Changes

*''Death: [[1848]]/12''

*''Other Names'': 調所広郷 ''(Zusho Hirosato)''

*''Death: [[1848]]/12/19''

*''Other Names'': 調所広郷 ''(Zusho Hirosato)'', 笑悦 ''(Shouetsu)''

*''Japanese'': 調所笑左衛門 ''(Zusho Shouzaemon)''

*''Japanese'': 調所笑左衛門 ''(Zusho Shouzaemon)''

Zusho Shôzaemon was an official in the service of [[Satsuma han]], known as a prominent member of the so-called "conservative" faction within domain politics, supporting ''daimyô'' [[Shimazu Narioki]] in contrast to the "radical" faction of Narioki's son, [[Shimazu Nariakira]], in the 1840s.<ref>Hellyer, 154.</ref>

Zusho Shôzaemon was an official in the service of [[Satsuma han]], known as a prominent member of the so-called "conservative" faction within domain politics, supporting ''daimyô'' [[Shimazu Narioki]] in contrast to the "radical" faction of Narioki's son, [[Shimazu Nariakira]], in the 1840s.<ref>Hellyer, 154.</ref>

At some point in his career, he served as ''[[Ryukyu-gakari|Ryûkyû-kikiyaku]]'', overseeing the operations of the [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]] for the domain government.<ref>Plaque on-site at former site of the Ryûkyû-kan, Nagata Middle School, Kagoshima.</ref>

 

At some point in his career, he also served as ''[[Ryukyu-gakari|Ryûkyû-kikiyaku]]'', overseeing the operations of the [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]] for the domain government.<ref>Plaque on-site at former site of the Ryûkyû-kan, Nagata Middle School, Kagoshima.</ref> He held that position until his death.<ref name=ishin>''Ishin Shiryô Kôyô'' 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 177.</ref>

==1820s-1830s==

==1820s-1830s==

Zusho is also known for his agricultural and commercial policies which aimed in the 1820s-1830s to alleviate the domain's deep financial difficulties. These policies aided the domain somewhat, but at the cost of the further exploitation of the people of the [[Amami Islands]].  

Zusho is also known for his agricultural and commercial policies which aimed in the 1820s-1830s to alleviate the domain's deep financial difficulties. These policies aided the domain somewhat, but at the cost of the further exploitation of the people of the [[Amami Islands]].  

By 1827, Satsuma was the poorest [[han|domain]] in the realm in terms of the size of its debts, owing some 320,000 ''[[currency|kan]]'' in loans taken out from [[Osaka]] merchants, in large part in order to help finance ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' missions to [[Edo]]. Zusho was placed in charge of suggesting and implementing policies which might help improve the domain's revenues, and thus help pay down the debts. He did this in part by establishing official monopolies on rapeseed, [[sugar]], and rice within the domain, and by imposing requirements for the quality of these products. As the quality of exported rice, rapeseed, and other products improved, so too did the reputation and thus the price of those products. Zusho also expanded efforts aimed at combating smuggling and, ironically perhaps, enlisted sailors such as the [[Hamazaki family]] to operate as Satsuma-sanctioned smugglers, grabbing a share of the trade from the [[kitamaebune|Western]] and [[Eastern Sea Circuit]] shipping routes, and paying some portion of it to [[Shimazu clan]] coffers.

By 1827, Satsuma was the poorest [[han|domain]] in the realm in terms of the size of its debts, owing some 320,000 ''[[currency|kan]]'' in loans taken out from Osaka merchants, in large part in order to help finance ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' missions to [[Edo]]. Zusho was placed in charge of suggesting and implementing policies which might help improve the domain's revenues, and thus help pay down the debts. He did this in part by establishing official monopolies on rapeseed, [[sugar]], and rice within the domain, and by imposing requirements for the quality of these products. He also oversaw the expansion of trade in [[sulfur]] and a number of other products. As the quality of exported rice, rapeseed, and other products improved, so too did the reputation and thus the price of those products. Zusho also expanded efforts aimed at combating smuggling and, ironically perhaps, enlisted sailors such as the [[Hamazaki family]] to operate as Satsuma-sanctioned smugglers, grabbing a share of the trade from the [[kitamaebune|Western]] and [[Eastern Sea Circuit]] shipping routes, and paying some portion of it to [[Shimazu clan]] coffers. Further, Zusho also oversaw the repair or construction of roads, riverworks, bridges, harbors, and the like within the domain, as well as efforts to bring new land under cultivation.

However, Zusho had a particularly significant impact upon the production of sugar in the Amami Islands, where "a structure of colonial extraction,"<ref>Hellyer, 95.</ref> as one scholar described it, was already in place from nearly the beginning of the 17th century. Zusho re-established a monopoly the domain administration had previously exercised over the sugar produced there, claiming it all from the islanders for roughly 1/3 the price it would earn on the Osaka market. He also expanded the plantation-like exploitation of the island by mandating that all rice paddies on the islands be drained and replaced with fields of sugar cane. Men between the ages of 15 to 60, and women from the age of 13 to 50, were assigned fields to work, and were obliged to purchase all of their food and other necessities from Satsuma officials, often at raised prices; the islanders were further forbidden from using money on the island, and from trading amongst themselves.

However, Zusho had a particularly significant impact upon the production of sugar in the Amami Islands, where "a structure of colonial extraction,"<ref>Hellyer, 95.</ref> as one scholar described it, was already in place from nearly the beginning of the 17th century. Zusho re-established a monopoly the domain administration had previously exercised over the sugar produced there, claiming it all from the islanders for roughly 1/3 the price it would earn on the Osaka market. He also expanded the plantation-like exploitation of the island by mandating that all rice paddies on the islands be drained and replaced with fields of sugar cane. Men between the ages of 15 to 60, and women from the age of 13 to 50, were assigned fields to work, and were obliged to purchase all of their food and other necessities from Satsuma officials, often at raised prices; the islanders were further forbidden from using money on the island, and from trading amongst themselves.

==1840s==

==1840s==

Later that year (in 1846/10), he conveyed to Ryûkyû that Satsuma would be providing the kingdom with 10-20,000 ''ryô'' to help finance the establishment of institutions for trade with France. Satsuma officials hoped they might be able to get the French to trade Chinese goods to Ryûkyû, thus further expanding the China trade; the Ryukyuan government rejected this idea, expressing a desire for a greater focus on Ryukyuan goods, and a concern about any scheme that would encourage foreigners to come to Ryûkyû.

Later that year (in 1846/10), he conveyed to Ryûkyû that Satsuma would be providing the kingdom with 10-20,000 ''ryô'' to help finance the establishment of institutions for trade with France. Satsuma officials hoped they might be able to get the French to trade Chinese goods to Ryûkyû, thus further expanding the China trade; the Ryukyuan government rejected this idea, expressing a desire for a greater focus on Ryukyuan goods, and a concern about any scheme that would encourage foreigners to come to Ryûkyû.

Tensions between the two factions within the domain heated up around this time, as Abe Masahiro placed the ''daimyô's'' son, Nariakira, in charge of the defense of Ryûkyû. For a brief time, Nariakira and Zusho worked independently from one another, pursuing their various schemes, sometimes working at cross-purposes and sometimes supporting one another without knowing it, as neither discussed their schemes with the other. As Nariakira and his father traveled back and forth between Edo and Kagoshima, their power within the domain ebbed and waned. Eventually, however, Nariakira gained the upper hand; in the eighth month of [[1848]], he shared with shogunate officials a plan proposed by Zusho in 1846 to expand Ryûkyû's trade at Fuzhou, and to use Satsuma funds to do it. The shogunate was particularly wary at this time of Satsuma trying to compete against the shogunate's own commercial activities at Nagasaki, and this plan had never been shared with, let alone approved by, the top shogunate officials. Abe confronted Zusho about the plan a few months later, in 1848/12, and Zusho, fearing that this would bring an official punishment to his lord, claimed all responsibility himself, by committing suicide.<ref>Hellyer, 161.</ref>

Tensions between the two factions within the domain heated up around this time, as Abe Masahiro placed the ''daimyô's'' son, Nariakira, in charge of the defense of Ryûkyû. For a brief time, Nariakira and Zusho worked independently from one another, pursuing their various schemes, sometimes working at cross-purposes and sometimes supporting one another without knowing it, as neither discussed their schemes with the other. As Nariakira and his father traveled back and forth between Edo and Kagoshima, their power within the domain ebbed and waned. Eventually, however, Nariakira gained the upper hand; in the eighth month of [[1848]], he shared with shogunate officials a plan proposed by Zusho in 1846 to expand Ryûkyû's trade at Fuzhou, and to use Satsuma funds to do it. The shogunate was particularly wary at this time of Satsuma trying to compete against the shogunate's own commercial activities at Nagasaki, and this plan had never been shared with, let alone approved by, the top shogunate officials. Abe confronted Zusho about the plan a few months later, in 1848/12, and Zusho, fearing that this would bring an official punishment to his lord, claimed all responsibility himself, by committing suicide at the [[Satsuma Edo mansion|domain's Edo mansion]].<ref>Hellyer, 161.; ''Ishin Shiryô Kôyô'' 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 177.</ref> Karô [[Shimazu Hisataka]] was named ''Ryûkyû-kakari'' in his place, and ''[[sobayaku]]'' [[Nikaido Shizuma|Nikaidô Shizuma]] was assigned responsibility for the matters under Shôzaemon's purview.<ref name=ishin/>

==References==

==References==

*Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 127-129, 154-158.

*Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 127-129, 154-158.

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[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Samurai]]