Hitoyoshi Domain (1/2)There are many disturbances at home

The Hitoyoshi domain was a domain located in the Kuma region in the southern part of Kumamoto Prefecture. The Sagara family served as the lord of the Hitoyoshi domain from the opening of the domain until the Meiji Restoration. In addition, the Sagara clan is a powerful family that has ruled this area since the Kamakura period, and this is a rare example of one family continuing to rule the same land from the Kamakura period to the Meiji period.
On the other hand, the Hitoyoshi domain was constantly plagued by disputes between vassals, or so-called family turmoil.
Let's unravel the history of the Hitoyoshi clan.

The reign of the Sagara clan begins in the Kamakura period

The Sagara clan began ruling the Kuma region during the Kamakura period. Nagayori Sagara, a native of Sagara-sho in Totomi Province who served Minamoto no Yoritomo, murdered a vassal of Taira no Yorimori who ruled this area, a man named Yase no Shuumayu, and began to rule this area as a land leader.

During the Sengoku period, the Shimazu clan set out to conquer Kyushu, but the Sagara clan remained subordinate to the Shimazu clan to continue their clan. Also, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi conquered Kyushu, his vassal Nagatomo Fukami directly negotiated with Hideyoshi and promised him relief for his territory.

However, after that, Nagatomo Fukasumi's nephew Yorizou Fukasumi came into conflict with another senior vassal, Yori Inudou's brother, and the incident developed to the point where Mitsunari Ishida intervened, causing Yorizo Fukasumi to run away and the Shinsui clan to attack Yori Inudo's brother. An incident will occur. As a result, Yori-ni Inudo became the center of the vassals, became chief retainer and steward, and changed his name to Seibei Sagara. During the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, this older brother betrayed the Western army and liaised with the Eastern army. This work ultimately led to the Sagara clan's territorial relief. In this way, the land of Kuma continued to belong to the Sagara clan even into the Edo period, and the Hitoyoshi clan was born under the 20th generation head of the clan, Yorifusa Sagara.

House disturbances that were repeated throughout the Edo period

Until the establishment of the Hitoyoshi domain and the Meiji Restoration, 16 feudal lords ruled the domain. During that time, there have been five incidents of domestic disturbances that have been recorded. There was no other example of such a family turmoil occurring in a single domain, and yet the Sagara family remained the lords of the domain without being forced to make changes.

The first family turmoil occurred during the era of Yorihiro Sagara, the second lord of the domain. In 1640, Yorihiro Sagara's tyranny, who was at the center of the vassals and served as chief retainer and consul, became flagrant, and Yorihiro Sagara appealed to the shogunate for approval. Masu. As a result, the shogunate decided to place Seibei Sagara in temporary custody of the Odawara domain. Gaiki Kamise and Sozaemon Fukasumi conveyed this fact from the Edo mansion to Kunimoto, but at the same time they were also planning to convey the news that ``Yorimasa Tashiro Hanbei, the adopted son of Yori, will continue to serve as a retainer of the domain.'' However, Tashiro Hanbei Yorimasa already knew of his father-in-law's punishment, and imprisoned the two messengers in Yori's mansion, which was called ``Ogeyashiki.'' Sozaemon Fukami escaped, but Gaiki Kamise was killed. The clan soldiers then surrounded the mansion, and in the end, 121 members of Yori's entire family were killed either in battle or by suicide. Furthermore, Yori's brother, who started the commotion, was placed in the care of the Tsugaru domain and lived in Aomori until he was 88 years old. This was a family disturbance called ``Oge no Ran.''

The second civil war occurred in 1645, four years after the Ogemono War. Seventy members of his family, including Kentake Murakami, a senior officer with 300 koku, were all murdered by Kentake's adopted son, Kakubei, and his older brother, Yanase Chozaemon. It is said that the tragedy occurred during a memorial service for ancestors. The cause of this incident is that talks about adoption were temporarily suspended due to Kakubei's mother's low social status. This incident was called the Murakami Family Murder Incident, and two of the perpetrators committed suicide on the spot.
Although this is not directly related to the Sagara clan, it is an incident in which the feudal lord could be punished for failing to supervise his vassals.

The third civil war occurred when Yorio Sagara, the 8th feudal lord, was assassinated with a gun. From the 2nd to 7th lords, the Hitoyoshi domain was plagued by floods and famine, and the domain's governance became strained. In addition to banning Christianity, the Hitoyoshi domain also banned the Jodo Shinshu faith, which led to incidents such as mass suicides among believers. Furthermore, during the reign of the seventh lord, Yorimine Sagara, over reforms to the domain's administration, conflict deepened between the ``Kadoyo,'' a member of the Sagara clan who was a small parliamentary faction, and the chief retainers. As a result, Yorimine's instructions to Monha put the chief retainers in a disadvantageous position, but it was revealed that Monba had conspired with the domain doctor to poison the feudal lord. In the end, the Monba clan was punished, but the seventh lord, Yorimine Sagara, also died at the young age of 24. And this incident became the remote cause for Yorio Sagara, the 8th lord of the domain.