Kurobane Clan

A small Tozama domain based in Kurobane, Shimotsuke Province (Tochigi Prefecture). The Ozeki clan, said to have originated from a local lord in Hitachi, had grown into a powerful clan representing the Northern Nasu clan alongside the Otawara clan by the end of the Sengoku period. In 1590 (Tensho 18), during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's attack on Odawara, Ozeki Takamasu and Harumasu, father and son, participated in the campaign with the Northern Nasu clan before the head family of the Nasu clan's stance was decided, and were granted their former territory of 13,000 koku. After the Battle of Sekigahara, their fief was increased in 1600 (Keicho 5) and 1602, giving them 20,000 koku of land in Nasu and Haga counties in Shimotsuke Province and Ishikawa County in Mutsu Province. From Harumasu to Masunori, for 16 generations and about 300 years, he continued to maintain his former territory, becoming a rare feudal lord in the Kanto region as an old family. In 1646 (Shoho 3), during the reign of Masuchika, he divided his estate into two younger brothers, 1000 koku each, bringing his official stipend to 18,000 koku.

A land survey of the domain carried out during the Kanbun and Enpo eras (1661-81) restricted the local fiefs of samurai and increased their actual holdings, establishing the domain system, but after that, the rural areas of the domain rapidly declined, and reforms were carried out by the chief retainer Suzuki Ichoken during the Meiwa and Kansei eras (1764-1801) and by the domain lord Masunari during the Kasei era (1804-30), but the degradation of the domain and financial difficulties did not improve. Masunari compiled Sosuikakei (1817) as a compilation of domain government materials and attempted to use it as a guideline for domain governance. Ozeki Masuhiro, who succeeded to the family headship in 1862 (Bunkyu 2), carried out reforms of the domain government under the slogan of "revitalizing everything" and "enriching the country and strengthening the military." He also served as the magistrate of the military lecture hall, magistrate of the army, and young councilor (who also served as magistrate of the navy) in the shogunate. He led the vanguard of the government army in the Boshin War, and was awarded a prize stipend of 15,000 koku in 1869 (Meiji 2). The domain was abolished in 1871, and after passing through Kurobane Prefecture and Utsunomiya Prefecture, it was incorporated into Tochigi Prefecture in 1873.

[Akira Abe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

下野(しもつけ)国（栃木県）黒羽に居所を置いた外様(とざま)小藩。常陸(ひたち)の土豪出身といわれる大関氏は戦国時代末期には、大田原氏と並んで北那須(きたなす)衆を代表する有力豪族に成長していた。1590年（天正18）豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の小田原攻めに際し、大関高増(たかます)・晴増(はるます)の親子は、宗家那須氏の態度が定まらぬうちに、北那須衆を伴って参陣し、旧領1万3000石を安堵(あんど)された。関ヶ原の戦い後、1600年（慶長5）と02年に加増され、下野国那須・芳賀(はが)郡、陸奥(むつ)国石川郡内で2万石を領有した。晴増のあと増勤(ますのり)まで16代、約300年間、一貫して旧領を維持し続けた関東では希有(けう)の旧族大名となった。1646年（正保3）増親(ますちか)のとき弟2人に1000石ずつ分知したので表高1万8000石となった。

　寛文(かんぶん)・延宝(えんぽう)期（1661～81）に実施した領内総検地で藩士地方知行(じかたちぎょう)の制限と実高増大を行い、藩体制を確立したが、その後、領内農村の衰微が著しく、明和(めいわ)～寛政(かんせい)期（1764～1801）には家老鈴木為蝶軒(いちょうけん)、化政(かせい)期（1804～30）には藩主増業(ますなり)の改革が実施されたが、領内の荒廃と財政の窮迫は改善されなかった。増業編纂(へんさん)の『創垂可継(そうすいかけい)』（1817）は藩政資料を集大成して藩治の指針としようとしたものであった。1862年（文久2）に家督を継いだ大関増裕(ますひろ)は、百事一新、富国強兵と称して藩政改革を断行、幕閣にあっても講武所奉行(ぶぎょう)、陸軍奉行、若年寄（海軍奉行兼任）を歴任した。戊辰(ぼしん)戦争で官軍の先兵となり、1869年（明治2）賞典禄(ろく)1万5000石を与えられた。71年廃藩、黒羽県、宇都宮県を経て、73年栃木県に編入。

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