Changes

[[Matsudaira Katamori]], daimyo of [[Aizu han]] was given the newly created post of [[Kyoto Shugo Shoku|Protector of Kyoto]] and charged with the responsibility of curtailing the lawlessness that had gripped Kyoto as well as guaranteeing the Shogun’s safety during his stay in Kyoto. As the anarchy being wreaked in Kyoto in the name of [[Sonno|Sonnô]] [[Joi|Jôi]] (revere the Emperor; expel the foreigners) by pro-imperial [[ronin]], the Bakufu felt that the best way to fight ronin was with other ronin. The actual plan for the [[Roshigumi|Rôshigumi]] is credited to [[Matsudaira Chikaranosuke]], chief fencing instructor at the Shogunate’s military academy. This new corps of pro-Bakufu ronin was named the Roshigumi and [[Kiyokawa Hachiro|Kiyokawa Hachirô]] of [[Shonai]] han, was given the responsibility of recruiting members. Kiyokawa Hachirô was chosen to recruit ronin for the newly created Roshigumi while [[Yamaoka Tesshu]], Kiyokawa's longtime friend, provided support and additional leadership. In reality, Kiyokawa harbored anti-Tokugawa sentiments and was a vehement supporter of the principles of sonnô jôi and proceeded to recruit like-minded ronin to fill the Roshigumi’s ranks. Additionally, Kiyokawa secretly planned to turn the Roshigumi into an instrument of sonno joi upon arrival in Kyoto, abandoning the mission of protecting Iemochi. With this plan in mind, Kiyokawa marched out of Edo with a force of 250 men on February 8, [[1863]], as the vanguard of Shogun Iemochi’s procession to Kyoto.  

[[Matsudaira Katamori]], daimyo of [[Aizu han]] was given the newly created post of [[Kyoto Shugo Shoku|Protector of Kyoto]] and charged with the responsibility of curtailing the lawlessness that had gripped Kyoto as well as guaranteeing the Shogun’s safety during his stay in Kyoto. As the anarchy being wreaked in Kyoto in the name of [[Sonno|Sonnô]] [[Joi|Jôi]] (revere the Emperor; expel the foreigners) by pro-imperial [[ronin]], the Bakufu felt that the best way to fight ronin was with other ronin. The actual plan for the [[Roshigumi|Rôshigumi]] is credited to [[Matsudaira Chikaranosuke]], chief fencing instructor at the Shogunate’s military academy. This new corps of pro-Bakufu ronin was named the Roshigumi and [[Kiyokawa Hachiro|Kiyokawa Hachirô]] of [[Shonai]] han, was given the responsibility of recruiting members. Kiyokawa Hachirô was chosen to recruit ronin for the newly created Roshigumi while [[Yamaoka Tesshu]], Kiyokawa's longtime friend, provided support and additional leadership. In reality, Kiyokawa harbored anti-Tokugawa sentiments and was a vehement supporter of the principles of sonnô jôi and proceeded to recruit like-minded ronin to fill the Roshigumi’s ranks. Additionally, Kiyokawa secretly planned to turn the Roshigumi into an instrument of sonno joi upon arrival in Kyoto, abandoning the mission of protecting Iemochi. With this plan in mind, Kiyokawa marched out of Edo with a force of 250 men on February 8, [[1863]], as the vanguard of Shogun Iemochi’s procession to Kyoto.  

Not long after arriving in Kyoto, Kiyokawa made his intentions regarding his sonno joi plans for the Rôshigumi clear. This did not come as a surprise to some senior Bakufu officials, who long regarded Kiyokawa as a dangerous subversive. Anxious to get Kiyokawa and his men out of the explosive situation in Kyoto, orders were arranged telling Kiyokawa to bring the Rôshigumi back to Edo to partake in the military preparations for expelling the foreigners. However, 18 of the Roshigumi refused to return to Edo and petitioned Matsudaira Katamori to stay in Kyoto in order to complete their original mission of protecting the Shogun.  

Not long after arriving in Kyoto, Kiyokawa made his intentions regarding his sonno joi plans for the Rôshigumi clear. This did not come as a surprise to some senior Bakufu officials, who long regarded Kiyokawa as a dangerous subversive. Anxious to get Kiyokawa and his men out of the explosive situation in Kyoto, orders were arranged telling Kiyokawa to bring the Rôshigumi back to Edo to partake in the military preparations for expelling the foreigners. However, thirteen of the Roshigumi refused to return to Edo and petitioned Matsudaira Katamori to stay in Kyoto in order to complete their original mission of protecting the Shogun.  

Thirteen ex-Roshigumi were bolstered by the arrival of five new recruits and hence named the [[Mibugumi]], (also known as the ''Mibu Rôshigumi''), after the village of Mibu on the outskirts of Kyoto where they were headquartered.  Matsudaira Katamori, after careful evaluation of the political scene in Kyoto, felt it was needed to change the scope of the Mibugumi's mission from one of protecting the Shogun to one of patrolling the streets of Kyoto and restoring order in the name of the Bakufu. To reflect the change in mission,  on August 18, 1863, the Mibugumi were re-named the Shinsengumi— "Newly Selected Corps".

Thirteen ex-Roshigumi were bolstered by the arrival of five new recruits and hence named the [[Mibugumi]], (also known as the ''Mibu Rôshigumi''), after the village of Mibu on the outskirts of Kyoto where they were headquartered.  Matsudaira Katamori, after careful evaluation of the political scene in Kyoto, felt it was needed to change the scope of the Mibugumi's mission from one of protecting the Shogun to one of patrolling the streets of Kyoto and restoring order in the name of the Bakufu. To reflect the change in mission,  on August 18, 1863, the Mibugumi were re-named the Shinsengumi— "Newly Selected Corps".