About Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet (2 January 1838 – 12 August 1911) was a French military officer who served the Tokugawa shogunate during the Boshin War in Japan. Originally sent to Japan as a horse artillery instructor with the French military mission of 1867, he refused to leave the country after the shōgun was defeated, and played a leading role in the separatist Republic of Ezo and its fight against forces of the Meiji Restoration. After the rebellion's defeat, he returned to France, fought in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), later reached the rank of general of division, and worked for the Ministry of War. Jules Brunet was an inspiration for the character played by Tom Cruise in the 2003 film The Last Samurai. At 28 years old, Brunet was one of the youngest officers selected to the Mission. When Edo also fell to Imperial forces Enomoto and Brunet escaped, first going to Sendai and then to the northern island of Hokkaidō (then known as Ezo). The new Japanese government requested that Brunet be punished for his activities in the Boshin War, but his actions had won popular support in France and the request was denied. Brunet became the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ezo government. After the rebellion's defeat, he returned to France, fought in the Franco-Prussian War, later reached the rank of general of division, and worked for the Ministry of War.
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