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Shimazu Hisamitsu was the father of the last [[daimyo]] of [[Satsuma han]], the young [[Shimazu Tadayoshi]], who ruled the domain from [[1858]] until [[1871]]. Despite not being the domain's lord himself, as regent for his son, Hisamitsu governed the domain, and acted prominently on the national level, as if he were.

Shimazu Hisamitsu was the father of the last [[daimyo]] of [[Satsuma han]], the young [[Shimazu Tadayoshi]], who ruled the domain from [[1858]] until [[1871]]. Despite not being the domain's lord himself, as regent for his son, Hisamitsu governed the domain, and acted prominently on the national level, as if he were.

Hisamitsu was the son of [[Shimazu Narioki]] and [[Oyura no kata]], and was thus a half-brother to [[Shimazu Nariakira]]. He was considered the head of the Echizen (Shigetomi) branch of the Shimazu, and the founder or ancestor of the Tamazato branch. Though supported by his mother, Hisamitsu lost to Nariakira in a succession dispute in [[1851]], and was passed over as lord of the domain. However, when Nariakira died suddenly in 1858, he was succeeded by Hisamitsu's teenage son, Tadayoshi. Hisamitsu then served as regent for a time, and exercised considerable influence over domain policy.

Born in [[Kagoshima castle]] in [[1817]], Hisamitsu was [[Shimazu Narioki|Shimazu Narioki's]] fifth child. His mother was [[Oyura no kata]], and he was thus a half-brother to [[Shimazu Nariakira]]. Hisamitsu was considered the head of the Echizen (Shigetomi) branch of the Shimazu, and the founder or ancestor of the Tamazato branch. Though supported by his mother, Hisamitsu lost to Nariakira in a succession dispute in [[1851]], and was passed over as lord of the domain. However, when Nariakira died suddenly in 1858, he was succeeded by Hisamitsu's teenage son, Tadayoshi. Hisamitsu then served as regent for a time, and exercised considerable influence over domain policy.

==As Regent==

==As Regent==

Prior to the fall of the [[Tokugawa Shogunate]], Hisamitsu vacillated between supporting and opposing the shogunate, while certain of his prominent retainers, [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] chief among them, were staunch in their opposition to the shogunate. Still, Hisamitsu took steps to encourage an alliance between the shogunate and the Imperial Court, [[kobu gattai|uniting the two]] in order to restore order; to those same ends, he also pressured [[Shogun]] [[Tokugawa Iemochi]] to travel to [[Kyoto]].<ref>Hellyer, 187.</ref> Doing so in [[1863]], he became the first shogun since [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]] in [[1634]] to enter the Imperial city.

Prior to the fall of the [[Tokugawa Shogunate]], Hisamitsu vacillated between supporting and opposing the shogunate, while certain of his prominent retainers, [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] chief among them, were staunch in their opposition to the shogunate. Still, Hisamitsu took steps to encourage an alliance between the shogunate and the Imperial Court, [[kobu gattai|uniting the two]] in order to restore order; to those same ends, he also pressured [[Shogun]] [[Tokugawa Iemochi]] to travel to [[Kyoto]].<ref>Hellyer, 187.</ref> Doing so in [[1863]], he became the first shogun since [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]] in [[1634]] to enter the Imperial city.

Meanwhile, the previous year ([[1862]]), in accordance with orders from [[Emperor Komei|Emperor Kômei]] that he aid in eliminating the problem of [[shishi|anti-shogunate rebels]] meeting and plotting in Kyoto, Hisamitsu dispatched a team of samurai from Satsuma to retrieve rebels originating from Satsuma and to bring them back to the domain, resulting in the famous [[Teradaya Incident]]. A fight broke out at an inn in [[Fushimi]] between rebels who had met there to plot against the shogunate, and these samurai dispatched by Hisamitsu to suppress their activities; several were killed before the remaining rebels surrendered.

The previous year ([[1862]]), in accordance with orders from [[Emperor Komei|Emperor Kômei]] that he aid in eliminating the problem of [[shishi|anti-shogunate rebels]] meeting and plotting in Kyoto, Hisamitsu dispatched a team of samurai from Satsuma to retrieve rebels originating from Satsuma and to bring them back to the domain, resulting in the famous [[Teradaya Incident]]. A fight broke out at an inn in [[Fushimi]] between rebels who had met there to plot against the shogunate, and these samurai dispatched by Hisamitsu to suppress their activities; several were killed before the remaining rebels surrendered.

Meanwhile, Hisamitsu was called to [[Edo]] to contribute to discussions on shogunal policy reforms. The famous [[Namamugi Incident]] took place as he passed through [[Yokohama]] on his way back to Satsuma. A British merchant, Charles Richardson, either refused or was unable to properly make way for Hisamitsu's entourage as it traveled down the road; Richardson was killed, and the following year, in response, the British Royal Navy [[bombardment of Kagoshima|bombarded Kagoshima]], the chief Satsuma castle town. Yet, in the aftermath of this conflict, Hisamitsu managed to build strong friendly relations with Britain, importing silk spinning technologies, sending [[Satsuma students|students]] to study in England (in violation of the shogunate's [[maritime prohibitions]]), and welcoming British engineers and technicians, who helped design and build the beginnings of "modern" industry in Satsuma.

Meanwhile, Hisamitsu was called to [[Edo]] to contribute to discussions on shogunal policy reforms. The famous [[Namamugi Incident]] took place as he passed through [[Yokohama]] on his way back to Satsuma, amidst an entourage of some 1000 Satsuma samurai. A British merchant, Charles Richardson, either refused or was unable to properly make way for Hisamitsu's entourage as it traveled down the road; Richardson was killed, and the following year, in response, the British Royal Navy [[bombardment of Kagoshima|bombarded Kagoshima]], the chief Satsuma castle town. Yet, in the aftermath of this conflict, Hisamitsu managed to build strong friendly relations with Britain, importing silk spinning technologies, sending [[Satsuma students|students]] to study in England (in violation of the shogunate's [[maritime prohibitions]]), and welcoming British engineers and technicians, who helped design and build the beginnings of "modern" industry in Satsuma.

From [[1864]] onwards, Hisamitsu distanced himself (and the domain) from the shogunate. He briefly toyed with the idea of establishing a new government headed by Satsuma and certain other domains, themselves, but soon changed to supporting calls for a new government centered around the [[emperor]].

From [[1864]] onwards, Hisamitsu distanced himself (and the domain) from the shogunate. He briefly toyed with the idea of establishing a new government headed by Satsuma and certain other domains, themselves, but soon changed to supporting calls for a new government centered around the [[emperor]].

In the early [[Meiji period]], he was appointed to the [[Imperial Diet]], where he remained a staunch pro-samurai conservative, opposing a variety of aspects of Westernization and reforms. After submitting memorials to the Emperor expressing his distaste for reforms and innovations that had been undertaken which undermined the samurai as a privileged class of warriors, as well as reforms to the calendar, the wearing of Western dress at formal state occasions, the employment of foreigners as special advisors to the government, the adoption of foreign modes of military training, the adoption of commoner/citizen [[military conscription]], and the like, he ultimately left [[Tokyo]] and returned to [[Kagoshima]] in anger and frustration in the early 1870s.

In the early [[Meiji period]], he was appointed to the [[Imperial Diet]], where he remained a staunch pro-samurai conservative, opposing a variety of aspects of Westernization and reforms. After submitting memorials to the Emperor expressing his distaste for reforms and innovations that had been undertaken which undermined the samurai as a privileged class of warriors, as well as reforms to the calendar, the wearing of Western dress at formal state occasions, the employment of foreigners as special advisors to the government, the adoption of foreign modes of military training, the adoption of commoner/citizen [[military conscription]], and the like, he ultimately left [[Tokyo]] and returned to [[Kagoshima]] in anger and frustration in the early 1870s.

Hisamitsu returned to Tokyo in [[1873]] at the urging of the [[Meiji government|new government]], and served for a time as advisor to the Cabinet, and as ''[[Sadaijin]]'' (Minister of the Left). However, opposed to the continuing policies of Westernization, he returned to Kagoshima once again.

Hisamitsu returned to Tokyo in [[1873]] at the urging of the [[Meiji government|new government]], and served for a time as advisor to the Cabinet, and as ''[[Sadaijin]]'' (Minister of the Left). However, opposed to the continuing policies of Westernization, he returned to Kagoshima once again in [[1875]], taking up residence in the Ninomaru of Kagoshima castle.

Hisamitsu then retired to Tamazato, where he collected and compiled documents. During the [[Satsuma Rebellion]] of [[1877]], he remained neutral, and waited out the events from [[Sakurajima]]. He was named ''[[kazoku|kôshaku]]'' (Duke) in [[1884]], and died in [[1887]] at the age of 71, in the Tamazato mansion in Kagoshima.<ref>Today, the site of Kagoshima Girls' High School (鹿児島女子高校).[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kagoshima+Girls'+High+School/@31.6127926,130.539534,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x7dbef8d91283ba54 Google Maps]</ref>

Hisamitsu then retired to Tamazato, a residence originally built by Narioki, where Hisamitsu occupied his days collecting documents and compiling histories. During the [[Satsuma Rebellion]] of [[1877]], he remained neutral, and waited out the events from [[Sakurajima]]. He was named ''[[kazoku|kôshaku]]'' (Duke) in [[1884]], and died in [[1887]] at the age of 71, in the Tamazato mansion in Kagoshima.<ref>Today, the site of Kagoshima Girls' High School (鹿児島女子高校).[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kagoshima+Girls'+High+School/@31.6127926,130.539534,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x7dbef8d91283ba54 Google Maps]</ref> He was buried in the [[Shimazu clan]] cemetery at [[Fukusho-ji|Fukushô-ji]]. A new road was constructed for his funerary procession; connecting the Kuromon ("Black Gate") of the Tamazato mansion to the National Road, it is known as "State Funeral Road" (''kokusô dôro'').

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*Norman, E.H. ''Soldier and Peasant in Japan: The Origins of Conscription''. New York: Institute for Pacific Relations, 1945. pp43-44.

*Norman, E.H. ''Soldier and Peasant in Japan: The Origins of Conscription''. New York: Institute for Pacific Relations, 1945. pp43-44.

*"[http://www.shuseikan.jp/word/simadzu04.html Shimazu Hisamitsu]," ''Satsuma Shimazu-ke no rekishi'', [[Shokoshuseikan|Shôkoshûseikan]] official website.

*"[http://www.shuseikan.jp/word/simadzu04.html Shimazu Hisamitsu]," ''Satsuma Shimazu-ke no rekishi'', [[Shokoshuseikan|Shôkoshûseikan]] official website.

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