Mutsu Province Residency

This was the local governing body of the Kamakura Shogunate. It played a role in governing the country as the head of the Mutsu Kokufu (Taga Castle) Rususho. It began on March 15, 1190 (Kenkyu 1), after the Oshu War of 1189 (Bun'ei 5) and its aftermath, the Okawa Kaneto Rebellion, which was started by the remaining retainers of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, ended. As written in the Azuma Kagami, "Live in that province, listen to the complaints of the common people, and deliver results," the duties of the position covered all aspects of civil administration, comparable to those of the provincial governors. Iekage was a samurai who served the nobility, but was sent down to Kamakura as a gokenin (a vassal of the Imperial Guard) because of his talent for writing. His descendants inherited this position for generations, and the family name came to be called Rusu. The Rusushoku government also responded to the famine of 1259 (the first year of the Shogen era).

[Nobuo Irumada]

"The Kamakura Shogunate and the Oshu Regions" by Irumada Nobuo (included in The World of Medieval Oshu, edited by Oishi Naomasa and Kobayashi Seiji, 1978, University of Tokyo Press)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉幕府の地方統治機関。陸奥国府（多賀城）留守所の長官として国内統治の役割を果たした。1189年（文治5）奥州合戦と、その余波ともいうべき奥州藤原氏の遺臣が起こした大河兼任(おおかわかねとう)の乱の終息した1190年（建久元）3月15日に、伊沢家景(いさわいえかげ)がこの職に任命されたのが始まり。「かの国に住み、民庶の愁訴を聞き、申し達すべし」（『吾妻鏡(あずまかがみ)』）と記されたとおり、任務は民事行政の全般に及び、諸国守護のそれに匹敵するほどであった。家景は公家(くげ)に仕える侍だったが、文筆の才能を見込まれて鎌倉に下った御家人。子孫は代々この職を受け継ぎ、家名も留守氏を称するに至った。1259年（正元元）の飢饉(ききん)に際しても、留守職の対応がみられた。

［入間田宣夫］

『入間田宣夫著「鎌倉幕府と奥羽両国」（大石直正・小林清治編『中世奥羽の世界』所収・1978・東京大学出版会）』

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