Himeji Domain

This powerful Fudai domain ruled the western part of Harima Province (Hyogo Prefecture). The feudal lords changed frequently, but it settled down in 1749 (Kan'en 2) when Sakai Tadazumi entered the domain, leading to the abolition of the domains and the establishment of prefectures. It was established when Toyotomi Hideyoshi granted Kinoshita Iesada (Kodaiin's older brother) a fief of 25,000 koku. After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 (Keicho 5), Ikeda Terumasa came from Yoshida in Mikawa (Aichi Prefecture) with 520,000 koku, and conducted a land survey of the entire Harima Province, building castles and establishing castle towns. After Terumasa's death in 1613, his eldest son Toshitaka inherited the fief, and he gave a portion of it to his second son Tadatsugu (Bizen Okayama), giving him a fief of 420,000 koku. In 1616 (Genwa 2), Toshitaka died and was succeeded by his eldest son Mitsumasa, but the following year he moved to Inaba, Tottori. After the Ikeda clan, Honda Tadamasa entered the domain from Kuwana with a fief of over 150,000 koku. In 1631 (Kan'ei 8), Tadamasa's eldest son Masatomo succeeded him, but he died in 1638. The following year, his heir Masakatsu moved to Yamato Koriyama (Nara Prefecture). After that, the domain lord changed rapidly from Matsudaira (Okudaira), Matsudaira (Yuuki), Matsudaira (Sakakibara), Honda, and others. In 1748, just before Sakai Tadayasu entered the domain, an uprising broke out across the entire domain, which was finally suppressed by the Osaka castle governor. Tadayasu implemented a civil government, which was well continued by Tadazane, Tadahiro and Tadamitsu. Towards the end of the Edo period, the domain's finances gradually fell into difficulty, but with the assistance of Kawai Sun'o (1767-1841), the chief retainer, reforms were carried out, including the issuance of domain paper money and the establishment of a cotton monopoly in 1821 (Bunsei 4). When Tadashige, a member of a branch of the family, became the domain's lord, he joined the shogunate government and rose to the position of chief advisor. Although he was pro-shogunate, he submitted to the Imperial Court at the time of the Meiji Restoration, and was an early advocate of the abolition of the domains and the establishment of prefectures. The domain was abolished in 1871 (Meiji 4), and after passing through Himeji Prefecture and Shikama Prefecture, it was incorporated into Hyogo Prefecture in 1876.

[Shigeru Kobayashi]

"Hyogo Prefecture History 4 and 5" (1979, 1980, Hyogo Prefecture)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

播磨(はりま)国（兵庫県）西部を領した譜代(ふだい)雄藩。領主は譜代大名の交代が激しく、1749年（寛延2）酒井忠恭(ただずみ)の入部によって落ち着き、廃藩置県に至る。成立は豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉が木下家定(いえさだ)（高台院の兄）に2万5000石余で封じたことが始まりである。1600年（慶長5）関ヶ原の戦い後、池田輝政(てるまさ)が三河（愛知県）吉田から52万石で入り、播磨一国の総検地を行い、築城、城下町整備に治績をあげた。1613年輝政の死後、嫡子利隆(としたか)が相続、次男忠継(ただつぐ)（備前(びぜん)岡山）に一部分与して42万石余を領した。1616年（元和2）利隆の死でその嫡子光政(みつまさ)が継いだが、翌年因幡(いなば)鳥取に移った。池田氏のあと桑名(くわな)から本多忠政(ほんだただまさ)が15万石余で入部、1631年（寛永8）忠政の死で嫡子政朝(まさとも)が継いだが38年死に、この翌年嗣子(しし)政勝(まさかつ)が大和郡山(やまとこおりやま)（奈良県）に移り、以後、藩主は松平（奥平）、松平（結城(ゆうき)）、松平（榊原(さかきばら)）、本多などとめまぐるしく交替した。1748年酒井忠恭の入部直前には全藩一揆(いっき)が起こり、大坂城代の手でやっと鎮圧した。忠恭は文治政治を展開、忠以(ただざね)、忠道(ただひろ)、忠実(ただみつ)もよく文治を継承した。幕末、藩財政はしだいに困窮していったが、家老河合寸翁(すんおう)（1767―1841）を中心として藩札の発行、1821年（文政4）の木綿専売など藩政改革が行われた。分家筋忠績(ただしげ)が藩主になるや幕政に加わり大老までなった。佐幕派であったが、維新に際し朝廷方に帰順し、廃藩置県を早く建言した。1871年（明治4）廃藩、姫路県、飾磨(しかま)県を経て1876年兵庫県に編入された。

［小林　茂］

『『兵庫県史 4・5』（1979、80・兵庫県）』

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