Makers of JapanMorris, J. (John) (Writer on Japan)
History
Makers of Japan
Morris, J. (John) (Writer on Japan)
Japan -- Biography
At the time of Iyeyasu the total revenue of the Empire was calculated
to be equal to 28,900,000 koku of rice, out of which he distributed
20,000,000 of koku among those daimios and other dignitaries who were
closely attached to the Tokugawa house, and retained 8,900,000 koku for
the support of his own household and the maintenance of Government in
Yedo. From this immense sum he also had to make, it must be borne in
mind, suitable grants to the Court at Kioto, including the privy purse,
and it was incumbent on the Shogun at all times to secure to the Emperor
ample funds for the support of the imperial dignity and honour. In
former years this duty had not invariably been executed on a fitting
scale of liberality, the Ashikaga Shoguns in particular having made it
a point to keep the Emperors poor. Under the regime of the Tokugawa,
however, this had never been a cause of complaint, and in the days of
Iyeyasu especially the apportionments of revenue to the service of the
Court were made on a satisfactory basis. The repair of roads, and the
cost of local administration in general, were matters to which the
Daimios were expected to give attention without any allowances beyond
those made from headquarters, their own incomes having in the majority of
cases been ample for all purposes.
Following these eighteen “kokushiu daimios” ranked the eighteen “Ka-mon”
(Members of the family) who were all relatives of the Tokugawa house,
and bore the name of Matsudaira, the revenues they enjoyed ranging from
10,000 to 200,000 koku.
Next to the Ka-mon were the “To-sama” (outside lords) with incomes
of 10,000 to 100,000 koku. They numbered from 90 to 100. These were
representatives of collateral branches of the Kokushiu or greater barons,
but were “outside” the Tokugawa.
After the “To-sama” ranked the “Fu-dai” (successive generations) and
of these there were 115 families, with revenues ranging from 10,000 to
350,000 koku. The fu-dai were the main support of the Tokugawa house
under the Shogunate regime.
It is not surprising to know that the feudal castles of these numerous
barons were at one time to be counted by the hundred, or that many are
still extant.
Among the Fudai families ranked two which became exceptionally
conspicuous in the later days of the Tokugawa Shogunate,—as will
presently appear, one for the defection of its chief to the opposing side
in the battle of Fushimi in 1868, the other, on the contrary, for the
sturdy loyalty which the head of the house exhibited to the engagements
which on behalf of the Tokugawa Shogun he, as Regent, had entered into
with the nations of the West. The first was Todo, the chieftain of Tsu,
in Isé, whose followers went over to the imperialists and turned the
scale against the Tokugawas,—the other the famous Ii Kamon-no-kami, who
was killed in Tokio by political assassins in 1860. These two barons
were the richest of the Fu-dai, each having a rent roll valued at
half-a-million sterling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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