Changes

*''Born: [[1809]]''

*''Born: [[1809]]''

*''Died: [[1858]]/7/16''

*''Died: [[1858]]/7/16''

*''Japanese'': [[島津]]斉彬 ''(Shimazu Nariakira)''

*''Japanese'': [[島津]]斉彬 ''(Shimazu Nariakira)''

==Early life and career==

==Early life and career==

Born and raised in [[Edo]], Nariakira had a relatively weak power base in Satsuma, but was able to work more closely with both Satsuma and shogunate officials in Edo, such as the powerful ''[[roju|rôjû]]'' [[Abe Masahiro]], to effect certain policies or agreements. In [[1846]], he negotiated with Abe to implement positions and policies suggested by Satsuma advisors [[Godai Hidetaka]] and [[Zusho Shozaemon|Zusho Shôzaemon]] for defending [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] from Western encroachment; in order to make sure these plans would be implemented, Abe had Shogun [[Tokugawa Ieyoshi]] place Nariakira, and not the ''daimyô'' his father, in charge of overseeing the defense of Ryûkyû.<ref name=hellyer160>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 160-161.</ref>

Nariakira is said to have been particularly intelligent and well-educated. His education and training was guided by his great-grandfather [[Shimazu Shigehide]], and by his mother [[Kenshoin|Kenshôin]]. He studied Western subjects under [[Aoki Shutei|Aoki Shûtei]]<!--青木周鼎--> and [[Ogata Koan|Ogata Kôan]], and later invited a number of scholars, including [[Takano Choei|Takano Chôei]], [[Kawamoto Komin|Kawamoto Kômin]], [[Ito Genboku|Itô Genboku]], [[Tsuboi Shindo|Tsuboi Shindô]], [[Totsuka Seikai]], and [[Terashima Munenori|Matsuki Kôan]] to come to Satsuma to produce translations of Western books, and to perform scientific experiments in order to advance knowledge and technology in Satsuma.<ref name=honjin>''Honjin ni tomatta daimyô tachi'', Toyohashi, Aichi: Futagawa-juku honjin shiryôkan (1996), 32.</ref>

Nariakira returned to Satsuma, and began directly effecting the enhancement of coastal defenses, among other activities, to the resentment of his father's faction, including his father's chief advisor, Zusho. As a result of the tension between these two factions within the domain government, Nariakira and Zusho went about implementing their plans separately, sometimes at odds with one another, and sometimes acting redundantly, not discussing their plans with one another. Nariakira's power within the domain ebbed and waned as he and his father exchanged places, traveling between Kagoshima and Edo.<ref name=hellyer160/>

 

Amidst the Western incursions of the late 1830s or early 1840s, and with the support of the shogunate, Nariakira returned to Satsuma, and began directly effecting the enhancement of coastal defenses, among other activities, to the resentment of his father's faction, including his father's chief advisor, Zusho. As a result of the tension between these two factions within the domain government, Nariakira and Zusho went about implementing their plans separately, sometimes at odds with one another, and sometimes acting redundantly, not discussing their plans with one another. Nariakira's power within the domain ebbed and waned as he and his father exchanged places, traveling between Kagoshima and Edo.<ref name=hellyer160/>

Tensions between the two factions heated up as Nariakira schemed against his father. In [[1848]]/8, he revealed to certain influential ''daimyô'' secret plans proposed by Zusho Shôzaemon, which led to Zusho committing [[seppuku|suicide]] four months later, in order to protect his lord, Narioki. Meanwhile, Narioki promoted Nariakira's half-brother, [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]], to high positions within the domain government in order to counteract Nariakira's own influence. In late [[1849]], hearing rumor of a plot by Nariakira to organize the assassination of Hisamitsu and his mother Yura, Narioki had around forty members of Nariakira's faction rounded up, and either exiled or forced to commit suicide.

Tensions between the two factions heated up as Nariakira schemed against his father. In [[1848]]/8, he revealed to certain influential ''daimyô'' secret plans proposed by Zusho Shôzaemon, which led to Zusho committing [[seppuku|suicide]] four months later, in order to protect his lord, Narioki. Meanwhile, Narioki promoted Nariakira's half-brother, [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]], to high positions within the domain government in order to counteract Nariakira's own influence. In late [[1849]], hearing rumor of a plot by Nariakira to organize the assassination of Hisamitsu and his mother Yura, Narioki had around forty members of Nariakira's faction rounded up, and either exiled or forced to commit suicide.

With the support of his great-uncle [[Kuroda Narihiro]] of [[Fukuoka han]] and [[Date Munenari]] of [[Uwajima han]], however, Nariakira was ultimately able to have Abe Masahiro pressure his father to step down as ''daimyô'', with Nariakira succeeding him in [[1851]]/2.<ref>Hellyer, 162.</ref>

With the support of his great-uncle [[Kuroda Narihiro]] of [[Fukuoka han]] and [[Date Munenari]] of [[Uwajima han]], however, Nariakira was ultimately able to have Abe Masahiro pressure his father to step down as ''daimyô'', with Nariakira succeeding him in [[1851]]/2 at the age of 43.<ref>Hellyer, 162.</ref>

==As Daimyô==

==As Daimyô==

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 seek an imperial decree supporting him in marching to Edo and putting 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>

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. That same year, he had his navy conduct large-scale maneuvers in Kagoshima Bay. It has been suggested that Nariakira also planned to use his 1858 ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' mission to Edo as a means of bringing an army of roughly 3,000 elite warriors to [[Kyoto]], where he would seek an imperial decree supporting him in marching to Edo and putting pressure on the shogunate to undertake major policy reforms.<ref>Three thousand was the usual number for a Satsuma domain ''sankin kôtai'' mission. 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 due to Nariakira's sudden death on 1858/7/16, said to have been the result of food poisoning.

None of these plans were carried through due to Nariakira's sudden death on 1858/7/16, said to have been the result of food poisoning.