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Kondo Isami (近藤 勇 ''Kondō Isami'', 1834 - 1868 ) Japanese Samurai of the Bakumatsu era (the period that the Tokugawa Shogunate fell). BACKGROUND He was born under the name Miyagawa Katsugoro, and came from a farming family resident in Kami-Ishihara village, in the region of Tama . As a young man he was said to have loved reading, and was a great fan of the story of the 47 Ronin and the Romance Of The Three Kingdoms . His renown as a scholar and his fame at having defeated a group of thieves who tried to break into his family home was great, and caught the attention of Kondo Shuusuke , the 3rd generation master of Tennen Rishin-ryu . Shuusuke wasted no time in adopting the young Katsugoro in 1849, who first took the name of Shimazaki Katsuta , and later, Kondo Isami. In 1861, Kondo succeeded to the Tennen Rishin-ryu and became its 4th master, taking charge of the school's main dojo, the Shieikan . SHINSENGUMI PERIOD In 1863 , the Tokugawa Shogunate organized a massive group of Ronin under the command of Matsudaira Tadatoshi , for the purpose of protecting the shogun Iemochi during his time in Kyoto. Kondo joined the unit, which became known as the Roshitai , and was followed by his close friend Hijikata Toshizo , as well as Shieikan's members and guests Yamanami Keisuke , Okita Souji , Harada Sanosuke , Nagakura Shinpachi , Todo Heisuke , and Inoue Genzaburo . After the de facto commander Kiyokawa Hachiro revealed their true purpose as being anti-Shogunate radicalism, Kondo, Hijikata, former Mito retainer Serizawa Kamo, and a handful of others remained in Kyoto and formed the Mibu Roshigumi. They were put under the control of Aizu clan with the job of Kyoto Shugoshoku and worked as police in Kyoto. In an August 18 incident Kinmon No Seihen , his team was renamed Shinsengumi. In June 1864 , the Shinsengumi became well known for arresting extreme cells ( Ikedaya Affair ). DEATH After the Battle Of Toba-Fushimi In January 1868 , he returned to Edo , fighting with the force dispatched by the Imperial Court but lost the battle. After surrendering, he was beheaded on May 17 (Moon calendar April 25) 1868 by the new government, (in NHK 's drama series, he was beheaded as a result of being falsely accused of the murder of Sakamoto Ryoma .) He has several grave sites; it was rumored that the first of which was erected in Aizu by his friend and subordinate Hijikata Toshizo. Years later, after the deaths of both his wife and his only daughter (born a year before Kondo went to Kyoto in early 1862 and died in 1886), Kondo Isami's only grandson, was killed in the First Sino-Japanese War . TRIVIA It is well known that Kondo Isami was able to place his entire fist inside his mouth and did this frequently to impress others. |
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