Saigo Tanomo

• Birth: 1830/3/24
• Death: 1903/4/28
• Titles: Aizu han Karô
• Other names:Hoshina Tanomo
• Japanese:西郷頼母近悳(Saigou Tanomo Chikanori)

The Saigô family held the post of karô to the Aizu-Matsudaira clan hereditarily, from generation to generation. In 1862, Lord Matsudaira Katamori was appointed the Kyoto Shugo Shoku(Military Commissioner of Kyoto). Saigô Tanomo, who was karô at the time, protested that Lord Katamori should not accept the post, and was dismissed from his karô position in 1863. In 1868, he was allowed to return the position after the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. In April, he entreated Lord Katamori to surrender after being defeated at Shirakawaguchi. Finally he was expelled (escaped?) from Aizu-Wakamatsu castle with his son Kichijûrô and headed to Hakodate. In total, 21 of his family members committed suicide before the Imperial troops entered the city. Following surrender of Hakodate, he was confined until 1872. He worked as a Shintô priest in Nikkô Tôshô Gû for awhile. In 1903, he died in Wakamatsu city.

References

• Rekishi Dokuhon 2008 March
• J-Wikipedia

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