Keisuke Otori

A diplomat from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji era. Born on February 25, 1835, as the eldest son of a doctor in Ako, Harima Province (Hyogo Prefecture), he studied at Shizutaniko in Okayama and at Ogata Koan's Tekitekisaijuku in Osaka. In 1854 (Ansei 1), he went to Edo and became a pupil of Tsuboi Tadayasu, and in 1857 he entered the academy of Egawa Hidetoshi (the third son of Hidetatsu). He also studied military science under the Frenchman Brunet, who was a military advisor to the shogunate. In 1866 (Keio 2), he was appointed by the shogunate as a professor of Western studies at the Kaiseisho School, and was subsequently appointed as the head of the infantry force, where he was responsible for Western-style training for the shogunate's soldiers. After the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in 1868 (Keio 4), he advocated for war in Edo, and when Edo Castle was surrendered, he escaped with his subordinates and fought in the Northern Kanto and Aizu areas, and then fought with Enomoto Takeaki at Hakodate. He surrendered in May of the following year, 1869 (Meiji 2), and remained in prison until 1872. After being released from prison, he was welcomed by the government, traveled to the United States to negotiate foreign debt, and served as president of the College of Engineering, a member of the Senate, and president of Gakushuin in 1886. In 1889, he was stationed in China as an envoy extraordinary and plenipotentiary, and was in charge of diplomatic negotiations with Korea and China until 1894. Baron. Died June 15, Meiji 44.

[Masaru Sasaki]

"Bakumatsu Restoration Historical Materials Series 9: Bakumatsu Actual War History" (1969, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha)" ▽ "Yamazaki Arinobu's "Otori Keisuke Biography" (2010, Matsuno Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末から明治時代の外交官。天保(てんぽう)4年2月25日、播磨国(はりまのくに)（兵庫県）赤穂(あこう)の医師の長男に生まれる。岡山閑谷黌(しずたにこう)、大坂緒方洪庵(おがたこうあん)の適々斎塾(てきてきさいじゅく)に学ぶ。1854年（安政1）江戸に出て坪井忠益に入門、1857年江川英敏(ひでとし)（英龍(ひでたつ)の三男）の塾に入る。また幕府軍事顧問のフランス人ブリュネより兵学を学んだ。1866年（慶応2）開成所洋学教授として幕府に登用され、ついで歩兵頭並に就任して幕兵の洋式訓練にあたった。1868年（慶応4）鳥羽(とば)・伏見(ふしみ)の戦い後江戸にあって主戦論を主張、江戸開城を機に配下とともに脱走し、北関東、会津方面で抗戦、ついで榎本武揚(えのもとたけあき)とともに箱館(はこだて)で戦った。翌1869年（明治2）5月降伏、1872年まで獄中。出獄後政府に迎えられ、外債交渉で渡米、工部大学校長、元老院議官、1886年学習院院長を歴任したあと、1889年特命全権公使として清(しん)国に在勤、以後1894年まで対韓・清国との外交折衝を担当した。男爵。明治44年6月15日没。

［佐々木克］

『『幕末維新史料叢書9　幕末実戦史』（1969・新人物往来社）』▽『山崎有信著『大鳥圭介伝』（2010・マツノ書店）』

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