Dazaifu (government)
The Dazai -fu (Japanese太宰府) was a military Special Administrative Region or the General Government to the invasion endangered northern coast of Kyushu (then Tsukushi ) of Japanese antiquity. He mainly comprised the province Chikuzen. Capital was the strategic Hakata Port, now part of Fukuoka.
After Wamyōshō the purely Japanese term also ohomikotomochi no tsukasa was ( modern: ōmikotomochi no tsukasa ).
- 3.1 sources
History 673 to about 1100
The Dazai -fu was as a direct result of the defeat at the Battle of Hakusukinoe 663 ( also: Battle of the Paekchon River; Today: Geumgang ) was established. In addition to the usual duties of provincial governors had the Governor-General (大 宰 帅, Dazai no sotsu / sochi or ohomikotomochi no kami ), additional military tasks, such as fortification and crew. Administratively subordinate to the Governor-General - in the context of centralized ritsuryō management - the Settsu - shiki ( from 793 Settsu no kuni no tsukasa, " governor of the province Settsu " ), which is also the port of Naniwa (now Osaka ) controlled. In the early 10th century was the post, if not vacant, occupied by princes of the imperial house, but rarely left the capital. The actual management then got an extraordinary governor-general (大 宰 権 帅, Dazai no gon no sotsu / sochi ), who was able to enrich in this position often personally. The governors of the surrounding provinces were subordinate to him.
The actual administrative headquarters was located 13 km inland from the port. Secured was the headquarters of the dam Mizuki (水城) and two nearby forts - Ōno - jo (大野 城) and Kii - jo (基 肄 城) - which had been built after the Korean models. These were located on the 400 m high hills Ōnoyama ( = Shiōjisan ) and Kiyama.
Embassies and trade
Before about 800, the ship was not so well developed that direct trips to mainland China were possible. Travels took over the 150 km distant Tsushima Island with the Korean Peninsula. During the Nara period Japanese foreign travel were virtually prohibited. Exceptions were only the few messages to the Chinese Tang court, after Silla and Balhae, a kingdom in today's Manchuria. The few incoming foreigners were isolated to 780 in a government-owned guest house ( Kōrokan ) about 10 km to the west of Hakata by the native population, accommodated. About arrival and departure, a register was performed, which was regularly sent to the capital. With the decline of the central power and the stronger emerging private trade in the early Heian period, the strict control subsided.
Private traders, first from Korea, then China, began from the early 9th century arrive more frequently. The Court secured a right of first refusal on luxury goods. For the sale of other goods prices were prescribed, the trade itself was strictly controlled. Later special Außenhandelskommissionäre ( karamono no tsukai ) were designated for this task. To return to the private trade, the nenki system was 911 prescribed that forbade foreign merchants, more often than every two years to land goods. These restrictions opened the administrators many opportunities to corrupt practices, which are covered in detail especially for later times.
Military
Already the Nihon Ryōiki reported by delegation of more experienced border guards ( sakimori ) derived particularly from the provinces of the Kantō. These had by the usual in the 8th century slaughter of Emishi the necessary military experience in general. They manned guard stations along the coast and on the offshore islands of Iki and Tsushima. In order to reduce the high cost of food and accommodation, only conscripts, were first from 757, 795 or 804 from final seconded from nearby provinces. 813 the number of troops was reduced from 17,100 to 9,000. Around 900 started later than in other parts of the country, the use of professional soldiers ( senshi ), were recruited from the sons of the landed gentry.
Beginning with the attack on Hakata 869, fighting from 890 and more frequently incident, mostly Korean, pirates to the main task of the defenders was. This threat was clear after from 936.
About 800 ships of the insurgents Fujiwara no Sumitomo were destroyed 941 in a naval battle in the Bay of Hakata.
1019 there was an attack by a fleet of Jurchen ( Toi ), a Manchurian tribe.
History after 1100
The Authority has developed over time into a kind of " General of Tsukushi ." From the Kamakura period, it was governed by a military governor ( Kyushu - Tandai ). This position was, for the first time in 1275, always exercised during the Kamakura shogunate by a member of the Hōjō clan. Even after return suppression of the Mongol invasions ( 1281 ) of the title in the Muromachi period was retained. After the removal of the - later rehabilitated - Imagawa Sadako ( = Ryōshun ) 1395, the position within the Shibukawa became hereditary.
Was In fact, the administration has been exercised since the Kamakura period, the Shoni. With the downfall of this generation, the office lost its function.
The Hakata Port, was important as a long -time gateway for travelers and trade, the richest city in western Japan, and in 1420 had an estimated 10,000 homes.