Shinsengumi

Quick Facts: Who was Shinsengumi?

Subject:

Shinsengumi

Known for:

Elite secret police force during Japan's Bakumatsu period, active from 1863 to 1869.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Shinsengumi (新選組, "Newly Selected Corps") was a small secret police organization, an elite group of swordsmen organized by commoners and low-ranking samurai, commissioned by the bakufu (military government) during Japan's Bakumatsu period (late Tokugawa shogunate) in 1863. It was active until 1869. It was founded to protect shogunate representatives in Kyoto at a time when a controversial imperial edict to exclude foreign trade from Japan had been made and the Chōshū clan had been forced from the imperial court. They gained considerable fame from events such as the Ikedaya incident and the August 18 coup, among others. The members were drawn from the sword schools of Edo.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Japan's forced opening to the west in 1854, which required it to open its shores for trade or face military conflict, exacerbated internal political instability. One long-standing line of political opinion was sonnō jōi (meaning, "revere the emperor, expel the barbarians"). Loyalists (particularly in Chōshū Domain) in Kyoto began to rebel. In response, the Tokugawa shogunate formed the Rōshigumi (浪士組, "the rōnin squad") on October 19, 1862. The Rōshigumi was a squad of 234 rōnin (samurai without masters) drawn from the sword schools of Edo.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The squad's nominal commander was the hatamoto Matsudaira Katamori, and their leader was Kiyokawa Hachirō, a rōnin from Shōnai Domain. The Rōshigumi's mission was to protect Tokugawa Iemochi, the 14th shōgun, during an important trip to Kyoto to meet with the Emperor Kōmei. There had not been such a meeting since the third shōgun of the Tokugawa bakufu, Tokugawa Iemitsu, had visited Kyoto in the 17th century. Tokugawa Iemochi, the head of the military government, the bakufu, had been invited to discuss how Japan should enact the recent imperial edict calling for the expulsion of foreigners. Although the Rōshigumi was funded by the Tokugawa bakufu, the leader Kiyokawa Hachirō and others had strong loyalties to the emperor and planned to gather other rōnin in Kyoto to police the city from insurgents.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1854: 1854 Milestone — Japan's forced opening to the west in 1854, which required it to open its shores for trade or face military conflict, exacerbated internal political instability.
2. 1862: 1862 Milestone — In response, the Tokugawa shogunate formed the Rōshigumi (浪士組, "the rōnin squad") on October 19, 1862.
3. 1863: 1863 Milestone — The Shinsengumi (新選組, "Newly Selected Corps") was a small secret police organization, an elite group of swordsmen organized by commoners and low-ranking samurai, commissioned by the bakufu (military government) during Japan's Bakumatsu period (late Tokugawa shogunate) in 1863.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Shinsengumi

True or False: “The Shinsengumi was composed entirely of high-ranking samurai from established noble houses.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While many leaders were samurai, the group notably allowed members from non-samurai classes, such as farmers and merchants, to join.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexandre Yersin — Historical peer (Born in 1863) (1863): Pioneering Swiss-French physician and bacteriologist, renowned for plague and diphtheria research.
• Alfred de Vigny — Historical peer (Died in 1863) (1863): French poet and early Romanticist, known for his plays and novels.
• Alice Hamilton — Historical peer (Born in 1869) (1869): Pioneering toxicologist and advocate for occupational health and safety.
• Alphonse de Lamartine — Historical peer (Died in 1869) (1869): French poet, author, and statesman whose career spanned revolutionary fervor and republican ideals.
• Albion Woodbury Small — Historical peer (Born in 1854) (1854): Pioneering American sociologist who established the first independent department of sociology in the US.
• Aletta Jacobs — Historical peer (Born in 1854) (1854): Pioneering Dutch physician and feminist, advocating for women's rights and reproductive health.
• Andrew Fisher — Historical peer (Born in 1862) (1862): Australian Labor Party leader and Prime Minister of Australia (1862–1928).
• Aristide Briand — Historical peer (Born in 1862) (1862): French statesman known for international reconciliation and peace efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shinsengumi