Saigo Takamori西郷隆盛alternative words: Takamori Saigo, Saigou Takamori, Takamori Saigou keywords: famous person , meiji revolution , military man , statesman related topics: Edo shogunate , Meiji revolution , Meiji period , Satsuma domain , Katsu Kaishu , Okubo Toshimichi , Seinan war related web sites: http://www.page.sannet.ne.jp/ytsubu/ , http://reimeikan.pref.kagoshima.jp explanation: One of the leaders of Meiji Revolution. Born in a modest family of samurai in 1827 at Kagoshima. Recognized by seignior Shimazu Nariakira, he got a post of responsibility. After the death of Nariakira, he committed a suicide but miraculously survived. Nevertheless he was sentenced to a banishment because of his pro western opinion. Later he greatly contributed to the fall of Edo shogunate in 1868. In 1877, he organized a samurai's revolt in Kyushu but killed himself after the defeat. | |