Letter of Relief - Andojo

In samurai society, this was a document in which a lord guaranteed and confirmed control and maintenance of his vassals' traditional territories. Depending on the format, it was divided into Kudashi-bumi (certificate of assurance), Gechijo (certificate of assurance), Migyosho (certificate of assurance), etc. In the Kamakura period, when a vassal's territories were transferred, the heir submitted a Moushijo (certificate of assurance) along with supporting documents such as a letter of transfer (certificate of succession) to the shogunate. The shogunate examined it and, if it was legitimate, issued a letter of assurance. Letters of assurance were issued to the eldest son in the form of a Gebun (certificate of assurance) and to illegitimate children in the form of a Gechijo (certificate of assurance), but from 1303 (Kagen 1), this was changed to a Gedai-ando (certificate with a title), in which the assurance was written in the margin of the letter of transfer. In the early days of the Muromachi Shogunate, confirmation was given by a letter of confirmation from Ashikaga Tadayoshi, but after the third Shogun Yoshimitsu, the form of a Gohan no Migyosho issued by the Shogun became common. Later, during the Sengoku period, confirmation letters in the form of Hanmotsu and Inbanjo were issued by Sengoku daimyo. Even in the early modern period, confirmation was given in the form of Hanmotsu and Shuinjo when Shoguns or recipients were replaced, and they continued to be created as the main documents in samurai society.

[Tetsu Kato]

"Japanese Ancient Documents" by Jiro Aida (1949, Iwanami Shoten) " "Introduction to Paleotexts" by Shinichi Sato (1971, Hosei University Press)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

武家社会において、主君が家臣の旧来の所領の支配、保持を保障し確認した文書のこと。形式によって安堵下文(くだしぶみ)、安堵下知状(げちじょう)、安堵御教書(みぎょうしょ)などに分けられる。鎌倉時代では御家人(ごけにん)の所領の譲渡がされると、相続人は安堵申状(もうしじょう)に譲状(ゆずりじょう)などの証拠書類を添えて幕府に提出した。幕府はこれを審査し正当であれば安堵状を下付した。安堵状は惣領(そうりょう)には下文、庶子には下知状形式で出されたが、1303年（嘉元1）から譲状の余白に安堵の旨を書き込む外題(げだい)安堵の形式に改められた。室町幕府も初期には足利直義(あしかがただよし)の安堵下文で安堵がなされたが、3代義満(よしみつ)以後は将軍から発給される御判御教書(ごはんのみぎょうしょ)の形式が一般化した。その後、戦国時代には戦国大名による判物(はんもつ)、印判状(いんばんじょう)形式の安堵状がみられる。また、近世に入ってからも将軍や受封者の代替りに際しては判物や朱印状(しゅいんじょう)による安堵が行われ、依然武家社会の主要文書として作成されていた。

［加藤　哲］

『相田二郎著『日本の古文書』（1949・岩波書店）』▽『佐藤進一著『古文書学入門』（1971・法政大学出版局）』

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