[1][2][3] Though the Dutch and Chinese trading posts in Nagasaki were overseen directly by officials of the Tokugawa shogunate, the domain was largely responsible for the military defense of the city and the port.

During this battle, however, he turned against and captured Western Army general Tachibana Muneshige, earning some degree of favor from Tokugawa Ieyasu and being allowed to keep his fief.

The area was a center for ceramic production and techniques as a result of its connections with Korea, becoming famous for its Imari porcelain which was a significant export good to Europe.

In 1808, during the Napoleonic Wars, the Phaeton incident occurred, in which a British frigate invaded Nagasaki and demanded the handover of the Dutch trading post.

In particular, he carried out extensive restructuring, reducing the number of officials by two-fifths, and devoted himself to protecting and nurturing farmers, as well as to developing and trading in industries such as pottery, tea, and coal, which improved the domain's finances.

Largely responsible for Japan's technological and military advancement, and holding much of the fruits of those labors, Saga attracted the attention of the shogunate, which kept a close eye on the domain.

In the Boshin War, Saga was assigned the vanguard of the forces advancing northward on the Hokuriku highway, and samurai from the domain fought the shogunate at the Battle of Ueno and in other clashes.

As a result, the new Meiji government which emerged afterwards featured a number of figures from Saga, including Etō Shinpei, Ōkuma Shigenobu, Ōki Takatō, and Sano Tsunetami.

Disgruntled former samurai of the domain, disillusioned with the Meiji government over the disputes over invading Korea and their loss of status and stipends, launched the Saga Rebellion in 1874, which was quickly suppressed.