Changes

The marriage of Nariakira's adopted daughter Atsu-hime to Shogun Tokugawa Iesada in 1856 contributed to Nariakira's influence within the shogunate; he was one of a number of figures who encouraged the selection of [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] as next in line to become shogun, as Iesada had yet to produce any heirs at that time. In the end, Iesada did produce an heir, [[Tokugawa Iemochi]], who reigned as shogun from 1858 to [[1866]], after which Yoshinobu succeeded him.

The marriage of Nariakira's adopted daughter Atsu-hime to Shogun Tokugawa Iesada in 1856 contributed to Nariakira's influence within the shogunate; he was one of a number of figures who encouraged the selection of [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] as next in line to become shogun, as Iesada had yet to produce any heirs at that time. In the end, Iesada did produce an heir, [[Tokugawa Iemochi]], who reigned as shogun from 1858 to [[1866]], after which Yoshinobu succeeded him.

Nariakira also took steps to acquire Western weaponry for the domain, sending [[Ichiki Shiro|Ichiki Shirô]] on a secret mission to Ryûkyû in 1858/1 with the objective of obtaining 1,000 rifles and a steam-powered warship from the French; this had to be kept secret from both the shogunate and from Beijing, but was so important to Nariakira that if the French were uncooperative, he planned to have a Ryukyuan official procure such equipment for him from the Dutch or British in Fuzhou. It has been suggested that Nariakira also planned to use his 1858 ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' mission to Edo as a means of bringing a large army to [[Kyoto]], where he would then set them up guarding the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|Imperial Palace]], in order to put political pressure on the shogunate to undertake major policy reforms.<ref>Marco Tinello, "The termination of the Ryukyuan embassies to Edo : an investigation of the bakumatsu period through the lens of a tripartite power relationship and its world," PhD thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia (2014), 300.</ref>

Nariakira also took steps to acquire Western weaponry for the domain, sending [[Ichiki Shiro|Ichiki Shirô]] on a secret mission to Ryûkyû in 1858/1 with the objective of obtaining 1,000 rifles and a steam-powered warship from the French; this had to be kept secret from both the shogunate and from Beijing, but was so important to Nariakira that if the French were uncooperative, he planned to have a Ryukyuan official procure such equipment for him from the Dutch or British in Fuzhou. It has been suggested that Nariakira also planned to use his 1858 ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' mission to Edo as a means of bringing a large army to [[Kyoto]], where he would then set them up guarding the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|Imperial Palace]], in order to put political pressure on the shogunate to undertake major policy reforms.<ref>Marco Tinello, "The termination of the Ryukyuan embassies to Edo : an investigation of the bakumatsu period through the lens of a tripartite power relationship and its world," PhD thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia (2014), 258, 300.</ref>

None of these plans were carried through, however, due to Nariakira's sudden death on 1858/7/16, said to have been the result of food poisoning. However, a factory complex he ordered constructed for the military and industrial strengthening of the domain was completed, ultimately, in [[1865]]. The complex employed 1,200 men, and included reverberating furnaces, blast furnaces, a smithy, a foundry, and a glass workshop for the industrial production of [[porcelain]]s, cannon, rifles, agricultural implements, and glassware.<ref name=hellyer166/> Parts of the complex survive today as the [[Shokoshuseikan|Shôkoshûseikan]] museum, the main hall of which has been designated an [[Important Cultural Property]].<ref>Pamphlets available on-site at Shôkôshûseikan; [http://www.shuseikan.jp/eng/index.html Shoko Shuseikan official website] (English).</ref>

None of these plans were carried through, however, due to Nariakira's sudden death on 1858/7/16, said to have been the result of food poisoning. However, a factory complex he ordered constructed for the military and industrial strengthening of the domain was completed, ultimately, in [[1865]]. The complex employed 1,200 men, and included reverberating furnaces, blast furnaces, a smithy, a foundry, and a glass workshop for the industrial production of [[porcelain]]s, cannon, rifles, agricultural implements, and glassware.<ref name=hellyer166/> Parts of the complex survive today as the [[Shokoshuseikan|Shôkoshûseikan]] museum, the main hall of which has been designated an [[Important Cultural Property]].<ref>Pamphlets available on-site at Shôkôshûseikan; [http://www.shuseikan.jp/eng/index.html Shoko Shuseikan official website] (English).</ref>