Changes

==Legacy==

==Legacy==

Following Nariakira's death, a group of low-ranking samurai led by [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] and [[Okubo Toshimichi|Ôkubo Toshimichi]] and calling themselves the "Loyalists" (''Seichû-gumi''), discussed dropping their loyalties to the Shimazu, becoming [[ronin]], and pursuing the completion of Nariakira's plans; that is, they wanted to pressure or attack the shogunate, in the name of the Imperial institution. They may have plotted for the assassination of [[Ii Naosuke]], though it is unclear if they were involved in the actual event (Naosuke was killed in the [[1860]] [[Sakuradamongai Incident]]). Nariakira's adopted heir, [[Shimazu Tadayoshi]], initially declared to all his retainers that if there were a national incident (''jihen'', 事変) he would honor Nariakira's will, mobilizing Satsuma forces in support of the Emperor.<ref>Tinello, 300.</ref> However, Tadayoshi and his father [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]] (who acted as regent and wielded considerable power over domain affairs) were political moderates, at least in comparison to the "Loyalist" radicals, and in the aftermath of Ii Naosuke's assassination advocated a cautious approach. Over the course of the next few years, they worked to reverse many of Nariakira's policies, especially those pertaining to Ryûkyû, and acted in strong support of the shogunate and of samurai privilege through the Bakumatsu and into the Meiji period.

Following Nariakira's death, a group of low-ranking samurai led by [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] and [[Okubo Toshimichi|Ôkubo Toshimichi]] and calling themselves the "Loyalists" (''Seichû-gumi''), discussed dropping their loyalties to the Shimazu, becoming [[ronin]], and pursuing the completion of Nariakira's plans; that is, they wanted to pressure or attack the shogunate, in the name of the Imperial institution. They may have plotted for the assassination of [[Ii Naosuke]], though it is unclear if they were involved in the actual event (Naosuke was killed in the [[1860]] [[Sakuradamongai Incident]]). Nariakira's adopted heir and nephew, [[Shimazu Tadayoshi]], initially declared to all his retainers that if there were a national incident (''jihen'', 事変) he would honor Nariakira's will, mobilizing Satsuma forces in support of the Emperor.<ref>Tinello, 300.</ref> However, Tadayoshi and his father [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]] (who acted as regent and wielded considerable power over domain affairs) were political moderates, at least in comparison to the "Loyalist" radicals, and in the aftermath of Ii Naosuke's assassination advocated a cautious approach. Over the course of the next few years, they worked to reverse many of Nariakira's policies, especially those pertaining to Ryûkyû, and acted in strong support of the shogunate and of samurai privilege through the Bakumatsu and into the Meiji period.

Nariakira was deified as Terukuni daimyôjin by the Imperial Court in [[1863]], five years after his death. [[Terukuni Shrine]], dedicated to his worship, remains one of the most prominent [[Shinto shrines]] in [[Kagoshima]] today.

Nariakira was deified as Terukuni daimyôjin by the Imperial Court in [[1863]], five years after his death. [[Terukuni Shrine]], dedicated to his worship, remains one of the most prominent [[Shinto shrines]] in [[Kagoshima]] today.