Nishikinokoji Yorinori (錦小路頼徳)
Yorinori NISHIKINOKOJI (May 21. 1835 – June 1, 1864) was a court noble of Sonno Joi ha (supporters of the doctorine of restoring the emperor and expelling the barbarians). He called himself Ikkan (or Kazunuki).
Career
In 1835, he was born as a son of Arihisa KARAHASHI. He was adopted by Yoriosa NISHIKINOKOJI as his heir. In 1851, he was raised to the peerage, and two years later, he was appointed to Kokushi (official) of Yamato Province. After participated in Teishin Hachiju-hachi-kyo Ressan Jiken (the demo of eighty-eight retainers of imperial court) of 1858, he played an important role to support the group of Sonno Joi (19th century slogan advocating reverence for the Emperor and the expulsion of foreigners). In 1862, he became Jushii-jo Uma no kami (captain of the right division of bureau of horses at junior fourth rank, upper grade). In the same year, he participated in the impeachment for Takemichi KOGA who was a member of the party advocating Kobu-Gattai (the union of the Imperial Court and the shogunate); in March of the following year, he and Motoosa MIBU proposed the radical reform in the government and the execution of Joi (expulsion of foreigners), then he was appointed to Kokuji-yoryudo (general official of the government) and attended Emperor Komei's visit to Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine to pray for the success of Joi.
However, in the coup of September 30 of the same year, he fell into disgrace and escaped to the Choshu Domain with Sanetomi SANJO and Motoosa MIBU; this escape is called Shichi-kyo Ochi (the exile of the seven nobles). Due to the incident, he lost his position and rank. Even after that, he kept supporting the group of Joi of Choshu Domain calling himself Yoritaro KUWABARA as a disguise; however, while visiting the gun batteries of Akamagaseki, he became sick and died there at the age of 30.
Notes
At his death, he wrote the last poem as "after thirty years I awoke from my empty dream, it was like the clouds floating across Akamagaseki in the summer night."
After his death, at the Decree for the Restoration of Imperial Rule, he was restored his old official rank; and in 1870, he was raised to Shoshii (senior fourth rank).