A Samurai Killed A British Merchant #history #japan #samurai

On September 14th, 1862 a British Merchant named Charles Lennox Richardson was traveling on a road, trying to visit a temple in Kawasaki. The entourage of Shimazu Hisamitsu, a samurai, approached from the other direction.

Charles was rude and refused to make way for them. So, the samurai’s bodyguards hacked him to death with swords and lances.

The British Government was outraged and demanded reparations. On August 15th, 1863 the Royal Navy entered the waters near Kagoshima. They planned to extract payment by force, and began firing on the city.

Eleven British sailors died, and five Japanese died. However, the Royal Navy had to retreat.

Reparations were not paid, and the bodyguards were never punished for killing Charles.