Arima Clan
From Peasants to Princes, the Gilded Lords of Kiyosu
The Arima are a clan of immense wealth, presiding over 1 million koku of land. They are one of the Five Clans of Etchu and count among the Twelve Great Names of Shinano. The youngest of the Great Names, they trace their ancestry to commoners and craftsmen, only having been elevated to nobility within the last 65 years. Despite their lowborn past, they quickly rose to become one of the wealthiest and most influential of all the clans of Shinano, surpassing many clans that had been established for far longer.
Central to their success is the Golden Path Merchant's Company, an association of traveling merchants that is nominally owned collectively by its membership but is controlled entirely by the Arima. Revenues from the company would provide the upstart Arima with the resources to grow their holdings rapidly, and while they no longer depend on it for their wealth it remains their most profitable asset.
Unlike the other Great Names, the Arima received no gifts of land from Kiku Hakari, but instead purchased the land from her in gold and silver.
Assets
The Arima are the wealthiest clan in all of Shinano, with a wealth that rivals even that of the Imperial Court. Among their noted assets are
700,000 koku of farmland
The largest fishing fleet in Shinano
A treasury rumored to contain over 40 million gold pieces, and millions more gold worth of valuables
A de facto monopoly on silk production
The Golden Path Merchant's Company which engages in extensive trade throughout the four islands of Shinano and beyond to the Jade Empire
Neither Chance nor Fate
Founding Date
1435 of the Era of Jade
Type
Geopolitical, Clan
Leader
Leader Title
Family Leader
Location
Controlled Territories
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