<論説>慶長元和期の佐賀藩財政

Abstract

佐賀藩初期の極端な財政窮乏には、基礎的な条件として、蔵入の比率が小さかったことを指摘できる。その理由としては、佐賀藩が元来蔵入に乏しかったであろう戦国大名の領国の後身であったのに加えて、大名が龍造寺氏から鍋島氏に交代したことに伴う特殊事情があって、蔵入の比率を拡大しようとする努力もその成果を減殺した。度々の幕府の城郭普請手伝の命は蔵入に乏しい佐賀藩の財政に大きな打撃を与え、慶長末以降は知行地の返上や高率の献米・献銀が繰返えされた。このため家中の家計は窮乏し、早くも元和初年には、一旦城下に集中した家中が、城下から疎開在郷して蔵入地を耕作し年貢を上納するという、佐賀藩独自の形態が始まった。しかも連続する普請手伝は依然として佐賀藩財政の再建を阻み、佐賀藩の巨大な借銀は家中の巨大な借銀と共に寛永期に持ち込まれた。

We can remark, as a cause of extreme financial destitution in the early Saga 佐賀 period, a little rate of its income. The reason is that the Saga clan was a descendant of a warring Daimyô's 大名 territory which would be scarce of income, and that, on account of a special circumstances following to the shifr from the Ryuzôji 龍造寺 to the Nabeshima 鍋島 clan in the position of Daimyô, the effort that increasing development of the financial rate was tired was in vain. Frequent assistance for building a castle, under the order of the Tokugawa 徳川 Shogunate broke the Saga clan's finance of a vacant income at a great stroke. After the end of Keichô 慶長 return of tenures and high rate dedication of rice and silver were repeated. Owing to this repetition, economy of the clan was reduced to want; and that clansmen, who had once concentrated around the castle, dispersed to their own home to till and pay rent, the peculiar form of the Saga clan started. The frequent help constantly put pressure upon the clan's finance and obstructed its. rehabilitation, and huge debt of the clan with that of the clansmen remained unsolved into the Kanei 寛永 period.