Chamberlain - Sobayonin

In the Edo period, this position involved serving the lord closely and handling general affairs. In the Edo Shogunate, this was the highest position for aides to the shogun. It is said that the first aide was Makino Narisada, who served the fifth shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, in 1681 (Tenwa 1). There is also a theory that the origin of this position can be traced back to the Kinju Shutonin (attendants) of the early modern period and Hotta Masamori, who served the third shogun, Iemitsu. The main duties of this position were to always be by the shogun's side, convey the shogun's will and orders to the senior councilors, and relay petitions from the senior councilors to the shogun. Thirty people held this position from the Tenna period (1681-84) until the end of the Edo period, but this position was not necessarily permanent, and 15 of these were appointed during Tsunayoshi's time. Among them, Makino Shigesada and Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, who were particularly favored by Tsunayoshi, were given the ranks of senior councilor and chief advisor and are well known for wielding more power than the senior councilors. During the Shotoku period (1711-16), Manabe Akifusa, a chamberlain to the 6th Shogun Ienobu and the 7th Shogun Ietsugu, used the authority of the shogun to influence the shogunate government. Later, during the Kyoho period (1716-36), a position similar to a chamberlain was established, and chamberlains were no longer placed, but they were revived during the Horeki period (1751-64), with Ooka Tadamitsu under the 9th shogun Ieshige, Tanuma Okitsugu under the 10th shogun Ieharu, and Mizuno Tadanari under the 11th shogun Ienari gaining influence. However, at this stage, unlike the Tenna to Shotoku periods, even those from low-ranking families, such as Tanuma Okitsugu, were able to become councilors, a regular administrative position, on an equal footing with the fudai daimyo, and chamberlains were positioned as a stepping stone to promotion to councilors. Chamberlains were also sometimes placed in the Nishinomaru.

[Mieko Matsuo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸時代、主君の側(そば)近く仕えて庶務に携わった職。江戸幕府では将軍側近の最高の職。5代将軍徳川綱吉(つなよし)に仕えた牧野成貞(なりさだ)が1681年（天和1）に側衆より登用されたのが最初とされている。近世初頭の近習出頭人(きんじゅしゅっとうにん)や、3代将軍家光(いえみつ)に近侍した堀田正盛(ほったまさもり)にその源流を求める説もある。つねに将軍の側にあって、将軍の意志・命令を老中に伝達し、老中よりの上申を将軍に取り次ぐことをおもな職務とした。天和(てんな)期（1681～84）以降幕末までにこの職に就任した者は30名を数えるが、かならずしも常置されていたわけではなく、このうち15名は綱吉時代の補任(ぶにん)である。そのなかでもとくに綱吉の寵遇(ちょうぐう)を得た牧野成貞と柳沢吉保(やなぎさわよしやす)が、老中格や大老格の待遇を与えられて老中をもしのぐ権勢を振るったことは有名。正徳(しょうとく)期（1711～16）には、6代家宣(いえのぶ)、7代家継(いえつぐ)の側用人間部詮房(まなべあきふさ)が将軍の権威を背景にして幕政を左右した。その後享保(きょうほう)期（1716～36）には側用人に類似した御側御用取次が設置されて、側用人は置かれなかったが、宝暦(ほうれき)期（1751～64）に復活し、9代家重(いえしげ)のもとで大岡忠光(ただみつ)、10代家治(いえはる)のもとで田沼意次(おきつぐ)、11代家斉(いえなり)のもとで水野忠成(ただあきら)らが勢力を張った。もっともこの段階に至ると、天和～正徳期と異なり、田沼意次のごとく、低い家柄の出身者でも譜代(ふだい)大名と等しく正規の行政職たる老中に就任できるようになり、側用人は老中に昇進するための一階梯(かいてい)として位置づけられた。また、西丸(にしのまる)側用人が置かれたこともあった。

［松尾美恵子］

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