Matsudaira Katamori

Photograph of Matsudaira Katamori

• Birth: 1835
• Death: 1893
• Titles: Higo no kami, Kyoto Shugo Shoku
• Childhood name: Keinosuke
• Other names: Masane Reishin (Shinto name)
• Japanese: 松平 容保 (Matsudaira Katamori)

Kyoto

Matsudaira Katamori was born as a son of Lord Matsudaira Yoshitatsu of Takasu han. He was adopted by Matsudaira Katataka of Aizu han in 1846.

In 1862, he was apointed the Kyoto Shugo Shoku (Military Commissioner of Kyoto) and took 1000 Aizu Samurai to Kyoto in December.

In August, 1863, he succeeded in expelling Choshu han lobbyists from the imperial court and gained the trust of Emperor Komei. (Political change on August 18.)

While in Kyoto, he used the Shinsengumi to maintain public peace.

In 1867, Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu returned political power to Emperor Meiji and the position of Military Commissioner of Kyoto was abolished.

The Battle of Aizu

• See also Battle of Aizu

Katamori left Kyoto during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi with Shogun Yoshinobu and returned to Aizu in february. Pro-Imperial troops defeated the Bakufu troops in Ueno (the Battle of Ueno) and headed North in May. The han in the Northern provinces allied together to against the Pro-Imperial troops which were mainly from Satsuma han and Choshu han. However some of the han went over to the Pro-Imperial side and most han surrendered before Aizu fell.

Meiji

After the Boshin War, Katamori confined himself until 1872 and became the chief priest of Nikkô Tôshô Gû in 1880. Katamori died of Pneumonia in 1893, keeping a letter from Emperor Komei with him all the time but never talked about Bakumatsu.

Research Books

• Kyoto Shugoshoku Shimatsu (京都守護職始末) Yamakawa Hiroshi
• Matsudaira Katamori (松平容保) Obigane Mitsutoshi
• Matsudaira Katamori (松平容保) Hoshi Ryoichi
• Haisha kara mita Meijiishin (敗者から見た明治維新) Saotome Mitsugu
• Matsudaira Katamori no Shogai (松平容保の生涯) Kobiyama Rokuro
• Matsudaira Katamori (松平容保) Haji Hideya
• Matsudaira Katamori ha Choteki ni arazu (松平容保は朝敵にあらず) Nakamura Akihiko

References

• Rekishi Dokuhon 2007 Jan
• J-wikipedia Matsudaira Katamori