Chinzei Magistrate - Chinzeibugyo

The position was established by the Kamakura Shogunate to govern Kyushu. It is also called Chinzei Shugo. Its origins date back to 1185 (Bun'ei 1), when Minamoto no Yoritomo dispatched Amano Tookage to Kyushu to govern the region's vassals. His initial duties were to pursue the remnants of the Taira clan and supporters of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, but later he was tasked with leading the Chinzei vassals. The Chinzei Bugyo also controlled Dazaifu (Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture) and carried out his duties throughout Kyushu by controlling its functions. Tookage returned to Kamakura between 1191 and 1196 (Kenkyu 2-7), and was replaced by Nakahara Chikayoshi and then Muto Sukeyori. The Muto clan was appointed Shoni, the local chief of Dazaifu, and thereafter took the name Shoni hereditarily. However, as shugo were appointed to various provinces in Kyushu, the authority to control the vassals was transferred to the shugo (the Shoni clan themselves were shugo of the two islands of the three provinces), and the authority of the Chinzei magistrate (shugonin) was reduced. After the Mongol invasions, the shogunate established a special council body to govern the vassals of Kyushu, followed by the Chinzei Dangisho and the Chinzei Tandai, and this function was largely lost. However, since the Otomo clan was the eastern magistrate and the Shoni clan was the western magistrate, and thus responsible for the Mongol invasions rewards, even in this period, it can be seen that the position continued to exist as a hereditary succession between the two clans.

[Katsuo Gomi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉幕府が九州統轄のため設置した職。鎮西守護ともいう。1185年（文治1）源頼朝(よりとも)が天野遠景(あまのとおかげ)を九州に派遣して同地方の御家人(ごけにん)を統轄させたのが起源。その任務は初め平家の残党、源義経(よしつね)与党の追捕(ついぶ)にあったが、のちには鎮西御家人の統率が任とされた。また鎮西奉行は大宰府(だざいふ)（福岡県太宰府(だざいふ)市）を押さえ、大宰府の機能を掌握することによって九州全般にわたってその任務を遂行した。遠景は1191～96年（建久2～7）の間に鎌倉に帰り、中原親能(なかはらちかよし)、ついで武藤資頼(むとうすけより)がこれにかわった。武藤氏は大宰府現地の長官である少弐(しょうに)に就任、以後世襲して少弐氏を称するようになる。しかし、九州諸国に守護が補任(ぶにん)され、御家人統率の権限は守護の手に移るようになり（少弐氏自ら三国二島の守護であった）、鎮西奉行（守護人）としての権限は縮小された。元寇(げんこう)以後、別に幕府によって、九州の御家人の統轄機関として特殊合議機関、ついで鎮西談議所、鎮西探題(たんだい)が設置されるに及び、その機能は大幅に失われた。しかし鎮西談議所設置後も大友氏が東方奉行、少弐氏が西方奉行として元寇恩賞の奉行をしているところから、この時代なお同職が両氏の世襲として存続したことが認められる。

［五味克夫］

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