During the Bakumatsu period, Mito Domain came out strongly in support of the Sonnō jōi movement, placing it at odds with the shogunate and also politically with Takamatsu Domain. In addition the two domains were at odds during the succession issue over the successor to Shogun Tokugawa Iesada, and the bad relations between Takamatsu and Mito continued for over a hundred years to 1974 when the two cities officially reconciled. During the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in the Boshin War, Takamatsu Domain supported the shogunate and was initially labelled an "enemy of the court". A punitive force led by Tosa Domain and supported by Marugame and Tadotsu Domains was sent attack Takamatsu, but Tokushima Domain was reluctant and encouraged Takamatsu to defect. As a result, Matsudaira Yoritsuna was forced to retire and was placed under house arrest in Edo and two chief karō, Oga Mataemon and Obu Hyōgo, were ordered to commit seppuku, and the domain ordered to pay 120,000 ryō to the Meiji government. However, there was much anti-government sentiment in the domain, and in 1871 with the abolition of the han system, the domain's territory was initially merged with Tokushima and Ehime Prefectures, only becoming part of Kagawa Prefecture on December 3, 1888. Matsudaira Yoritoshi, the final daimyō of Takamatsu was later granted the kazoku peerage title of Count (hakushaku)
