To countermand this move, Ii suppressed the supporters of the Sonjo such as the Hitotsubashi Group by carrying out the Ansei Purge, which led to the Sakuradamon Incident in 1860 when Ii was assassinated.
これに対して井伊は安政の大獄を行い一橋派や尊攘派の弾圧を行い、1860年（安政7）には井伊が暗殺される桜田門外の変が起こる。