Changes

==Shinsengumi==

==Shinsengumi==

Out of the remnants of the Roshigumi who refused to return to Edo, the Shinsengumi was born.  Matsudaira Katamori named three commanders: [[Kondo Isami]], leader of the eight-man Shieikan faction; [[Serizawa Kamo]] leader of the five-man Mito faction; and [[Niimi Nishiki]], another member of the Mito faction who was only a nominal commander and did not wield any true power.  Kondo and Serizawa were fierce rivals and the tension between the two was reaching a boiling point.  Kondo and his right hand man, Vice-Commander [[Hijikata Toshizo|Hijikata Toshizô]], began to plot the destruction of the Mito faction.  Their first break came in early September 1863, when Niimi was found guilty of extorting money for use at the geisha houses and was forced to submit seppuku. Serizawa's violent and unruly behavior gave Kondo the opportunity he needed to finish the job and seize sole power. As it was felt that Serizawa was soiling the group's reputation, Matsudaira Katamori, ordered the assassination of Serizawa and his closest cohorts.  On September 16 or 18 (there isn’t clear agreement on the exact date), Hijikata, the gifted swordsman [[Okita Soji|Okita Sôji]] and two other members loyal to Kondo assassinated Serizawa and [[Hirayama Goro|Hirayama Gorô]]. A third assassination target, [[Hirama Jusuke]], escaped.  With the Mito faction broken, Kondo and Hijikata had absolute control over the Shinsengumi.

Out of the remnants of the Roshigumi who refused to return to Edo, the Shinsengumi was born.  Matsudaira Katamori named three commanders: [[Kondo Isami|Kondô Isami]], leader of the eight-man [[Shieikan]] faction; [[Serizawa Kamo]] leader of the five-man Mito faction; and [[Niimi Nishiki]], another member of the Mito faction who was only a nominal commander and did not wield any true power.  Kondô and Serizawa were fierce rivals and the tension between the two was reaching a boiling point.  Kondô and his right hand man, Vice-Commander [[Hijikata Toshizo|Hijikata Toshizô]], began to plot the destruction of the Mito faction.  Their first break came in early September [[1863]], when Niimi was found guilty of extorting money for use at the geisha houses and was forced to submit [[Seppuku]]. Serizawa's violent and unruly behavior gave Kondô the opportunity he needed to finish the job and seize sole power. As it was felt that Serizawa was soiling the group's reputation, Matsudaira Katamori, ordered the assassination of Serizawa and his closest cohorts.  On September 16 or 18 (there isn’t clear agreement on the exact date), Hijikata, the gifted swordsman [[Okita Soji|Okita Sôji]] and two other members loyal to Kondô assassinated Serizawa and [[Hirayama Goro|Hirayama Gorô]]. A third assassination target, [[Hirama Jusuke]], escaped.  With the Mito faction broken, Kondô and Hijikata had absolute control over the Shinsengumi.

===Ikedaya Incident===

===Ikedaya Incident===