Changes

==Early life and career==

==Early life and career==

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 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> He was raised to the rank/title of ''shôshô'' (Lower Captain) in [[1834]], a rank/title which for the Shimazu normally coincided with being named heir.<ref>''Honjin ni tomatta daimyô tachi'', 77.</ref>

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 would later also develop strong relationships with [[Tokugawa Nariaki]], lord of [[Mito han]]; [[Matsudaira Shungaku]] of [[Echizen han]]; [[Tokugawa Yoshikatsu]] of [[Owari han]]; [[Yamauchi Yodo|Yamauchi Yôdô]] of [[Tosa han]]; and [[Date Munenari]] of [[Uwajima han]].<ref name=honjin/>

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 would later also develop strong relationships with [[Tokugawa Nariaki]], lord of [[Mito han]]; [[Matsudaira Shungaku]] of [[Echizen han]]; [[Tokugawa Yoshikatsu]] of [[Owari han]]; [[Yamauchi Yodo|Yamauchi Yôdô]] of [[Tosa han]]; and [[Date Munenari]] of [[Uwajima han]].<ref name=honjin/>