Changes

==Sakamoto Ryôma Timeline==

==Sakamoto Ryôma Timeline==

* [[1835]] Born on November 15 in Tosa as the second son into the [[Goshi|Gôshi]] (low ranking samurai) household of Sakamoto Hachihei Naotari  

* [[1835]] Born on November 15 in Tosa as the second son into the [[Goshi|Gôshi]] (low ranking samurai) household of Sakamoto Hachihei Naotari  

* [[1848]] Started studying swordsmanship at the local dojo and quickly became one of the dojo’s most gifted students.

* [[1848]] Started studying swordsmanship at the local dojo and quickly became one of the dôjô’s most gifted students.

* [[1853]] Completed his training in swordsmanship and received his certificate

* [[1853]] Completed his training in swordsmanship and received his certificate

**Began advanced training in swordsmanship at the famed Chiba dojo in [[Edo]].

**Began advanced training in swordsmanship at the famed Chiba dôjô in [[Edo]].

**Saw the U.S. Navy “black ships” under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry, rousing feelings of both curiosity and a strong anti-foreign zeal

**Saw the U.S. Navy “black ships” under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry, rousing feelings of both curiosity and a strong anti-foreign zeal

* [[1854]] Completed his training at the Chiba dojo and returned to Tosa where he learned more about the West from scholar Kawada Shoryo

* [[1854]] Completed his training at the Chiba dôjô and returned to Tosa where he learned more about the West from scholar [[Kawada Shoryo]]

* [[1858]] Returned to Edo to receive his license in swordsmanship from the Chiba dojo

* [[1858]] Returned to Edo to receive his license in swordsmanship from the Chiba dojo

* [[1861]] Joined the Tosa Loyalist Party, led by longtime friend, [[Takechi Zuizan]] (Hanpeita), with the aim of expelling the foreigners and restoring power to the emperor  

* [[1861]] Joined the Tosa Loyalist Party, led by longtime friend, [[Takechi Zuizan]] (Hanpeita), with the aim of expelling the foreigners and restoring power to the emperor  

* [[1863]] Katsu secures a pardon for Ryoma for leaving Tosa, but he refuses han orders to return, remaining an “outlaw” [[Ronin|Rônin]]  

* [[1863]] Katsu secures a pardon for Ryoma for leaving Tosa, but he refuses han orders to return, remaining an “outlaw” [[Ronin|Rônin]]  

** Put in charge of the [[Kaientai]], in Kobe, an auxiliary naval training unit established by Katsu Kaishu

** Put in charge of the [[Kaientai]], in Kobe, an auxiliary naval training unit established by Katsu Kaishu

** Introduced to Yokoi Shonan, an influential loyalist from Fukui, who advocated opening the country  

** Introduced to [[Yokoi Shonan]], an influential loyalist from Fukui, who advocated opening the country  

* [[1864]] Met [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]], a Satsuma loyalist leader, one of the future masterminds behind the future overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu

* [[1864]] Met [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]], a Satsuma loyalist leader, one of the future masterminds behind the future overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu

* [[1865]] Established Japan’s first foreign trading company, the Kameyama-shachu in Nagasaki, with the help of Saigo, to run supplies to loyalists in Choshu.

* [[1865]] Established Japan’s first foreign trading company, the Kameyama-shachu in Nagasaki, with the help of Saigo, to run supplies to loyalists in Choshu.

** Met Choshu loyalist leader [[Katsura Kogoro|Katsura Kogorô]] and begins to push longtime enemies, Satsuma and Choshu to form an anti-Tokugawa alliance

** Met [[Choshu han|Chôshu]] loyalist leader [[Katsura Kogoro|Katsura Kogorô]] and begins to push longtime enemies, Satsuma and Choshu to form an anti-Tokugawa alliance

* [[1866]] Successfully brokered the secret military alliance between Satsuma and Choshu that will seal the fate of the Tokugawa bakufu.   

* [[1866]] Successfully brokered the secret military alliance between Satsuma and Choshu that will seal the fate of the Tokugawa bakufu.   

**  One night after the conclusion of the Satsuma-Choshu alliance, Ryoma fights his way out of the [[Teradaya]] using a Smith & Wesson revolver during a raid by pro-bakufu police forces.  

**  One night after the conclusion of the Satsuma-Choshu alliance, Ryoma fights his way out of the [[Teradaya]] using a Smith & Wesson revolver during a raid by pro-bakufu police forces.