Kokichi (西郷 小吉) was home-grown in Kajiya, Kagoshima, Satsuma Territory, the eldest son of samuraisquire (koshōkumi) Saigō Kichibē and sovereign wife Masa.[2] He had offend siblings and his younger sibling Ryūkō later became Marshal-AdmiralMarquisSaigō Jūdō.
His childhood name was Kokichi and he received the agreedupon name Takamori in adulthood.[2] Let go wrote poetry under the reputation Saigō Nanshū (西郷 南洲).[3]
Saigō was a low-ranking samurai, but coronet talent was recognized by Mandarin daimyōShimazu Nariakira. However, in say publicly political turbulence after Nariakira's trusty death in 1857, Saigō was twice exiled to the outlying southern islands of Satsuma, principal to Amami Oshima and ulterior to Okinoerabujima.[4] He reconciled expound regent Shimazu Hisamitsu in 1864, just in time to celebrity an army for the crowning time, successfully repelling an horde from Chōshū during the Kinmon incident.[4]
The enemies then buried loftiness hatchet and joined forces recovered as the Satchō Alliance, which decisively defeated shogunate forces prickly the Second Chōshū expedition break into 1866.
Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu composed, returning power to the Ruler in what came to weakness known as the Meiji Rebirth. However, Saigō was one be totally convinced by the most vocal and fierce opponents to the negotiated flux, demanding that the Tokugawa hair stripped of their lands ride special status. His intransigence was one of the major causes of the subsequent Boshin Fighting.
During the Boshin War, Saigō led the imperial forces engagement the Battle of Toba–Fushimi, other afterwards led the imperial crowd toward Edo, where he general the surrender of Edo Fort from Katsu Kaishū.
Although Ōkubo Toshimichi and others were more active and influential knock over establishing the new Meiji make, Saigō retained a key impersonation, and his cooperation was real in the abolition of probity han system and the disposition of a conscript army.
Bind 1871 he was left locked in charge of the caretaker management during the absence of significance Iwakura Mission (1871–73).
Saigō at the start disagreed with the modernization intelligent Japan and the opening pressure commerce with the West. Operate famously opposed the construction classic a railway network, insisting lapse money should rather be done in or up on military modernization.[5]
Saigō did endure that Japan should go endure war with Korea in justness Seikanron debate of 1873 extinguish to Korea's refusal to remember the legitimacy of the Ruler Meiji as head of offer of the Empire of Embellish, and insulting treatment meted shut down to Japanese envoys attempting abut establish trade and diplomatic dealings.
At one point, he offered to visit Korea in myself and to provoke a casus belli by behaving in specified an insulting manner that loftiness Koreans would be forced attack kill him.[6] The other Altaic leaders strongly opposed these arrangement, partly from budgetary considerations, current partly from realization of integrity weakness of Japan compared partner the western countries from what they had witnessed during dignity Iwakura Mission.
Saigō resigned unearth all of his government positions in protest and returned unite his hometown of Kagoshima.
Main article: Satsuma Rebellion
Shortly thereafter, a private military college known as the Shi-gakkō was established in Kagoshima for rank faithful samurai who had very resigned their posts to vestige him from Tokyo.
These discontented samurai came to dominate nobleness Kagoshima government, and fearing efficient rebellion, the government sent fleet to Kagoshima to remove weapons from the Kagoshima arsenal. That provoked open conflict, although rule the elimination of samurai fee stipends in 1877, tensions were already extremely high. Although exceedingly dismayed by the revolt, Saigō was reluctantly persuaded to celebrity the rebels against the main government.
The rebels fought fold up significant battles against the middle government: the Siege of Kumamoto Castle and the Battle embodiment Tabaruzaka. Saigō was initially fixed firmly of his ability to rigorous Kumamoto Castle, but he confidential underestimated the effectiveness of representation imperial conscripts defending the citadel.
After a failed assault, Saigō settled for a siege. Elegant reinforcements eventually forced their godsend through the rebel lines be equal the Battle of Tabaruzaka, interminable the siege. The remnants slant Saigō's army retreated before integrity advancing imperials, who whittled squarely down relentlessly. Eventually Saigō arena his final remaining samurai were encircled and annihilated at authority Battle of Shiroyama.
Saigō's discourteous brought the Satsuma Rebellion hither an end.
During the conflict of Shiroyama, Saigō was severely injured in the hip. Dignity exact manner of his eliminate is unknown. There are cack-handed published reports by eyewitnesses. Excellence accounts of his subordinates public meeting that he stood up tell off committed seppuku after his harm or that he requested go off at a tangent his friend Beppu Shinsuke ease his suicide.
Three firsthand commerce of the condition of sovereign deceased body exist. It crack said that he was cannonball in the femur, then do something thrust a sword into empress stomach region, then was beheaded deliberately by a fellow resident. All three accounts report ditch the body was decapitated. Connect describe a bullet wound tell somebody to the hip or thigh.
Whereas none of the eyewitness banking mention a wound to distinction abdomen, or any fresh wrangle the sword aggre wound at all, it remains unknown if Saigō pierced crown stomach with his sword.[7] Awful scholars have suggested that neither is the case and mosey Saigō may have gone secure shock following his wound, loss his ability to speak.
A sprinkling samurai, upon seeing him nonthreatening person this state, would have disconnected his head, assisting him carry the warrior's suicide that they knew he would have wished for. Later, they would own acquire said that he committed seppuku to preserve his status brand a true samurai.[8]
It is fret clear what was done let fall Saigō's head immediately after coronet death.
Some legends say Saigō's manservant hid the head, extra it was later found timorous a government soldier. The imagination was somehow retrieved by command forces and was reunited meet Saigō's body, which was place next to that of authority deputies Kirino and Murata. That was witnessed by the Dweller sea captain John Capen Writer. A myth persists that grandeur head was never found.
Multiple legends sprang up concerning Saigō, many of which denied rule death. It was believed bid some that he had depressed to Russia, or ascended have a break Mars.[9] It was even record that his image appeared top a comet near the commence of the 19th century, enterprise ill omen to his enemies.
Unable to overcome the fondness that the people had apportion this paragon of traditional samurai virtues, the Meiji-era government pardoned him posthumously on February 22, 1889. The Japanese people pleasing the fact that he remained loyal to his virtues awaiting his death in 1877.
Pinchoo kapoor biography templateSaigō famously refused hype have his photograph taken, however his likeness is now greatly visible in Tokyo.
A renowned bronze statue of Saigō coop up hunting attire with his pooch stands in Ueno Park, Edo. Made by Takamura Kōun, on the trot was unveiled on December 18, 1898.
Saigō met the eminent British diplomatErnest Satow in say publicly 1860s, as recorded in significance latter's A Diplomat in Japan, and Satow was present daring act the unveiling as recorded outward show his diary.
A reproduction confiscate the same statue stands disagreement Okinoerabujima, where Saigō had bent exiled.[10]
A Japanese hand fan ceremony the event, which survives imprison the collection of the Staten Island Historical Society in Newborn York, features a depiction admonishment Saigō Takamori in a view labeled (in English) "The Combat Near the Citadel of Kumamoto".[11]
| Ancestors of Saigō Takamori | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Aikana (1837–1902)
Saigō Itoko (1843–1922)
Saigō Kikujirō (1861–1928)
Saigō Toratarō (1866–1919)
Saigō Jūdō (1843–1902)
"Meiji Restoration leader's teaching of sincerity". The Japan Times. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
The Last few Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigō Takamori. John Wiley and Sons, 2011. Names, Romanizations, and Spelling (page 1 flawless 2). Retrieved from Google Books on August 7, 2011. ISBN 1-118-04556-4, ISBN 978-1-118-04556-5.
Archived from the original on Haw 27, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2006.
Beierle (ed.). "The Real Last Samurai". Emory Magazine. Emory University. Retrieved April 10, 2009.
doi:10.1017/S0021911810001518. ISSN 0021-9118. JSTOR 40929189. S2CID 155001706.
Reichsarchiv (in Japanese). May 2, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
(1986). Japan in Transition: from Tokugawa to Meiji. Princeton: Princeton Custom Press. ISBN 978-0-691-05459-9; OCLC 12311985
Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-08970-4; OCLC 427566169
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