Serizawa Kamo

Serizawa Kamo (芹沢 鴨; September 2, 1826 – October 30, 1863) was a samurai known for being the original lead commander of the Shinsengumi.
As shown in the Hakuōki franchise, Serizawa was a powerful and arrogant samurai who often initiated conflicts, especially while being drunk, and demanded a lot of respect towards the Rōshigumi and later Shinsengumi. 
==Background==
Very little is known about Serizawa's early life.
He is said to be the biological son of Shimura Yu, a priest from Matsui Village, Taka District (now Nakago-cho, Kitazawa City).『読売新聞』2017年9月15日　「芹沢鴨の出身地　「北茨城生まれ」の新説」 In Ishikawa Kanshū's "Ishikawa Meizen Diary", he is mentioned as "son of Matsui Village priest Jirohachi, who is the son of Shimura Yu, and the person responsible for the collection of offerings from Jirohachi's peasants".『茨城新聞』2015年12月6日 14面「新撰組局長の芹沢鴨　出身地は北茨城か　幕末の日記新史料発見」 It is believed that Shimura Tsugutsugu, who is said to have been Jirohachi's son, had a child named Tsunechika, but the family Buddhist tablet of the Shimura family stated that he was Yu's child.長久保片雲「芹沢鴨と北茨城市との接点」『耕人 第11号』、耕人社 2005年5月 p81～89 Although there is a theory that he was adopted as a son-in-law, there is no evidence to support it.
At the end of Shimada Kai's "Eimei Rokuroku", it is written next to Kamo's name as 又左（右）衛門子 (Matasa (Migi) Emonko), and it is also said that he was from the Serizawa branch of the Mito clan and was a master of the Hoki-ryu Yukari-ha Kyudo.小野崎紀男編著『弓道人名大事典』、日本図書センター 2003年5月 p305 There is also a theory that he was the son of Serizawa Mataemon Yoshimitsu and was called Serizawa Mataemon's child (芹沢又衛門以幹).古賀茂作「芹沢鴨異聞」『新選組組長列伝』、新人物往来社 2002年7月 p200～205 
According to Nagakura Shinpachi, he was born in Serizawa Village, Makabe District, in Ibaraki Prefecture永倉新八『新選組顛末記』、新人物文庫 2009年5月 p84 and was called a rōnin from Serizawa Village永倉『浪士文久報国記事』, indicating that it was a powerful clan that settled in Serizawa Village, Gyokukai District, Hitachi Province (currently Serizawa, Ibaraki Prefecture) during the Muromachi period. It is said that in the early Edo period, he was awarded 100 koku by Tokugawa Ieyasu's order and given a position in Tomita Village, Gyokukai District (currently Tomita, Gyokukai City) due to his military merits「芹澤系図」『系図綜覧　第二巻』、国書刊行会　1915年9月 p47, and later became a senior samurai (shi-bun) of the Mito clan. There is a theory that he was the third son of Serizawa Gaiji Sadamitsu.芹澤 鴨(光幹) 新選組を創った男
However, in recent years, the existence of Hasegawa Shoichi (長谷川庄七) (alias Takehisa (健久)), who was born in the 7th year of Bunsei (1824) or the 9th year of Bunsei (1826)「故　長谷川庄七（内務省二）」『昭和大礼贈位書類第二冊』、国立公文書館, joined the Shinsengumi, later joined the Tengu Party, and died in battle on August 16, the first year of Genji (1864), in Naka Port, has been confirmed. 箱根紀千也「新選組芹澤鴨と新見錦と水戸藩浪士」『霊山歴史館紀要 22号』、霊山歴史館 2015年5月 p47
Shimomura Tsugutsugu (下村嗣次), a member of the Tamatsukuri faction, organized wealthy merchants in Yokohama to raise funds for expelling foreigners. He assaulted a village head with an iron fan but faced opposition from the Mito clan. Tsugutsugu was arrested, imprisoned, and later received a sentence of imprisonment followed by decapitation. He was eventually released along with other members of the Tamatsukuri faction. It is believed that Tsugutsugu changed his name to Serizawa Kamo. Kondō Isami described this story as "Mizufu defected retainer Shimura Tsugushi, also known as Serizawa Kamo".『水戸藩史料 下編全』、水戸徳川家伊能権之丞『水戸浪士佐原一件』石河幹修『石河明善日記十九』文久元年 水戸市立博物館蔵『住谷信順日記九』、東京大学史料編纂所 3月29日の件坂井四郎兵衛編 『天保明治水戸見聞実記』、知新堂 1894年10月 p65石河幹修『石河明善日記二四』文久三年 水戸市立博物館蔵“『近藤勇書簡　文久3年5月推定』”. 2021年10月8日閲覧。
==Shinsengumi==
On February 5th, approximately one month later, Shimura Tsugutsugu (who is believed to be Serizawa Kamo), along with Niimi Kinu, Hirayama Goro, Noguchi Kenji, Hirama Jujiro, and others, joined the rōnin group organized by the Bakufu, called the "Rōshigumi", through the activities of Kiyoka Kichiro and the mediation of Matsudaira Tadatoshi. Serizawa was appointed as the head of the sixth unit. At that time, Kondō Isami, Hijikata Toshizō, Okita Sōji, Yamanami Keisuke, and others from Edo's swordsmanship school Shieikan also joined them, and they traveled together to Kyoto. It is worth noting that during their journey to Kyoto, at Honjo-shuku, there is a legend (from Nagakura Shinpachi's "Shinsengumi Tenmatsuki") that Serizawa became angry because the lodging for him was not arranged properly due to Kondō's mistake, and he set a dangerous bonfire in the town. However, since there are no records or traditions in the local area to support this, its credibility is considered low.【明治維新１５０年　埼玉県誕生　人物編】（２）新選組・芹沢鴨の「篝火事件」 産経新聞（2018年11月16日）
On the 23rd, they arrived in Kyoto. Serizawa and his group stayed at the residence of Yagi Gennojo, a samurai from Biwa Village. At that time, in order to make the Rōshigumi the vanguard of the true loyalist movement and expulsion of foreigners, Seika Kichiro, the founder of the group, successfully submitted a petition to the imperial court to make the Rōshigumi directly under the control of the court. On the 29th, at Shintoku-ji Temple, they gathered comrades and declared their return to Edo for the execution of the expulsion of foreigners, but Serizawa and Kondō opposed this, withdrew from the unit and decided to stay in Kyoto. At this time, a total of 13 people, consisting of Serizawa's five comrades and Kondō's eight comrades, chose to remain. Tonouchi Yoshio and Negishi Tomoyama also joined them.
On March 10th, Serizawa, Kondō, and the others, a total of 17 people (some sources say 24), submitted a petition to the Aizu Domain. The Aizu Domain decided to take them into their custody. Serizawa and the others used Yagi's residence as their headquarters (later, they also stayed at the Maekawa and Nanbu residences), and it was around this time that they began to be called the Mibu Rōshigumi. During this time, internal strife occurred, and on the 26th, Tonomi was assassinated, and Negishi also left with his comrades, resulting in the Serizawa faction and the Kōndo faction taking control of the Mibu Rōshigumi. Later, Serizawa, Kondō, and Niimi became the heads of the groups, with Serizawa as the leader.
On the 25th, five Aizu samurai, Honda Shiro, Ono Hachisuke, Mochizuki Shinpei, Suwa Denzaburo, and Sakuma Teiji, visited Mibu guided by Yoshida Genjiro and had their first meeting with Serizawa and the others.本多四郎『世話集聞記 一』3月25日項 国立公文書館蔵 The rōnin entertained them by performing dances and invited them to watch, offering them sake and snacks in ceramic bottles. The rōnin wore matching clothes made from the stipend they received from the Aizu Domain, dyed in the same color. 
In April, Serizawa, Kōndo, Niimi, and others went to Osaka and borrowed 100 ryō from Hiraya Gohei of Hirano-ya at Imahashi.
On May 24th, during a conversation at Nakayama Tadanori's residence, the name "Serizawa Kamo" was mentioned along with Imaizumi Yoichitaro as "volunteers", making it a historical document that confirms the reading of his name.中山忠能 『中山忠能日記 原題・正心誠意　第三』、日本史籍協会 1916年7月 p644 The next day, as the leader of all the comrades, he submitted a written petition for the expulsion of foreigners to Matsudaira Katamori.「近藤勇書状写帳」『佐藤彦五郎日記2』「日野宿本陣」文書調査団、2005年3月 p185～186
On June 3rd, Serizawa, Kōndo, and ten others went back to Osaka to crack down on the "unruly rōnin". On the way, they had a confrontation with a sumo wrestler who refused to yield the way, and Serizawa and the others assaulted him. Angered by their actions, the wrestler's companions rushed in, and a fight broke out, resulting in casualties on the wrestler's side. The elder of the Onogawa stable apologized, resolving the situation. However, Uchiyama Hikojuro, an officer of the Osaka Machi Bugyo's force, made it an issue, provoking Kōndo, who was later assassinated by the Shinsengumi (there are alternative theories about the person who assassinated Uchiyama).
In the same month, it was brought to Serizawa's attention through the Aizu Domain that the public officials of Mizuguchi Domain complained that the Mibu Rōshigumi were violent. Enraged, Serizawa dispatched Nagakura Shinpachi, Inoue Genzaburō, and others to Mizuguchi Domain's residence, where they threatened the responsible party to apologize and obtained a written apology. As the apology was written at the discretion of the responsible party, fearing that the incident would be exposed, the public officials attempted to retrieve the written apology by persuading Serizawa through intermediaries, and Serizawa agreed to return the written apology. A banquet was held at the Kawahara residence, but Serizawa, who was drunk, caused a commotion and unilaterally ordered a seven-day suspension of business for the proprietor, Tokuemondokoro (Serizawa's misconduct at Tokuemondokoro).
On August 13th, the residence of Yamato-ya Shobee in Fukuomachi, Ichijo-dori, was attacked and burned down by the Mibu rōnin. Nishimura Kanefumi (a temple servant at Nishi Honganji Temple, where the Shinsengumi had their barracks) states in "Shinsengumi Shimatsuki" that Serizawa was the one who led this attack.西村兼文「新選組跋扈悩市中事」 『新選組始末記』 野史台維新史料叢書三十
According to the "Sōjō Diary" by Suzuki Tange in "The Seven-Year Chronicle," on August 18th, during the political upheaval, Kōndo and Serizawa led their troops to guard the Imperial Palace. However, the Aizu Domain soldiers who guarded the gate did not recognize the Mibu Rōshigumi, so they refused to let them pass, raising their spears. As the situation became a standoff, Serizawa walked forward with a smirk, and when the clan soldiers pointed their spears at him, he calmly flicked them away with his beloved iron fan. The military commissioner of the Aizu Domain arrived and resolved the situation on the spot, but Serizawa calmly passed through the gate, astonishing everyone with his fearless attitude.
It is said that it was during this operation that the Aizu clan gave the Mibu Rōshigumi the name "Shinsengumi", but there is no definitive historical evidence to support this claim.
In September of the 3rd year of Bunkyu (1863), Serizawa was furious when a geisha named Kotora at the Yoshida Inn refused to expose her skin to him. He stormed into the inn, threatened the owner, and proceeded to vandalize the establishment. He then forced Kotora and another geisha named Oko to have their hair cut off as punishment. As a result of these actions, an arrest warrant was issued for Serizawa by the imperial court, but there is no conclusive evidence that the Aizu Domain ordered his arrest.永倉『浪士文久報国記事』
On the 13th of the same year, Serizawa, along with Hijikata, Okita, and others, visited the Arisugawa Palace, which was the maternal relatives of the Tokugawa family, the lords of Mito. They presented a written document to the Arisugawa family, which included their names and a statement saying, "If there is any need for security, please let us know without hesitation".『熾仁親王行実　第三冊　第六』、宮内庁 1898年7月 p25
==Death==
On September 16th or 18th, the Shinsengumi held a grand geisha party at the Tsuno-ya Inn in Shimabara. Serizawa, Hirayama Goro, Hirama Jujiro, and Kōndo left the inn early and returned to the Yagi family's residence in Mibu, where they held another party. Serizawa's beloved mistress, Oume, Hirayama's familiar geisha named Kikyo-ya Yoshie, and Hirama's familiar geisha named Rinchuya Itosato were waiting for them. After the party, a heavily intoxicated Serizawa and the others shared the same bed with the women.
Late at night, during a heavy rainstorm, several men burst into the room where Serizawa was sleeping. They killed Hirayama, who was sleeping next to Serizawa, and attacked Serizawa himself. Startled, Serizawa tried to grab his sword but failed. He jumped into the adjacent room where the Yagi family's father and son were sleeping, still naked. However, he stumbled over a writing desk and fell, and the assassins ruthlessly attacked him. At that moment, Serizawa fell onto Yagis' son, Yukinosuke, and the assassins attacked there, causing the tip of a sword to hit Yukinosuke's right leg, injuring him.子母澤寛 「壬生屋敷」『新選組遺聞』、中公文庫 1977年 p138
Hirayama's body was decapitated, and Serizawa's mistress, Oume, who was sharing the bed with him, was also killed. Hirama, who was in another room, managed to escape, while Kikyo-ya and Itosato disappeared unharmed.
According to "Shinsengumi Ibun", the wife of Yagi Gennojo, Masu, witnessed Hijikata Toshizō frequently observing the situation in the middle of the night. The scene also included Okita Sōji and Harada Sanosuke, and it is suggested that Yamanami Keisuke might have been there as well. According to Nagakura's "Roshi Bunku Hokoku", the assassination was carried out by Hijikata, Okita, Tōdō Heisuke, and Mikura Izu. Nishimura Kanefumi mentions that the assassins were Hijikata, Okita, Yamanami, and Harada.
The incident was attributed to the actions of Chōshū domain samurai, and on September 18th (or September 20th, according to the assassination theory), a grand funeral was held for Serizawa and Hirayama, following Shinto rituals. On the 20th, Kōndo sent a letter to Sato Hikogoro in his hometown of Tama, informing him of the "mysterious death" of Serizawa and Hirayama.『佐藤俊正雑記　自文久3年至明治2年』、東京大学史料編纂所
Serizawa's grave is located in Mibudera Temple in Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City.
==References==
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Category:Historical counterparts