Changes

*''Castle: [[Matsumae castle]]''

*''Castle: [[Matsumae castle]]''

*''Lords: [[Matsumae clan]]''

*''Lords: [[Matsumae clan]]''

*''[[Kokudaka]]: N/A''

*''[[Kokudaka]]: N/A''<ref>In [[1855]], the shogunate granted Matsumae a rank of 30,000 ''koku''. Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 148.</ref>

*''Japanese'': 松前藩 ''(Matsumae han)''

*''Japanese'': 松前藩 ''(Matsumae han)''

Matsumae han was the northernmost domain in [[Edo Period|Tokugawa Japan]], and the only one located on the island of [[Ezo]] (today called [[Hokkaido|Hokkaidô]]). Matsumae was unique within the ''[[bakuhan taisei]]'' (shogunate-domains system), in that the clan did not technically hold land in fief from the [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunate]],<ref>Howell, David. "Ainu Ethnicity and the Boundaries of the Early Modern Japanese State." ''Past & Present'', No. 142 (Feb., 1994), pp69-93.</ref> did not possess a designated ''[[kokudaka]]'', nor was its territory restricted to well-defined geographical borders.<ref name=pagefour>Morris-Suzuki. p4.</ref> The Matsumae clan also performed ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' only once every five or six years, rather than the typical once every other year pattern.<ref>Ina Toshisada 伊奈利定, "Tôkaidô Futagawa juku honjin ni okeru daimyô-ke no riyô" 東海道二川宿本陣における大名家の利用, ''Honjin ni tomatta daimyô tachi'' 本陣に泊まった大名たち, Toyohashi, Aichi: Futagawa-juku honjin shiryôkan (1996), 55.</ref>

Matsumae han was the northernmost domain in [[Edo Period|Tokugawa Japan]], and the only one located on the island of [[Ezo]] (today called [[Hokkaido|Hokkaidô]]). Matsumae was unique within the ''[[bakuhan taisei]]'' (shogunate-domains system), in that the clan did not technically hold land in fief from the [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunate]],<ref>Howell, David. "Ainu Ethnicity and the Boundaries of the Early Modern Japanese State." ''Past & Present'', No. 142 (Feb., 1994), pp69-93. Though this is oft-cited, following the opening of the port of [[Hakodate]] to foreign ships in [[1854]]-[[1855]], the shogunate explicitly ordered certain territory (esp. in and around Hakodate) "returned" to the shogunate, and granted Matsumae ''[[tobichi]]'' territory in [[Mutsu province|Mutsu]] or [[Dewa province]]s instead. Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 19, 148.</ref> did not possess a designated ''[[kokudaka]]'', nor was its territory restricted to well-defined geographical borders.<ref name=pagefour>Morris-Suzuki. p4.</ref> The Matsumae clan also performed ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' only once every five or six years, rather than the typical once every other year pattern.<ref>Ina Toshisada 伊奈利定, "Tôkaidô Futagawa juku honjin ni okeru daimyô-ke no riyô" 東海道二川宿本陣における大名家の利用, ''Honjin ni tomatta daimyô tachi'' 本陣に泊まった大名たち, Toyohashi, Aichi: Futagawa-juku honjin shiryôkan (1996), 55.</ref>

Matsumae was the domain charged with the defense of the north, and with interactions & trade with the indigenous [[Ainu]]. It was thus one of three domains which dominated foreign relations in the Edo period, the other two being [[Satsuma han]], which held the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] as its vassal, and [[Tsushima han]], which managed relations with [[Korea]]. Along with the shogunate-controlled port of [[Nagasaki]], these three domains are today sometimes referred to as the Four Gates.

Matsumae was the domain charged with the defense of the north, and with interactions & trade with the indigenous [[Ainu]]. It was thus one of three domains which dominated foreign relations in the Edo period, the other two being [[Satsuma han]], which held the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] as its vassal, and [[Tsushima han]], which managed relations with [[Korea]]. Along with the shogunate-controlled port of [[Nagasaki]], these three domains are today sometimes referred to as the Four Gates.

Initially, trading rights within ''Ezo-chi'' were divvied up between major vassals of the Matsumae clan, with each vassal family receiving rights to a given portion of land. Beginning in [[1717]], however, these rights began to be sold to wealthy merchants, who began to move farther and farther north. The first trading post in the Kurils was established at Kunashir in 1754, and the first on Sakhalin in 1790. The expansion of these merchant operations was mainly along the coasts, and up into the northern islands, and not into the interior of Ezo, which remained largely unexplored (by Japanese).

Initially, trading rights within ''Ezo-chi'' were divvied up between major vassals of the Matsumae clan, with each vassal family receiving rights to a given portion of land. Beginning in [[1717]], however, these rights began to be sold to wealthy merchants, who began to move farther and farther north. The first trading post in the Kurils was established at Kunashir in 1754, and the first on Sakhalin in 1790. The expansion of these merchant operations was mainly along the coasts, and up into the northern islands, and not into the interior of Ezo, which remained largely unexplored (by Japanese).

Japanese traded with the Ainu mainly for fish, furs, hawks for hunting with, and the like, in exchange for Japanese goods including lacquerware, rice, saké, and swords and other metal tools. Some of the goods obtained from the Ainu, including dried abalone and sea cucumber, came to be regularly shipped down to [[Nagasaki]] as "''[[tawaramono|Nagasaki tawaramono]]''", where they would be traded for Chinese goods. The Ainu traded not only with the Japanese, but also with the Russians and various indigenous groups of northeast Asia (e.g. the Uilta and Nivkh tribes), trading goods obtained from these mainland groups to the Japanese as well, though the volume of this trade is unknown.

Japanese traded with the Ainu mainly for fish, furs, hawks for hunting with, and the like, in exchange for Japanese goods including lacquerware, rice, saké, and swords and other metal tools. Some of the goods obtained from the Ainu, including dried abalone and sea cucumber, came to be regularly shipped down to [[Nagasaki]] as "''[[tawaramono|Nagasaki tawaramono]]''", where they would be traded for Chinese goods. The Ainu traded not only with the Japanese, but also with the Russians and various indigenous groups of northeast Asia (e.g. the [[Uilta]] and [[Nivkh]] tribes), trading goods obtained from these mainland groups to the Japanese as well, though the volume of this trade is unknown.

Japanese merchant operations in Ezochi also focused on agriculture. The 18th century in Japan saw a great expansion in the growing of cash crops, including cotton, something which was implemented in Ezochi as well. A kind of fertilizer made from herring and called ''kinpi'' (金肥) was found to be quite effective, and herring-related operations expanded dramatically in the mid-1700s.

Japanese merchant operations in Ezochi also focused on agriculture. The 18th century in Japan saw a great expansion in the growing of cash crops, including cotton, something which was implemented in Ezochi as well. A kind of fertilizer made from herring and called ''kinpi'' (金肥) was found to be quite effective, and herring-related operations expanded dramatically in the mid-1700s.

Because of its location, and their charge to defend the north, Matsumae was also the chief domain which had interactions with [[Russia]]n explorers, traders, and military. Fears of Russian encroachment in the late 18th century led to the shogunate declaring direct shogunate control over eastern Ezo in [[1799]], and western Ezo in [[1807]], though their authority in the region was restored to the Matsumae clan in [[1821]].

Because of its location, and their charge to defend the north, Matsumae was also the chief domain which had interactions with [[Russia]]n explorers, traders, and military. Fears of Russian encroachment in the late 18th century led to the shogunate declaring direct shogunate control over eastern Ezo in [[1799]], and western Ezo in [[1807]], though their authority in the region was restored to the Matsumae clan in [[1821]].

==Lords of Matsumae==

==Lords of Matsumae==

*[[Matsumae Yoshihiro]] (until [[1618]])

*[[Matsumae Yoshihiro]] (until [[1618]])

* ?

* ?

*[[Matsumae Masahiro]] (? - 1866)

*[[Matsumae Masahiro]] (? - 1866)

*[[Matsumae Takahiro]] (1849-1866)

*[[Matsumae Takahiro]] (1849-1866)

*[[Matsumae Norihiro]] (1866-1871)

*[[Matsumae Norihiro (1866-1869)|Matsumae Norihiro]] (1866-1869)

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