<研究ノート>織田信長と商人司 --｢伊藤宗十郎家文書｣の検討を通して--

Abstract

I attempted in this article to define the term of Shonin Tsukasa 商人司 which was the office created by Oda Nobunaga and was charged with overseeing merchant activities. The office of Shonin Tsukasa has been identified with those of Shonin Gashira 商人頭 and Shonin Oyakata 商人親方 in the traditional economic history. However, my analysis of Ito Sojuro Papers 伊藤宗十郎文書 makes it clear that Shonin Tsukasa differed categorically from the latter two offices. Ito Sojuro held the office of Shonin Tsukasa throughout Nobunagaʼs rule. It was most important for him to obtain the cooperation and recognition from Nobunagaʼs close retainers in order to fulfill his duties. It means that the retainers agreed that Nobunagaʼs rule extended to the merchants within their own domains and controlled the commercial activities there. Although Ito Sojuro was commissioned with the Vermillion-sealed orders issued by Nobunaga, he had to win the recognition from the retainers for the merchants to practice their business and it was his talent to enable to do it. By appointing a useful official like Ito Sojuro as Shonin Tsukasa, Nobunaga intended to launch the direct jurisdiction over the merchants and their commercial activities under the rule of the regional lords in both the provinces of Owari and Mino. From the viewpoint of the merchants, it might mean their liberation from the regulations of the guilds za 座 controlled by the regional lords at the price of the tax burden under the direct jurisdiction of Nobunaga.