In the meantime, Kintomo ANEGAKOJI, who was regarded as a leader of sonjo party, was assassinated (the Sakuheimon incident); some groups that had worked for kobu-gattai, including the Satsuma clan, were suspected to be responsible for the incident and for a while their authority fell.
逆に尊攘派の代表と見られた姉小路公知が暗殺される事件（朔平門外の変）も起き、犯行に関与したとみられた薩摩藩など公武合体派の勢力が一時低下した。