Makino Takashige (牧野誠成)

Takashige MAKINO was the ninth head of Tanabe Domain of Tango Province. He was the tenth generation of the Makino family in Tanabe Domain of Tango Province.

He was born on June 17, 1832, as the eldest son of the eighth lord of the domain, Tokishige MAKINO. On July 21, 1852, his father retired due to illness, so he took over as head of the family and became the ninth lord of domain. In March 1855, he was appointed to Osaka-kaban (a guard at Osaka-jo Castle). He guarded Nijo-jo Castle in April 1864, and the Imperial Palace in August by joining in the Kinmon Incident on the side of the Shogunate. In September, he guarded Iemochi TOKUGAWA, the fourteenth Shogun during the first conquest of Choshu. With these achievements, he was appointed to sojaban (an official in charge of ceremonies) on October 10.

During the second conquest of Choshu in 1866, he was allowed to stay in his province because he needed to defend the coast. Around this time Takashige took ill, and joined the new government during the Boshin Civil War in 1868. He died in Tanabe on April 16, 1869. Died at the age of 38. His eldest son Sukeshige succeeded him.

Takashige supported opening the country, and was said to be a open and liberal lord. Among his domain duties, he worked on construction of a gun battery and extension or reconstruction of a school. He was said to be a master of calligraphy.

[Original Japanese]