Changes

This came in the wake of the signing of the [[Harris Treaty]] on 1858/6/19, a deeply unpopular move among many prominent figures in the realm not only in terms of disagreements as to what the shogunate's foreign policy approaches or stances should be, but also because the treaty was signed without imperial approval. Further, many of those who opposed the signing of the treaty also actively supported [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] rather than [[Tokugawa Yoshitomi]] (Iemochi) as the shogunal successor, plotting behind the back of the shogunate to gather support among court nobles, daimyo, and others, as well as imperial orders explicitly backing Yoshinobu and calling for the negation of the treaty. Yoshitomi was officially named shogunal heir on 1858/6/25.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 597.</ref>

This came in the wake of the signing of the [[Harris Treaty]] on 1858/6/19, a deeply unpopular move among many prominent figures in the realm not only in terms of disagreements as to what the shogunate's foreign policy approaches or stances should be, but also because the treaty was signed without imperial approval. Further, many of those who opposed the signing of the treaty also actively supported [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] rather than [[Tokugawa Yoshitomi]] (Iemochi) as the shogunal successor, plotting behind the back of the shogunate to gather support among court nobles, daimyo, and others, as well as imperial orders explicitly backing Yoshinobu and calling for the negation of the treaty. Yoshitomi was officially named shogunal heir on 1858/6/25.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 597.</ref>

The purges began as early as 1858/7/4, with a determination being made to dismiss [[Tokugawa Nariaki]] (former lord of [[Mito han]], [[Tokugawa Yoshikumi]] (lord of [[Nagoya han]]), and [[Matsudaira Yoshinaga]] (lord of [[Fukui han]]) from official positions within the shogunate. [[Roju|Rôjû]] [[Kuze Hirochika]] suggested postponing the official declaration of these dismissals on account of [[Shogun]] [[Tokugawa Iesada|Tokugawa Iesada's]] illness; Iesada died two days later, on 7/6.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 3 (1937), 4, 7.</ref>

The purges began as early as 1858/7/5, with [[Tokugawa Nariaki]] (former lord of [[Mito han]]) being sentenced to house arrest, and [[Tokugawa Yoshikumi]] (lord of [[Nagoya han]]) and [[Matsudaira Yoshinaga]] (lord of [[Fukui han]]) being forced into retirement and house arrest. The shogunate designated [[Tokugawa Mochinaga|Matsudaira Yoshichika]] (lord of [[Takasu han]]) to become the new lord of Nagoya, and [[Matsudaira Mochiaki|Matsudaira Naokiyo]] (lord of [[Itoigawa han]]) to become the new lord of Fukui. Iesada died the following day, on 7/6.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 3 (1937), 4, 5, 7.</ref>

While the Purge helped Naosuke consolidate power in the hands of his supporters, it also contributed significantly to the anger of his opponents, leading eventually to his assassination in [[1860]] in the [[Sakuradamongai Incident]].

While the Purge helped Naosuke consolidate power in the hands of his supporters, it also contributed significantly to the anger of his opponents, leading eventually to his assassination in [[1860]] in the [[Sakuradamongai Incident]].