<論説>大名留守居組合の制度史的考察

Abstract

本稿が扱うのは近世の大名諸家の間に設けられていた情報交換組織としての留守居組合についてである。留守居組合については従来その存在は知られているものの活動の実態に触れられたものは僅かであり、本稿では当該制度を巡る事実関係の確定と、その活動の事例の発掘とを中心的な課題にした。最初に、慣行的に形成され複雑な様相をもつこの制度について類型性と時代性の両面から定義的な整理を行った。次の章ではその情報交換の形式と媒体に触れ、第三章に於て活動の内容面を事例を掲げつつ考察した。留守居組合の機能は大別して、先例の照会・政治情報の伝達・幕令の解釈と協議の三つを挙げることが出来、いずれも近世社会に於る幕府と諸大名との権力関係、法的関係を考える上で見逃し得ないものである。本稿では留守居組合のこれら諸機能の存在様態を具体的に提示し、併せて近世の国制の内に有するその歴史的意義を展望していく。

The Rusui-Kumiais were the systems of information exchange among Daimyos in the Edo period. Their existence has been already known, but we have only a few articles mentioning their detailed activities. So the main themes of this article are to find out many instances of their activities and to confirm the facts. In the first chapter, we classify these systems according to their types and dates, because they were formed as a custom and had the complex aspects. In the next chapter, we refer to the styles and the media of their information exchange. In the third chapter, we inquire into the contents of their activities. The functions of Rusui-Kumiais can be devided into these three points: the reference of precedents, the communication of political information, and the conference and interpretation on the decrees of Shogunate. We cannot overlook none of them so as to consider the political and legal relations between Shogunate and Daimyos. So, clarifying their functions, we make a survey of their meanings in the constitutional history.