Uwajima Domain

This was a Tozama domain that ruled the Uwa District of Iyo Province (Ehime Prefecture). In 1614 (Keicho 19), Hidemune, the eldest illegitimate son of Date Masamune, became the lord of Uwa District, Iyo Province, with 100,000 koku of rice, and the following year established Itajima Marugushi (Uwajima) Castle as his residence. From 1618 to 1635 (Genwa 4 to Kan'ei 12), Hidemune allocated 30,000 koku as Masamune's retirement allowance, and in 1657 (Meireki 3), he divided 30,000 koku of the Yoshida Domain to his fifth son, Munezumi, leaving him with 70,000 koku. In 1696 (Genroku 9), the third lord, Muneyoshi, raised the official stipend to 100,000 koku. In 1620 (6th year of the Genwa era), Hidemune ordered the punishment of the magistrate Yamabe Seibei, who was later found to have committed a false crime and was enshrined at Warei Shrine. After the Shoho and Kanbun land surveys, the feudal domain system was established, a unique land system called the kujimochi system was implemented, and the powerful Shoya system was also established. After the Kyoho famine, the finances became poor, but the system was rebuilt through reforms made by the 5th Muratoki during the Kanpo to Horeki eras (1741-1764). After the Tenmei and Kansei periods (1781-1801), finances once again became strained, village headmen became wealthy farmers, and village riots occurred one after another. The seventh lord, Munetada, succeeded in reforms centered on industrial development during the Bunsei and Tenpo periods (1818-1844). These included the introduction of Sato Nobuhiro's economics and the establishment of the Ien school of artillery. The eighth lord, Munetada, further promoted a policy of enriching the country and strengthening the military, and as one of the four wise lords of the late Edo period, he was active as a powerful daimyo of the Hitotsubashi faction and the faction of the coalition of the imperial court and the military. Domestic products include wood wax, washi paper, and dried sardines. The domain school was founded in 1747 (Enkyo 4) as Naitokukan, and was renamed Fukyokan and Meirinkan. During the Kaei era (1848-1854), Takano Choei and Murata Zoroku (Omura Masujiro) came to the domain, and Dutch studies flourished, contributing to the modernization of the military and medicine.

[Miyoshi Masafumi]

"New Narrative History of the Domain, Volume 10" (1977, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

伊予国（愛媛県）宇和郡地方を領有した外様(とざま)藩。1614年（慶長19）伊達政宗(だてまさむね)の庶長子秀宗(ひでむね)が伊予国宇和郡10万石の領主となり、翌年板島丸串(いたじままるぐし)（宇和島）城を居城として成立した。1618～1635年（元和4～寛永12）秀宗は政宗の隠居料として3万石を割き、1657年（明暦3）五男宗純(むねずみ)に吉田藩3万石を分知(ぶんち)して7万石であった。1696年（元禄9）3代宗贇(むねよし)は表高(おもてだか)を10万石に高直しをした。1620年（元和6）には秀宗が惣奉行(そうぶぎょう)山家(やんべ)清兵衛の成敗を命じる事件があり、清兵衛はのちに寃罪(えんざい)と認められ、和霊(われい)神社に祀(まつ)られた。正保(しょうほう)検地、寛文(かんぶん)検地ののち藩制は整備され、鬮持(くじもち)制という特有の土地制度が施行され、強権をもつ庄屋(しょうや)制も完成した。享保(きょうほう)の飢饉(ききん)後財政が窮乏し、5代村候(むらとき)の寛保(かんぽう)～宝暦(ほうれき)期（1741～1764）の改革により体制は再建された。天明(てんめい)・寛政(かんせい)期（1781～1801）以降ふたたび財政は窮乏し、庄屋は豪農化して村方(むらかた)騒動の続発をみた。7代宗紀(むねただ)は文政(ぶんせい)・天保(てんぽう)期（1818～1844）の殖産興業を軸とした改革を成功させた。それは佐藤信淵(のぶひろ)の経済学の導入や威遠(いえん)流砲術の確立を含んでいた。8代宗城(むねなり)はさらに富国強兵策を進め、また幕末四賢侯の一人として、一橋(ひとつばし)派、公武合体派の有力大名として活動した。国産には木蝋(もくろう)、和紙、干鰯(ほしか)などがある。藩学は1747年（延享4）内徳館(ないとくかん)として創設され、敷教館(ふきょうかん)、明倫館(めいりんかん)と改称された。嘉永(かえい)年間（1848～1854）には高野長英(ちょうえい)、村田蔵六(ぞうろく)（大村益次郎(ますじろう)）が来藩して蘭学(らんがく)が栄え、軍事、医学の近代化に貢献した。

［三好昌文］

『『新編物語藩史　第10巻』（1977・新人物往来社）』

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