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[ 要旨 ]
本稿は、近世の用水組合運営の時期的変化を検討することで、「大藩周縁地域」における村連合の地域運営の特徴について明らかにするものである。
近世地域社会史研究では、「非領国」地域や藩領における地域運営の実態が議論されてきた。しかし、地域における核となる大藩の周縁部の地域運営については検討が乏しい。このような地域を分析するためには、村連合の構成が複数の領主支配の村々からなる用水組合などが恰好の素材になると考えた。用水組合運営については、特定の時期については明らかにされてきたものの、長期的なスパンでその変化を検討したものはほとんどない。
そこで、本稿では、大藩福井藩の周縁地域に位置した十郷用水という大規模用水組合を対象とし、中世以来存在した井奉行という百姓身分の管理者と、一七四〇年頃から新たに現れた「惣代」(「惣代村」)との関係性と、その時期的変化に迫った。
その際、以下のように三期に区分し、各時期の特徴と変化をみた。第一期(一八世紀中頃)には、惣代の役割が少なかったが、第一期終盤に生じた井奉行と一部の用水組合村々との争論を経て、第二期(一八世紀後半~一九世紀前半)にその役割が大幅に増加した。そのような状況下で、大藩福井藩による用水改革が行われた天保八年(一八三七)に注目して、以降を第三期とした。用水組合の運営体制や方法に直結する福井藩の改革は組合に受け入れられなかったものの、藩領社会特有の身分制的秩序が用水組合に影響を及ぼすことになった。用水に関する儀式に、惣代が井奉行と共に列したことで、惣代は用水秩序の体現者として、組合村々から出される文書の宛先に表記されるようになった。一方、井奉行―惣代間の儀式参列時の席次差もあり、両者の序列は明確になった。以上から、惣代の機能は近世を通して増大しつつも、井奉行がその地位をとって代わられることなく、井奉行―惣代体制のまま近代を迎えた。
[ Abstract ]
Studies on early modern regional social history have explored regional management in "non-dominant" areas and feudal domains. However, there is limited research on regional management in the periphery of clans as the core in a region. To address this gap, this study considered that irrigation associations consisting of multiple fiefdom-controlled villages would provide material for analysis. Although previous studies have examined changes in the management of irrigation associations over specific periods, few have examined these changes over the long term.
This study focuses on Jugo Irrigation, a large-scale irrigation association located in the periphery of the large Fukui domain; it also examines the relationship between peasant administrators known as the "ibugyo," who existed since the Middle Ages, and the "soudais" ("soudai villages"), which emerged around 1740, as well as the changes that occurred during this period.
The study categorizes the observed period into three phases and examines the characteristics and changes in each phase. In the first period (around the middle of the 18th century), the role of the "soudais" was limited; however, after a dispute between the "ibugyo" and some villages in the irrigation association at the end of the first period, their significance increased in the second period (late 18th century to early 19th century). Therefore, this study focuses on the year 1837, when the large Fukui domain reformed the irrigation system. Hence, the period following 1837 is defined as the third period. Although the Fukui clan’s reforms were directly related to the governing structure and the irrigation association’s methods were not acceptable to the association, the status-based order unique to the clan society had an impact on the irrigation association. The "soudais," along with the "ibugyo," participated in the rituals related to irrigation water. Consequently, they came to be recognized as the embodiment of the irrigation water order, replacing the addressees in the documents issued by the union villages. Meanwhile, the difference in seat ranks between the "ibugyo" and "soudais" during ceremonies, highlighted the hierarchical distinction between them.
Hence, while the function of the "soudais" expanded across the early modern period, the position of the "ibugyo" was not replaced, and the ibugyo-soudai system continued into the modern period.