Foreign Guard Officer

In the late Kamakura period, in preparation for an attack by the Mongol (Yuan) army, this military service involved rotating guards along the coasts of Chikuzen (Fukuoka Prefecture), Nagato (Yamaguchi Prefecture), and other areas. In 1271 (Bun'ei 8), the shogunate ordered vassals with estates in Kyushu to travel to the area and take charge of defense alongside vassals living in Kyushu. These were led by the Kyushu-based Shugo Shoni and the Otomo clan, and the shifts generally lasted one month. After the first attack in 1274 (Bun'ei 11), the lessons learned from that battle were used to improve the shift system, and in the final count in 1275 (Kenji 1), the Chinzei Kyushu region was divided into four shifts, with each shift lasting three months. However, stone fortifications were constructed mainly along the coast of Hakata Bay, and the areas of responsibility for guarding were fixed for each province, with each province assigning its vassals to either number 3 or number 6, who would rotate on duty every year. After the second invasion in 1281 (Kōan no Eki), the regulations were gradually relaxed, and in 1304 (Kagen 2), Kyushu was divided into five provinces, with number 1 being Chikuzen, number 2 being Osumi and Satsuma (Kagoshima Prefecture), and each province was assigned to one or two provinces for duty throughout the year. This system continued until the fall of the Kamakura Shogunate. Non-vassals were also urged to serve on duty, and this became a source of disputes between clans over the allocation of the burden. The guarding of the fortress in Nagato Province was the responsibility of the vassals of the Sanyo and Nankaido provinces. A measure was taken to exempt samurai who served as guards in foreign countries from the duties of the Kyoto and Kamakura guard posts, but the burden was heavy and this was one of the reasons for the samurai's poverty.

[Katsuo Gomi]

"A Study of the Mongol Invasion by Jiro Aida (1958, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "A Study of the History of the Mongol Invasion by Shoji Kawazoe (1977, Yuzankaku)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉時代後期、蒙古(もうこ)（元(げん)）軍の襲来に備えて、筑前(ちくぜん)（福岡県）、長門(ながと)（山口県）などの沿岸を交代で警備する軍役。1271年（文永8）幕府は九州に所領をもつ御家人(ごけにん)に下向を命じ、九州在住の御家人とともに防御の任にあたらせたが、その指揮は九州在住の守護少弐(しょうに)、大友(おおとも)氏らがとり、おおむね1番1か月の勤番であった。1274年（文永11）の第1回の襲来（文永(ぶんえい)の役）後、その戦訓を生かし、勤番制を整備、75年（建治1）の結番では鎮西九国を4番に分け、1番3か月あての勤番とした。しかし博多(はかた)湾沿岸を中心に石築地(いしついじ)を造営するとともに警固の受持ち区域が国ごとに固定し、各国ともそれぞれ御家人を3番または6番に結び、毎年交代勤務させることになった。1281年（弘安4）の第2回の襲来（弘安(こうあん)の役）後、制規はしだいに緩み、1304年（嘉元2）には九州を5番に分け、1番が筑前、2番が大隅(おおすみ)・薩摩(さつま)（鹿児島県）というように、番ごとに1、2国あて一年中勤番することになった。鎌倉幕府滅亡まで存続。非御家人も勤番の催促を受け、負担の配分をめぐり一族間の相論の原因にもなった。なお長門国要害警固番は山陽・南海道諸国御家人の分担であった。異国警固番役勤仕の御家人は京都・鎌倉大番役(おおばんやく)免除の措置がとられた。しかし、その負担は重く、御家人窮乏の一因となった。

［五味克夫］

『相田二郎著『蒙古襲来の研究』（1958・吉川弘文館）』▽『川添昭二著『蒙古襲来研究史論』（1977・雄山閣）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例