| Chōfu Domain 長府藩 | |
|---|---|
| Domain of Japan | |
| 1600–1871 | |
.JPG) Ruins of Kushizaki Castle | |
| Capital | Kushizaki Castle |
| Area | |
| • Coordinates | 33°59′21.5″N130°59′38″E / 33.989306°N 130.99389°E /33.989306; 130.99389 |
| Historical era | Edo period |
• Established | 1600 |
| 1871 | |
| Contained within | |
| • Province | Nagato Province |
| Today part of | Yamaguchi Prefecture |
Chōfu Domain (長府藩,Chōfu-han) was afeudal domain under theTokugawa shogunate ofEdo period Japan, in what is now part ofShimonoseki,Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was centered around Kushizaki Castle and was ruled throughout its history by a cadet branch of theMōri clan. Chōfu Domain was dissolved in theabolition of the han system in 1871.[1][2][3] The domain was also calledNagato-Chōfu Domain (長門長府藩,Nagato-Chōfu-han) orNagato-Fuchū Domain (長門府中藩,Nagato-Fuchū-han).
Mōri Hidemoto, the grandson ofMōri Motonari was adopted byMōri Terumoto in 1592 as Terumoto was concerned about his impending deployment toKorea whilst without an official heir. Mōri Motonari agreed to the adoption on the stipulation that if Terumoto should subsequently have a biological heir, his fiefdom would be divided between Hidemoto and the new heir. This in fact occurred with the birth ofMōri Hidenari.Toyotomi Hideyoshi recognized Hidenari as Terumoto's successor in 1598. The following year, Hidemoto received a total of 170,000koku of estates inNagato Province, Saiki District inAki Province and Kishiki District inSuō Province. Although a vassal ofChōshū Domain, Hideyoshi gave him official recognition as an independentdaimyō.
After theBattle of Sekigahara in 1600, the Mōri territory was reduced from 1,120,000koku to 298,000koku, and was forced to relocate their seat to Nagato Province. TheKikkawa clan was assignedIwakuni Domain to protect the eastern approaches, and Mōri Hidemoto was given new territory in Toyoura District, Nagato (now part of Shimonoseki) to guard the west. The domain'skokudaka was nominally set at 60,000koku, but under the 3rddaimyō Mōri Tsunamoto, 10,000koku was assigned to his uncle, Mōri Mototomo, to formKiyosue Domain, another subsidiary domain of Chōshū Domain in 1653. Mōri Tsunamoto's son Mōri Yoshimoto and the 8thdaimyō, Mōri Masatake becamedaimyō of Chōshū Domain when the direct lineage failed to produce an heir. In 1718, the domain was reduced to 38,000koku, but increased back to 47,000koku in 1720 and 50,000koku in 1783. During theBakumatsu period, Chōfu Domain initially attempted to separate itself from the increasingly restive and radicalized Chōshū Domain and come under direct control of theTokugawa shogunate, but this attempt was unsuccessful and Chōfu subsequently fought in theBoshin War together with Chōshū and the other Chōshū sub-domains. After theMeiji restoration, the domain was briefly (1869-1871) renamedToyoura Domain (豊浦藩,Toyoura han) before becoming “Toyoura Prefecture”, which was subsequently incorporated into Yamaguchi prefecture.
The finaldaimyō of Chōfu, Mōri Mototoshi was granted thekazoku peerage title ofviscount (shishaku). It was often stated thatEmperor Meiji refused to grant him the title of count (hakushaku) as Emperor Meiji's uncle,Nakayama Tadamitsu had been assassinated while in exile in Chōfu. However, as thekazoku peerage guidelines stipulated that formerdaimyō withkokudaka of between 10,000 and 50,000koku were to become viscounts, this allegation does not hold water.
As with most domains in thehan system, Iwakuni Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assignedkokudaka, based on periodiccadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields, g.[4][5]
| # | Name | Tenure | Courtesy title | Court Rank | kokudaka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Mōri clan, 1600-1871 (Tozama) | |||||
| 1 | Mōri Hidemoto (毛利秀元) | 1600 - 1650 | Kai-no-kami, Jijū (甲斐守、侍従) | Senior 4th Rank, Upper Grade (正四位上) | 60,000koku |
| 2 | Mōri Mitsuhiro (毛利光広) | 1650 - 1653 | Izumi-no-kami (和泉守) | Junior 4th Rank, Upper Grade (従四位上) | 60,000koku |
| 3 | Mōri Tsunemoto (毛利綱元) | 1653 - 1709 | Kai-no-kami (甲斐守) | Junior 4th Rank, Upper Grade (従四位上) | 60,000 ->50,000koku |
| 4 | Mōri Mototomo (毛利元朝) | 1709 - 1712 | Sado-no-kami (佐渡守) | Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) | 50,000koku |
| 5 | Mōri Motonori (毛利元矩) | 1712 - 1718 | -none- | -none- | 50,000 -> 38,000koku |
| 6 | Mōri Masahiro (毛利匡広) | 1718 - 1729 | Kai-no-kami (甲斐守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 38,000 ->47,000koku |
| 7 | Mōri Moronari (毛利師就) | 1729 - 1735 | Mondo-no-sho (主水正) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 47,000koku |
| 8 | Mōri Shigenari (毛利重就) | 1735 - 1751 | Kai-no-kami (甲斐守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 47,000koku (note) |
| 9 | Mōri Masamitsu (毛利匡満) | 1751 - 1769 | Noto-no-kami (能登守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 47,000koku |
| 10 | Mōri Masayoshi (毛利匡芳) | 1769 - 1792 | Kai-no-kami (甲斐守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 50,000koku |
| 11 | Mōri Motoyoshi (毛利元義) | 1792 - 1841 | Kai-no-kami (甲斐守) | Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) | 50,000koku |
| 12 | Mōri Motoyuki (毛利元運) | 1841 - 1852 | Kai-no-kami (甲斐守) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 50,000koku |
| 13 | Mōri Motochika (毛利元周) | 1852 - 1868 | Sakyo-no-suke (左京亮) | Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) | 50,000koku |
| 14 | Mōri Mototoshi (毛利元敏) | 1868 - 1871 | -none- | -none- | 50,000koku |
