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Fukuoka han was an [[Edo period]] [[han|domain]] ruled by the [[Kuroda clan]] from [[Fukuoka castle]]. With a ''[[kokudaka]]'' of 520,000 ''[[koku]]'', it was among the wealthiest domains in the realm. Controlling essentially the entirety of [[Chikuzen province]],<ref>With the exception of small branch domains such as Akizuki and Tôrenji, and a small number of villages which were [[tenryo|directly controlled by the shogunate]].</ref> the Kuroda were among only about ten or so ''daimyô'' clans to claim ''[[kunimochi|honkunimochi]]'' status, a level of prestige restricted to those who controlled an entire [[provinces|province]].
Fukuoka han was an [[Edo period]] [[han|domain]] ruled by the [[Kuroda clan]] from [[Fukuoka castle]]. With a ''[[kokudaka]]'' of 520,000 ''[[koku]]'', it was among the wealthiest domains in the realm. Controlling essentially the entirety of [[Chikuzen province]],<ref>With the exception of small branch domains such as Akizuki and Tôrenji, and a small number of villages which were [[tenryo|directly controlled by the shogunate]].</ref> the Kuroda were among only about ten or so ''daimyô'' clans to claim ''[[kunimochi|honkunimochi]]'' status, a level of prestige restricted to those who controlled an entire [[provinces|province]].
==History==
The Kuroda first built [[Fukuoka castle]] after [[Kuroda Nagamasa]] was granted the domain by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] following the [[battle of Sekigahara]]. This marked the beginning of the [[jokamachi|castle-town]] of [[Fukuoka]], which then grew up around the castle, eventually merging with nearby [[Hakata]] to become one of the largest cities and most major ports on [[Kyushu]]. Many samurai already resident in Chikuzen refused to swear fealty to the Kuroda, who were not traditionally/historically lords of that area, and so instead of becoming formal retainers based in the castle town, these samurai relocated to the countryside, maintaining some degree of elite status, and becoming one variety of ''[[goshi|gôshi]]''.
The Kuroda first built [[Fukuoka castle]] after [[Kuroda Nagamasa]] was granted the domain by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] following the [[battle of Sekigahara]]. This marked the beginning of the [[jokamachi|castle-town]] of [[Fukuoka]], which then grew up around the castle, eventually merging with nearby [[Hakata]] to become one of the largest cities and most major ports on [[Kyushu]]. Many samurai already resident in Chikuzen refused to swear fealty to the Kuroda, who were not traditionally/historically lords of that area, and so instead of becoming formal retainers based in the castle town, these samurai relocated to the countryside, maintaining some degree of elite status, and becoming one variety of ''[[goshi|gôshi]]''.
Beginning in [[1641]], Fukuoka was assigned, along with [[Saga han]], to contribute to the defenses of [[Nagasaki]] harbor. As a result of this obligation of military service, the ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' obligations of these two domains were lessened.
Beginning in [[1641]], Fukuoka was assigned, along with [[Saga han]], to contribute to the defenses of [[Nagasaki]] harbor. As a result of this obligation of military service, the ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' obligations of these two domains were lessened.
==Administrative Structures==
In the early years of the period, many villages were held in fief by Kuroda retainers; some villages were even split between multiple retainers. However, before long, this system of [[subinfeudation]] was abandoned in favor of a centrally-directed network of appointed administrators.<ref>Kalland, 23.</ref>
Areas of the domain were administered by magistrates (''[[bugyo|bugyô]]'') appointed by the Kuroda: ''[[machi bugyo|machi bugyô]]'' (town magistrates) oversaw the twin cities of Hakata and Fukuoka, ''kôri bugyô'' (district magistrates) oversaw farming villages and post-towns, and ''ura bugyô'' (harbor magistrates) oversaw coastal villages. Thirty areas had been designated as ''ura'' ("harbors") by [[1605]], each coming under the jurisdiction of an ''ura bugyô''; by the 18th century, this number had swelled slightly to 39, with each designated area encompassing anywhere from a few hundred to more than a thousand villagers. A number of villages were divided in half, or even in three, with "harbor portions" (''urabun''), "hill portions" (i.e. farming areas, ''okabun''), and "town portions" (i.e. commercial areas, ''machibun'') coming under the jurisdictions of different magistrates. Some towns were even physically, geographically, relocated in order to effect this distinction; these included the villages of Shingû and Fukuma, for example, which had previously been part of the Minato and Shimosaigô villages respectively.<ref>Kalland, 20.</ref>
Areas of the domain were administered by magistrates (''[[bugyo|bugyô]]'') appointed by the Kuroda: ''[[machi bugyo|machi bugyô]]'' (town magistrates) oversaw the twin cities of Hakata and Fukuoka, ''kôri bugyô'' (district magistrates) oversaw farming villages and post-towns, and ''ura bugyô'' (harbor magistrates) oversaw coastal villages. Thirty areas had been designated as ''ura'' ("harbors") by [[1605]], each coming under the jurisdiction of an ''ura bugyô''; by the 18th century, this number had swelled slightly to 39, with each designated area encompassing anywhere from a few hundred to more than a thousand villagers. A number of villages were divided in half, or even in three, with "harbor portions" (''urabun''), "hill portions" (i.e. farming areas, ''okabun''), and "town portions" (i.e. commercial areas, ''machibun'') coming under the jurisdictions of different magistrates. Some towns were even physically, geographically, relocated in order to effect this distinction; these included the villages of Shingû and Fukuma, for example, which had previously been part of the Minato and Shimosaigô villages respectively.<ref>Kalland, 20.</ref>
While all these various ''bugyô'' were samurai retainers, villagers also played a role in administration. Groups of ten to thirty adjacent farming villages, or a similar number of not so directly adjacent coastal villages, were grouped together into districts known as ''fure'', each of which was overseen by a headman known as the ''ôjôya''. This was the highest administrative position open to villagers (peasants). The duties of the ''ôjôya'' generally included supervising the work of the headmen of individual villages, and serving as an intermediary between those individual village headmen and the samurai authorities (chiefly, the ''bugyô''). The ''ôjôya'' also oversaw tax payments, rice shipments; investigated fires, shipwrecks, and other such incidents; organized corvée labor; issued fishing licenses; and mediated in local conflicts. Up until 1762, there were five such ''ôjôya'', overseeing between them all the villages in the domain. In that year, the number was reduced to two (one from Shingû and one from Fukuma), and then increased back up to three in 1770, after which there were two ''ôjôya'' overseeing the ''kami-ura'' ("upper" harbors) north of the castle, and one overseeing the ''shimo-ura'' ("lower" harbors), those west of Fukuoka. Each of these district headmen was simultaneously village headman in his own village, and sometimes passed on the position to his heirs; generally, however, the position was not considered heritable, and a new ''ôjôya'' was appointed by the domain government upon the retirement, death, or discharge of the previous one.<ref>Kalland, 24-25.</ref>
==Lords of Fukuoka han==
==Lords of Fukuoka han==