Romulus Hillsborough Knihy

Tato kniha pojednává o krveprolévání, smrti a ukrutnostech. Je však také o odvaze, cti a věrnosti. Zabývá se některými nejtemnějšími, současně však i nejvznešenějšími zákoutími lidské duše. Témata, jež jsou ukryta v tomto historickém vyprávění o šinsengumi, se týkají mimořádné vůle po moci a vědomí vlastní důležitosti u jejich vůdců a nepřekonatelného sklonu k zabíjení, jejž dokázaly vštípit svým řadovým bojovníkům, příslušníkům tohoto nejsmrtonosnějšího samurajského útvaru. Líčení těchto událostí se plně opírá o historické dokumenty a záznamy, historické práce a životopisy, o dopisy, paměti a vzpomínky.

"Power to them meant everything. It was founded on courage, which begot honor. And by this courage and for this honor they fought to the death." The Shogun's Last Samurai Corps tells the thrilling story of the Shinsengumi--the legendary corps of Samurai warriors tasked with keeping order in Kyoto during the final chaotic years of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1600-1868). This book recounts the fascinating tales of political intrigue, murder and mayhem surrounding the fearsome Shinsengumi, including: The infamous slaughter at Ikidaya Inn where, after learning of a plan to torch the city, a group of Shinsengumi viciously attacked and killed a group of anti-Tokugawa plotters The bloody assassination of Serizawa Kamo, the Shinsengumi leader, under highly suspicious circumstances The final tumultuous battles of the civil war in which the Shinsengumi fought and died in a series of doomed last stands Author and Samurai history expert Romulus Hillsborough uses letters, memoirs, interviews and eyewitness accounts to paint a vivid picture of the Shinsengumi, their origins, violent methods and the colorful characters that led the group.

Set during a tumultuous period in Japan's history, this account details the formation of the Shinsengumi, a legendary samurai corps established in 1863. Tasked with enforcing the Tokugawa Shogunate's authority, they were known for their fierce loyalty and combat skills. The narrative explores their complex relationships, moral dilemmas, and the impact of their actions on the nation's fate, offering a vivid portrayal of honor, duty, and the struggle between tradition and change.

See the dawn of modern Japan through the lens of the power players who helped shape it as well as those who fought against it in this exploration of Samurai history.

The book explores the role of assassination, or "ansatsu," in the samurai-led revolution of the Meiji Restoration, which led to the fall of the shogun's military government and the restoration of the Imperial monarchy in 1868. It delves into the ideology and moral philosophy of the revolutionaries, particularly the concept of bushido, or "the way of the warrior," and examines how these principles laid the groundwork for the emperor-worship that emerged during World War II.