| Akō Domain 赤穂藩 | |
|---|---|
| under Tokugawa shogunate Japan | |
| 1615–1871 | |
| Capital | Akō Castle |
| Area | |
| • Coordinates | 34°44′44.41″N134°23′20.34″E / 34.7456694°N 134.3889833°E /34.7456694; 134.3889833 |
| • Type | Daimyō |
| Historical era | Edo period |
• Established | 1615 |
• Disestablished | 1871 |
| Today part of | part ofHyogo Prefecture |
Akō Domain (赤穂藩,Akō-han) was afeudal domain under theTokugawa shogunate ofEdo period Japan, located inHarima Province in what is now the southwestern portion of modern-dayHyōgo Prefecture. It was centered aroundAkō Castle, which is located in what is now the city ofAkō, Hyōgo.[1][2][3]
During theMuromachi period, the area ofAkō District was under the control of theAkamatsu clan, theshugo ofHarima Province. In theSengoku period, it was part of the holdings ofUkita Hideie. During theBattle of Sekigahara, Ukita Hideie sided with the losing Western Army, and his territories were confiscated by the victoriousTokugawa Ieyasu, who awarded the area to his general and son-in-lawIkeda Terumasa. His vast holdings were broken up after his death, and his fifth son, Ikeda Masatsuna received a 35,000koku portion which had been assigned as the widow's portion to his motherTokuhime. This marked the start of Akō Domain. His younger brother,Ikeda Teruoki, inherited the domain in 1631. However, he went insane in 1645, murdering his concubine and several ladies-in-waiting, and was dispossessed.
The domain was awarded to Asano Naganao, formerly ofKasama Domain inHitachi Province. Nagaoki spend 13 years buildingAkō Castle on a scale far in excess of hiskokudaka of 53,000koku and also reconstructed thecastle town. In order to alleviate the financial situation, he expanded oncoastal salt production (which had been a speciality of the area since theYayoi period to support the clan's finances. The thirddaimyō,Asano Naganori was assigned to provide security for the 1682Joseon missions to Japan and also had to handle a judicial case involving the assassination ofTairōHotta Masatoshi byInaba Masayasu. However, he is more famously known for being one the principal participants in the famous 1702 Akō Incident, in which he was forced to commitseppuku after attempting to kill a powerful shogunal namedKira Yoshinaka and was subsequently avenged by his now masterless retainers.
The Asano clan was replaced at Akō Domain byNagai Naohiro, formerly ofKarasuyama Domain inShimotsuke Province. However, five years later, in 1706, he was transferred toIiyama Domain inShinano Province. The domain was then given toMori Naganao, who had beendaimyō of a 20,000koku sub-domain ofTsuyama Domain called "Nishiebara Domain". The Mori clan ruled Akō for 165 years until the end of the Edo period. During theBakumatsu period, pro-Sonnō jōi samurai murdered the domain'skarō in front of the gate of Akō Castle in 1861. The revolt was suppressed and seven of the 13 perpetrators were executed. In 1871, with theabolition of the han system, Akō Domain became Akō Prefecture, and was incorporated into Hyōgo prefecture via Shikama Prefecture. The Mori family became aviscount (shishaku) in thekazoku peerage system in 1884.
As with most domains in thehan system, Ako Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assignedkokudaka, based on periodiccadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields.[4][5]
| # | Name | Tenure | Courtesy title | Court Rank | kokudaka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ikeda clan, 1615-1645 (Tozama) | |||||
| 1 | Ikeda Masatsuna (池田政綱) | 1615 - 1631 | Ukyō-no-daifu (右京大夫) | Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) | 35,000koku |
| 2 | Ikeda Teruoki (池田輝興) | 1631 - 1645 | Ukyō-no-daifu (右京大夫) | Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) | 35,000koku |
 Asano clan, 1645-1701 (Tozama) | |||||
| 1 | Asano Naganao (浅野長直) | 1645 - 1671 | Uchi-no-takumi-no-kami (内匠頭) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 53,000koku |
| 2 | Asano Nagatomo (浅野長友) | 1671 - 1675 | Uneme-no-kami (采女正) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 53,000 -> 50,000koku |
| 3 | Asano Naganori (浅野長矩) | 1675 - 1701 | Uchi-no-takumi-no-kami (内匠頭) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 50,000koku |
 Nagai clan, 1701-1706 (Fudai) | |||||
| 1 | Nagai Naohiro (永井直敬) | 1701 - 1706 | Iga-no-kami (伊賀守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 32,000koku |
.svg) Mori clan, 1706-1871 (Tozama) | |||||
| 1 | Mori Naganao (森長直) | 1706 - 1722 | Izumi-no-kami (和泉守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 2 | Mori Nagataka (森長孝) | 1722 - 1723 | Shima-no-kami (志摩守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 3 | Mori Naganari (森長生) | 1723 - 1731 | Etchū-no-kami (越中守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 4 | Mori Masafusa (森政房) | 1731 - 1746 | Ise-no-kami (伊勢守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 5 | Mori Tadahiro (森忠洪) | 1747 - 1769 | Izumi-no-kami (和泉守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 6 | Mori Tadaoki (森忠興) | 1769 - 1780 | Yamashiro-no-kami (山城守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 7 | Mori Tadasuke (森忠賛) | 1780 - 1801 | Uhyoe-no-suke (右兵衛佐) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 8 | Mori Tadaakira (森忠哲) | 1801 - 1807 | Izumi-no-kami (和泉守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 9 | Mori Tadayoshi (森忠敬) | 1807 - 1824 | Etchū-no-kami (越中守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 10 | Mori Tadatsura (森忠貫) | 1824 - 1827 | -none- | -none- | 20,000koku |
| 10 | Mori Tadanori (森忠徳) | 1827 - 1862 | Etchū-no-kami (越中守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 11 | Mori Tadatsune (森忠典) | 1862 - 1868 | Mimasaka-no-kami (美作守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
| 12 | Mori Tadanori (森忠儀) | 1868 - 1871 | Mimasaka-no-kami (美作守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 20,000koku |
Authority control databases: National |
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