Head of the family

Japanese: 惣領 - そうりょう

(1) An official name that existed before the Taiho Code. A local official who controlled several provinces in order to control important points in the west, the name of the head of Tsukushi, Suo, and Kibi appears in the Shoku Nihongi. This system was abolished with the implementation of the Taiho Code, and only the head of Tsukushi remained under the name of Dazaifu. (2) A leader of a clan that emerged among powerful clans in the late Heian period. The legitimate son was the central figure in charge of the entire territory that was divided by inheritance, and was in charge of managing it. In contrast, the children of the branch family were called bastards. The Kamakura Shogunate imposed the burden of public duties on the vassals through the head of the clan. Therefore, the head of the clan system mainly meant the ruling power that the head of the clan had for the purpose of serving in public affairs, and the legal relationship between the head of the clan and bastards. After the Northern and Southern Courts, the head of the clan system lost its basis for existence and declined when inheritance of property changed from division to individual inheritance. However, the word eldest son later came to mean an individual family heir, and the term remained for a long time.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

(1) 大宝令以前に存在した官名。西国の重要地点を支配するために，数国を管した地方官で，『続日本紀』には，筑紫，周防，吉備の惣領の名がみえている。この制度は大宝令の施行とともに廃止され，筑紫惣領のみが，大宰府の名のもとに残った。 (2) 平安時代末期に豪族の間に生じた一族の指揮者。分割相続によって細分化される所領全体を，家の中心となる者として統轄管理する嫡子で，これに対し分家の諸子を庶子と称した。鎌倉幕府は，御家人に対する公事負担を，惣領を通じて負課した。したがって，惣領制なるものは，主として公事勤仕のために惣領が有する支配権，惣領＝庶子間の法的関係の意味となった。南北朝以降，惣領制は，財産相続が，分割より単独に変じたことによって，その存立の基礎を失い衰退した。しかし，惣領なる語は，その後，個々の家相続人の意味に転じ，その名称を長く残すことになった。

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