Souji

A powerful clan and feudal lord in northern Kyushu who ruled Tsushima Island from the Kamakura period to the Meiji Restoration. There was a theory that he was a descendant of Taira no Tomomori, and that his connection to Tsushima was due to Mune Shigehisa's subjugation of the Abiru clan, but it is now believed that he was descended from the Dazaifu official Koremune clan, and that the oldest and most reliable connection to Tsushima is Sukekuni (also known as Sukekuni), who was killed in battle during the Mongol invasions of 1274 (Bun'ei 11). Sukekuni was the land steward of Tsushima Province. From the end of the Kamakura period to the Northern and Southern Courts, he ruled Tsushima under the Dazai no Shoni clan, the shugo, and later became the shugo. In the early 15th century, he moved his base from Kitakyushu to Tsushima, and soon established firm control over the island and relations with Korea. In the second half of the 16th century, he virtually monopolized trade with Korea. In 1587 (Tensho 15), he submitted to Toyotomi Hideyoshi when he pacified Kyushu. In 1591, he was appointed Chamberlain of the Lower Fourth Rank and Governor of Tsushima for his contribution in realizing the arrival of Korean envoys to Japan. This official rank became an example of the early modern period. In the early modern period, the lord of Tsushima continued for 16 generations, from Yoshitoshi to Yoshiakira (Shigemasa). After the return of the domain to the Emperor in 1869 (Meiji 2), he became Governor of Izuhara Domain (Tsushima Domain), and was dismissed in 1871 when the domains were abolished and prefectures were established. Later he became a count.

[Yasunori Koya]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉時代から明治維新期まで対馬(つしま)島を支配した北九州の豪族、大名。出自については平知盛(たいらのとももり)後胤(こういん)説、対馬との関係については宗重尚(しげひさ)の阿比留(あびる)氏討伐説が流布していたが、現在は、出自は大宰府官人(だざいふのかんにん)惟宗(これむね)氏、対馬との関係では1274年（文永11）の元寇(げんこう)で戦死した資国(すけくに)（助国とも）が最古、確実とされている。資国は対馬国地頭代(じとうだい)。鎌倉末から南北朝にかけては守護大宰少弐(だざいのしょうに)氏のもとで対馬の支配にあたり、その後守護となる。15世紀初頭に北九州から対馬に本拠を移し、ほどなく島内支配と朝鮮関係の掌握を確実なものとした。16世紀の後半には朝鮮貿易をほぼ独占。1587年（天正15）豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)の九州平定に応じて服属。1591年朝鮮通信使の来日実現の功により、従四位下(じゅしいげ)侍従(じじゅう)、対馬守(つしまのかみ)に補任(ぶにん)。この官位は近世の例となった。近世では対馬藩主として義智(よしとし)から義達(よしあきら)（重正）まで16代続いた。1869年（明治2）版籍奉還後、厳原(いづはら)藩（対馬藩）知事、1871年廃藩置県により解任。のち伯爵。

［荒野泰典］

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