Changes

===Reforms & Recovery===

===Reforms & Recovery===

The domain's financial/economic problems became so severe that the eighth ''daimyô'', [[Uesugi Shigetada]], seriously considered turning over the domain to the shogunate. Instead, he resigned his position as ''daimyô'' in favor of [[Uesugi Harunori]], who then began to reform the domain's administration and to revive its economy. He introduced strict disciplinary measures, and ordered the execution of several ''karô'' (advisors) who opposed his plans. In order to finance castle repairs imposed upon his domain by the shogunate, Harunori asked his retainers to agree to a reduction of their stipends, for the good of the domain. As a result of various other measures he took in the 1790s, many of them at the advice of [[Nozoki Yoshimasa]], Yonezawa became fairly prosperous, and did not suffer as much as many other areas did in the famines which swept Japan in the [[Great Tenmei Famine|Tenmei]] era (1781-9), and the [[Tenpo famine|Tenpô]] era (1833-1836).  

The domain's financial/economic problems became so severe that the eighth ''daimyô'', [[Uesugi Shigetada]], seriously considered turning over the domain to the shogunate. Instead, he resigned his position as ''daimyô'' in favor of [[Uesugi Harunori]], who then began to reform the domain's administration and to revive its economy. He introduced strict disciplinary measures, and ordered the execution of several ''karô'' (advisors) who opposed his plans. In order to finance castle repairs imposed upon his domain by the shogunate, Harunori asked his retainers to agree to a reduction of their stipends, for the good of the domain. As a result of various other measures he took in the 1790s, many of them at the advice of [[Nozoki Yoshimasa]], Yonezawa became fairly prosperous, and did not suffer as much as many other areas did in the famines which swept Japan in the [[Great Tenmei Famine|Tenmei]] era (1782-7), and the [[Tenpo famine|Tenpô]] era (1833-1836).

Population growth returned, much of the land that had laid idle came into cultivation again, and by [[1823]], the domain's subjects were able to pay their taxes in full for the first time in many decades.<ref>Ravina, 79.</ref> In 1830, the shogunate formally declared Yonezawa to be a choice example of a well-governed domain.

Population growth returned, much of the land that had laid idle came into cultivation again, and by [[1823]], the domain's subjects were able to pay their taxes in full for the first time in many decades.<ref>Ravina, 79.</ref> In 1830, the shogunate formally declared Yonezawa to be a choice example of a well-governed domain.

===Bakumatsu & Meiji===

===Bakumatsu & Meiji===

When the [[Boshin War]] erupted in 1868, and the shogunate came to an end with the abdication of shogun [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]], the Uesugi joined the pro-shogunate "Northern Alliance" (''[[Ôetsu Reppan Dômei]]''), acknowledging their debt to Hoshina Masayuki and thus to the shogunate. The samurai of Yonezawa for the most part saw the [[sonno|Imperial loyalists]] as a threat to the security or autonomy of their domain, and were willing to fight to defend it.<ref>Ravina, 202.</ref> After several months of battle, the Alliance was defeated, and the [[Meiji period]] began, under a new imperial government. The domain was cut down by 3000 ''koku'', then combined with other territories to form "Yonezawa Shinden han" in 1869, and abolished along with the [[abolition of the han system|han system]] as a whole two years later. It was renamed Yonezawa prefecture, but was combined very shortly afterwards with Okitama prefecture to form Yamagata prefecture.

When the [[Boshin War]] erupted in 1868, and the shogunate came to an end with the abdication of shogun [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]], the Uesugi joined the pro-shogunate "Northern Alliance" (''[[Ôetsu Reppan Dômei]]''), acknowledging their debt to Hoshina Masayuki and thus to the shogunate. The samurai of Yonezawa for the most part saw the [[sonno|Imperial loyalists]] as a threat to the security or autonomy of their domain, and were willing to fight to defend it.<ref>Ravina, 202.</ref> After several months of battle, the Alliance was defeated, and the [[Meiji period]] began, under a new imperial government. The domain was cut down by 3000 ''koku'', then combined with other territories to form "Yonezawa Shinden han" in 1869, and abolished along with the [[abolition of the han|''han'' system]] as a whole two years later. It was renamed Yonezawa prefecture, but was combined very shortly afterwards with Okitama prefecture to form Yamagata prefecture.

The end of the shogunate and abolition of the ''han'' system brought with it an end of the [[samurai]] class and of the ''daimyô''. The Uesugi clan were incorporated into the ''[[kazoku]]'' or noble peerage, as Counts, or ''Hakushaku'' in Japanese.

The end of the shogunate and abolition of the ''han'' system brought with it an end of the [[samurai]] class and of the ''daimyô''. The Uesugi clan were incorporated into the ''[[kazoku]]'' or noble peerage, as Counts, or ''Hakushaku'' in Japanese.

==References==

==References==