Takasaki Domain

This was a Fudai clan whose headquarters was in Takasaki Castle in Kozuke Province (Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture). In 1590 (Tensho 18), Ii Naomasa was granted 120,000 koku of land at Minowa Castle (Takasaki City), but in 1598 (Keicho 3), he moved the castle to the ruins of Wada Castle and renamed it Takasaki. Since then, seven successive lords have ruled the clan, and at the end of the Edo period, the clan's landholding was 82,000 koku. After the first lord Naomasa moved to Sawayama in Omi Province (Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture) in 1601 (Keicho 6) due to his distinguished service in the Battle of Sekigahara, Suwa Yorimizu served as the castle guard, and Sakai Ietsugu was appointed to the fief (50,000 koku) from Usui in Shimousa. Next, in 1616 (Genwa 2), Matsudaira (Toda) Yasunaga moved from Hitachi Kasama, followed the following year by Matsudaira Nobuyoshi from Hitachi Tsuchiura, and in 1619 Ando Shigenobu entered the domain (56,000 koku). The Ando clan held the domain for 77 years over three generations, during which time they built the foundations of the domain's administration, including a land survey of the domain, the development of castle towns, and the promotion of cities. Next, in 1695 (Genroku 8), Matsudaira (Okochi) Terusada entered the domain (52,000 koku) from Shimotsuke Mibu. Terusada was a favorite of the shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, but after his death he was transferred to Echigo Murakami, and in 1710 (7th year of the Hoei era) Manabe Akifusa took over, and in 17th year (2nd year of the Kyoho era) Matsudaira Terusada took over again. From then until the Meiji Restoration, the Matsudaira clan held the domain for 150 years, over 10 generations. Notable achievements in his governance include the establishment of a law governing towns, the founding of the domain schools Yugeikan and Bunbukan, and the compilation of the Jikata Hanreiroku. The castle town was also a post station on the Nakasendo road, and flourished as a market for silk, tobacco, and other goods. In 1781 (Tenmei 1), it became the focus of a riot against the silk transport ban, and at the end of the Edo period, it faced many hardships, including the Choshi coast guard, the Shimonita War with Mito samurai heading west, the execution of the shogunate vassal Oguri Tadamasa, and the 50,000 koku riot demanding tax reduction in 1869 (Meiji 2). After the abolition of the feudal domains in 1871, it became Takasaki Prefecture and then Gunma Prefecture, before being incorporated into Kumagaya Prefecture in 1873, and becoming Gunma Prefecture again in 1876.

[Yamada Takemaro]

"Takasaki Domain" by Yoshio Kondo (included in "The Domains of Joshu"; 1981; Jomo Shimbunsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

上野(こうずけ)国高崎城（群馬県高崎市）に藩庁を置いた譜代(ふだい)藩。1590年（天正18）箕輪(みのわ)城（高崎市）12万石に封ぜられた井伊直政(いいなおまさ)が、1598年（慶長3）和田城跡に移城して高崎と改めた。以後藩主の交代7氏、幕末の所領高は8万2000石。初代直政が、関ヶ原の戦いの功により1601年（慶長6）近江(おうみ)佐和山（滋賀県彦根市）に移ったあと、諏訪頼水(すわよりみず)城番を経て酒井家次(いえつぐ)が下総臼井(しもうさうすい)から入封（5万石）。ついで1616年（元和2）常陸笠間(ひたちかさま)から松平（戸田）康長(やすなが)、翌年常陸土浦から松平信吉(のぶよし)が移り、19年下総小見川(おみがわ)から安藤重信(しげのぶ)が入封した（5万6000石余）。安藤氏は3代、77年間在封し、この間に領内総検地、城郭城下町の整備、市の振興など藩政の基礎が築かれた。ついで1695年（元禄8）下野壬生(しもつけみぶ)から松平（大河内(おおこうち)）輝貞(てるさだ)が入封（5万2000石）。輝貞は将軍徳川綱吉(つなよし)に寵用(ちょうよう)されたが、その死後越後村上(えちごむらかみ)に移されて、1710年（宝永7）間部詮房(まなべあきふさ)がかわり、17年（享保2）松平輝貞がふたたび入封した。以後維新まで松平氏が10代150年間在封。治政では町在支配法制の制定、藩校遊芸館、文武館の創設、『地方凡例録(じかたはんれいろく)』の編纂(へんさん)などが特筆される。城下町は中山道(なかせんどう)の宿駅でもあり、また絹、煙草(たばこ)などの市(いち)として栄えた。1781年（天明1）には絹運上(きぬうんじょう)反対騒動の焦点となり、幕末には銚子(ちょうし)沿岸警備、西上する水戸(みと)浪士との下仁田(しもにた)戦争、幕臣小栗忠順(おぐりただまさ)の処刑、さらに1869年（明治2）には年貢減免要求の五万石騒動など多難であった。71年廃藩後、高崎県、群馬県を経て、73年熊谷(くまがや)県に編入、76年ふたたび群馬県となった。

［山田武麿］

『近藤義雄著「高崎藩」（『上州の諸藩』所収・1981・上毛新聞社）』

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