Study on Feudal Domain Lordship in Early Modern Japan: The Case of Itamigo-cho, a Domain of the Konoe Family

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13335
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03020:Japanese history-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Kato Akie 神戸大学, 人文学研究科, 特命助教 (30824528)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 公家領支配 / 在郷町

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of lordship rule in early modern Japanese court nobles' fiefdoms through the actual situation of local community management in the fiefdoms. The study focuses on the Konoe family and the town of Itamigo-cho, Kawabe-gun, Settsu Province, and examines the financial activities between the Konoe family and Itamigo-cho, using historical documents that have been handed down to both the Konoe family and the town.
Loans by the Konoe family to Itamigo-cho, which were also intended for the benefit of related temples, shrines, and court nobles, developed on a large scale in Itamigo-cho, especially from the 19th century onward. We found that these loans were closely related to the self-government of Itamigo-cho, and that the Konoe family's loans to Itamigo-cho functioned as a means of raising funds to meet various expenses.

Free Research Field

日本近世史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、従来、ほぼ蓄積のなかった近世の摂家を対象とした公家領経営・支配に関して、金融活動に着目することで、限られた領知において家政を維持しなければならない公家領主が、家領への経済的な吸着を強め、領下の町役人も金融活動を遂行できる能力を蓄積したことを明らかにした。関係する寺社や公家の利殖も近衛家を通じて伊丹郷町が担うことによる、公家領が果たす領主財政上の役割の重要性について明らかにできた点に本研究の学術的意義がある。