A conté of Takamori, by Edoardo Chiossone.
Saigō Takamori (西鄕 隆盛, 23 January 1828 – 24 September 1877) also known as Saigō Takanaga (西鄕 隆永) was a Japanese samurai, general of the Satsuma Domain, one of the "Three Great Nobles" of the Meiji Restoration, and the leader of the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion. Takamori was dubbed "the last samurai" for leading the last major act of resistance against the Westernization and modernization of Japan, and he committed seppuku after being mortally wounded at the Battle of Shiroyama.
Biography[]
Saigo Kokichi was born in Kagoshima, Satsuma Domain, Japan on 23 January 1828, the oldest of seven children and the brother of Saigo Judo. He assumed the given name Takamori in adulthood but at the same also given the nickname "Katsumoto" and became a prominent commander of the Satsuma Domain and supporter of the Meiji Restoration, advocating for the stripping of the Tokugawa clan's lands following Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu's resignation. During the ensuing Boshin War, Takamori led the Imperial forces at the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, and he went on to capture Edo (Tokyo).
Takamori meditating in 1876
Following Emperor Meiji's victory over the Tokugawa Shogunate, Takamori retained a key role in the new Empire of Japan, helping to abolish the feudal han system and establish a conscript army, the Imperial Japanese Army. Saigo was an opponent of the Westernization and modernization of Japan and the establishment of trade with the Western powers, fearing that Japanese culture and bushido - the traditional way of life of the old samurai order - would become irrelevant in a Westernized country. He also opposed the construction of a railway network, believing that government money should instead be spent on military modernization. In 1873, after Saigo's advice to go to war with Korea over Korea's refusal to recognize Meiji as ruler of Japan was rejected, Saigo decided to resign from the government and return home.
Takamori in 1876
Saigo then returned to Kagoshima, where he grew discontented with the increasing influence of the dictatorial statesman Okubo Toshimichi at the Emperor's court. After the Imperial government abolished the feudal han system in 1871 and banned the carrying of swords in public in 1876, Takamori became the leader of a large movement of discontented samurai who feared that they would lose their privileges as the traditional warrior class. In 1877, the elimination of the samurai's rice stipends was the final straw, and Takamori established a private military academy for disaffected samurai in Kagoshima and took control of the city's government. When the Imperial Japanese Army was sent to remove the weapons from the Kagoshima Arsenal, open conflict broke out. Takamori was persuaded by the rebels to lead their uprising, although he convinced himself that he was serving the Emperor by attempting to overthrow the corrupt, pro-Western elite of Japan and make the Emperor hear his pleas to respsect Japanese culture.
The Imperial soldiers watching Takamori's death
Takamori and his army besieged Kumamoto Castle before their siege was broken by the modernized Imperial Army at the Battle of Tabaruzaka, forcing Takamori to retreat. His forces won several small victories against some ill-trained conscript regiments sent to find and defeat his army, and he captured and befriended the Imperial Army's American military advisor Nathan Algren in the process. Saigo was later invited to Tokyo to have an audience with the Emperor, but Okubo attempted to engineer Takamori's downfall by having him arrested and condemned to death for carrying a sword into the city. Before Takamori could be forced to commit seppuku, he was rescued by Algren and by his clansmen, and they escaped back to Kyushu, where they prepared to make a brave final stand against the Imperial Army rather than go quietly.
In the ensuing Battle of Shiroyama, the Imperial Army suffered heavy losses while attacking the brave samurai army, but the samurai suffered even greater losses, and Takamori and Algren ultimately decided upon a suicidal cavalry charge against the Imperial Army to die well. Takamori and Algren were both wounded by Gatling Gun fire as they charged, and a mortally wounded Takamori was able to die an honorable death by seppuku with Algren's help. Takamori's death caused even the Imperial Army soldiers to cease firing and bow out of respect for "the last samurai", and the Emperor, saddened to hear of the death of one of his most loyal supporters, posthumously pardoned Takamori on 22 February 1889.
Gallery[]
