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Officially called Kagoshima ''han'', the domain was ruled from [[Kagoshima castle]] in [[Kagoshima]]. Its ''[[kokudaka]]'', the official measure of the domain's production, and therefore its wealth and power, was assessed at 770,000 ''[[koku]]'' for most of the period, the second highest ''kokudaka'' after that of [[Kaga han]].

Officially called Kagoshima ''han'', the domain was ruled from [[Kagoshima castle]] in [[Kagoshima]]. Its ''[[kokudaka]]'', the official measure of the domain's production, and therefore its wealth and power, was assessed at 770,000 ''[[koku]]'' for most of the period, the second highest ''kokudaka'' after that of [[Kaga han]].

The Shimazu family controlled Satsuma province for roughly four centuries prior to the beginning of the Edo period and the establishment of the ''han'', and towards the end of the 16th century, controlled nearly all of Kyûshû. Despite being chastised by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] in his 1587 [[Kyushu campaign|Kyûshû campaign]], and forced back to Satsuma, they remained one of the most powerful clans in the archipelago. During the decisive [[battle of Sekigahara]], which took place in 1600 and put an end to the long [[Sengoku period]], the Shimazu stayed home in Satsuma, consolidating and protecting their power. While a great many clans fought and lost at Sekigahara, the Shimazu remained one of the few who, alone, possessed sufficient military might to resist the shogun's armies, had he tried to forcibly seize their territory. Unlike many clans who were assigned and reassigned ''han'' over the course of the Edo period, the Shimazu maintained their territory, and a great degree of autonomy.

The Shimazu family controlled Satsuma province for roughly four centuries prior to the beginning of the Edo period and the establishment of the ''han'', and towards the end of the 16th century, controlled nearly all of Kyûshû. Despite being chastised by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] in his 1587 [[Kyushu campaign|Kyûshû campaign]], and forced back to Satsuma, they remained one of the most powerful clans in the archipelago. During the decisive [[battle of Sekigahara]], which took place in 1600 and put an end to the long [[Sengoku period]], the Shimazu stayed home in Satsuma, consolidating and protecting their power. While a great many clans fought and lost at Sekigahara, the Shimazu remained one of the few who, alone, possessed sufficient military might to resist the shogun's armies, had he tried to forcibly seize their territory. Unlike many clans who were assigned and reassigned ''han'' over the course of the Edo period, the Shimazu maintained their territory, and a great degree of autonomy.

In 1609, the Shimazu requested permission from the shogunate to invade the Ryûkyû Kingdom which lay to its south. After a brief invasion which met little resistance, Satsuma seized a number of the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]], annexing them to the ''han'', and claimed the Ryûkyû Kingdom as a vassal state. For the remainder of the Edo period, Satsuma exacted tribute from Ryûkyû, influenced its politics, and dominated its trading policies. As strict [[kaikin|maritime prohibitions]] were imposed upon much of Japan beginning in the 1630s, Satsuma's ability to enjoy a trade in Chinese goods, and information, via Ryûkyû, provided it a distinct and important, if not entirely unique, role in the overall economy and politics of the Tokugawa state. The degree of economic benefits enjoyed by Satsuma, and the degree of their oppression of Ryûkyû, are subjects debated by scholars, but the political prestige and influence gained through this relationship is not questioned. The Shimazu continually made efforts to emphasize their unique position as the only feudal domain to claim an entire foreign kingdom as its vassal, and engineered repeated increases to their own official [[Court rank]], in the name of maintaining their power and prestige in the eyes of Ryûkyû.

In 1609, the Shimazu requested permission from the shogunate to invade the Ryûkyû Kingdom which lay to its south. After a brief invasion which met little resistance, Satsuma seized a number of the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]], annexing them to the ''han'', and claimed the Ryûkyû Kingdom as a vassal state. For the remainder of the Edo period, Satsuma exacted tribute from Ryûkyû, influenced its politics, and dominated its trading policies. As strict [[kaikin|maritime prohibitions]] were imposed upon much of Japan beginning in the 1630s, Satsuma's ability to enjoy a trade in Chinese goods, and information, via Ryûkyû, provided it a distinct and important, if not entirely unique, role in the overall economy and politics of the Tokugawa state. The degree of economic benefits enjoyed by Satsuma, and the degree of their oppression of Ryûkyû, are subjects debated by scholars, but the political prestige and influence gained through this relationship is not questioned. The Shimazu continually made efforts to emphasize their unique position as the only feudal domain to claim an entire foreign kingdom as its vassal, and engineered repeated increases to their own official [[Court rank]], in the name of maintaining their power and prestige in the eyes of Ryûkyû.

Though not the wealthiest ''han'' in terms of ''kokudaka'', Satsuma remained among the wealthiest and most powerful domains throughout the Edo period. This derived not only from their connection to Ryûkyû, but also from the size and productive wealth of Satsuma province itself, and from their extreme distance from [[Edo]], and thus from the [[Shogun]]'s armies. The Shimazu exercised their influence to exact from the shogunate a number of special exceptions. Satsuma was granted an exception to the shogunate's limit of one castle per domain, a policy which was meant to restrict the military strength of the domains; the Shimazu then formed sub-fiefs within their domain, and doled out castles to their vassals, administering the domain in a manner not unlike a mini-shogunate. They also received special exceptions from the shogunate in regard to the policy of ''[[sankin kôtai]]'', another policy meant to restrict the wealth and power of the ''daimyô''. Under this policy, every feudal lord was mandated to travel to Edo at least once a year, and to spend some portion of the year there, away from his domain and his power base. The Shimazu were granted permission to make this journey only once every two years. These exceptions thus allowed Satsuma to gain even more power and wealth relative to the majority of other domains.

Satsuma remained the second wealthiest domain (in terms of official ''kokudaka'' rating) and among the most powerful throughout the Edo period. This derived not only from their connection to Ryûkyû, but also from the size and productive wealth of Satsuma province itself, and from their extreme distance from [[Edo]], and thus from the [[Shogun]]'s armies. The Shimazu exercised their influence to exact from the shogunate a number of special exceptions. Satsuma was granted an exception to the shogunate's limit of one castle per domain, a policy which was meant to restrict the military strength of the domains. Satsuma had the highest proportion of samurai in its population of any domain, roughly 1/4,<ref>Norman, E.H. ''Soldier and Peasant in Japan: The Origins of Conscription''. New York: Institute for Pacific Relations, 1945. p44.</ref> as compared to 1/10 in most parts of the archipelago. Contrary to the policy of removing the samurai from the countryside and consolidating them in the domainal capital, as was standard in most domains, the Shimazu were able to form sub-fiefs within their domain, and to dole out castles to their retainers, administering the domain in a manner not entirely unlike a microcosm of the Tokugawa state(s) itself. The Shimazu also received special exceptions from the shogunate in regard to the policy of ''[[sankin kôtai]]'', another policy meant to restrict the wealth and power of the ''daimyô''. Under this policy, every feudal lord was mandated to travel to Edo at least once a year, and to spend some portion of the year there, away from his domain and his power base. The Shimazu were granted permission to make this journey only once every two years. These exceptions thus allowed Satsuma to gain even more power and wealth relative to the majority of other domains.

Though arguably opposed to the shogunate, Satsuma was perhaps one of the strictest domains in enforcing particular policies. Christian missionaries were seen as a serious threat to the power of the daimyô, and the peace and order of the domain; the shogunal ban on Christianity was enforced more strictly and brutally in Satsuma, perhaps, than anywhere else in the archipelago. The ban on smuggling, perhaps unsurprisingly, was not so strictly enforced, as the domain gained significantly from trade performed along its shores, some ways away from [[Nagasaki]], where the shogunate monopolized commerce.

Though arguably opposed to the shogunate, Satsuma was perhaps one of the strictest domains in enforcing particular policies. Christian missionaries were seen as a serious threat to the power of the daimyô, and the peace and order of the domain; the shogunal ban on Christianity was enforced more strictly and brutally in Satsuma, perhaps, than anywhere else in the archipelago. The ban on smuggling, perhaps unsurprisingly, was not so strictly enforced, as the domain gained significantly from trade performed along its shores, some ways away from [[Nagasaki]], where the shogunate monopolized commerce.

*Sansom, George (1961). ''A History of Japan: 1334-1615.'' Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.

*Sansom, George (1961). ''A History of Japan: 1334-1615.'' Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.

*Sansom, George (1963). ''A History of Japan: 1615-1867.'' Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp218-242.

*Sansom, George (1963). ''A History of Japan: 1615-1867.'' Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp218-242.

[[Category:Han]]

[[Category:Han]]