<論説>近世中後期上方の幕府機構と京都・大坂町奉行

Abstract

本稿では、近世中後期の上方における幕府機構の枠組みを明らかにするとともに、京都・大坂町奉行の位置や役割について検討した。(1)所司代は地域支配・朝廷統制・二条城守衛、大坂城代は地域支配・大坂城守衛の各分野にわたり、役人を指揮監督し、その業務を統括した。また、所司代のもとに地域支配を代表する京都町奉行と朝廷統制を代表する禁裏付、城代のもとに地域支配を代表する大坂町奉行と大坂城守衛を代表する大坂定番がそれぞれ合議体を構成した。(2)東西の二人制をとる京都・大坂町奉行は、諮問されたことがらについて東西の共詞で調査・審議したり、宿次の実務を担当しており、こうした活動に依拠することで、所司代と大坂城代は自らの職務を遂行することができた。(3)二人制の京都・大坂町奉行は、一方が勤務できなかったり、任地に不在である場合、自らの内部で相互に補完するとともに、一人制の所司代・大坂城代や伏見・奈良・堺奉行が不在の際にそれを代行することで、上方の幕府機構は安定的に運営された。

This study clarifies the structure of the Shogunate government in the Kamigata region during the mid-to-later part of the early-modern period by focusing chiefly on the administration of Osaka and Kyoto and also investigates the position and function of the machi bugyo, local administrators, in Kyoto and Osaka, which were both posts occupied by two officials. The Shoshidai, the chief shogunal official in Kyoto, had three major responsibilities: governing the locality, overseeing the imperial court, and guarding Nijo Castle. The Osaka Jodai, the chief shogunal official in Osaka, had the dual responsibilities of governing the locality and guarding Osaka Castle. Both these officials supervised and directed lesser shogunal officials and oversaw their operations. Furthermore, in Kyoto the Shoshidai operated in tandem with the Kyoto Machi Bugyo and the Kinrizuki, the shogunal official charged with overseeing the imperial court, forming a consultative body. In Osaka, the Osaka Jodai similarly worked in cooperation with the Osaka Machi Bugyo and the Osaka Joban, who was responsible for Osaka Castle. The machi bugyo of both Kyoto and Osaka were posts occupied by a pair of officials. When a matter was to be looked into, they would investigate and deliberate on it jointly and they were also charged with directing the shukutsugi, the shogunal system of communication and transportation. It was only through this kind of support provided by the functioning of the machi bugyo in Kyoto and Osaka that the Shoshidai and Osaka Jodai were able to carry out their own official duties. In addition to acting as a substitute within their own sphere of authority when the other of the two machi bugyo in Kyoto or Osaka was unable to carry out his duties or was absent, the Kyoto or Osaka Machi Bugyo might also act in place of the lone Shoshidai or Osaka Jodai or in lieu of the bugyo of Fusimi, Nara and Sakai, when the occupants of those offices were absent. In this manner the stable operation of the shogunal government in the Kamigata region was insured.