Fujiwara no Morozane
Encyclopedia
Fujiwara no Morozane (1042 – March 14, 1101) was a regent
of Japan
and a chief of the Fujiwara clan during the late Heian period
. He was known as Kyōgoku dono (Lord Kyōgoku) or Go-Uji dono (the Later Lord Uji, 後宇治殿). He held the positions of sessho or kanpaku
for a twenty year period, sessho from 1075 to 1086 during the reign of Emperor Shirakawa
and from 1094 to 1099 during the reign of Emperor Horikawa
, and kampaku from 1086 to 1094 during the reign of Emperor Horikawa.
He was the son of Fujiwara no Yorimichi
and Fujiwara no Gishi (藤原 祇子, her real name is unknown today), a daughter of Fujiwara no Tanenari (藤原 種成), hence the grandson of Fujiwara no Michinaga
. A contemporary document suggested he was the third born son, but this is uncertain. He was appointed to the positions of sadaijin, sessho and kampaku. He made his adopted daughter Kenshi (賢子) a consort of Emperor Shirakawa
. Kenshi died when she was very young, but she left a son who would later ascend to the throne as Emperor Horikawa.
Emperor Shirakawa seized political power and Morozane was unable to enjoy the monopolic power that his father and grandfather had enjoyed. Even after Emperor Horikawa reached adulthood, the cloistered Emperor Shirakawa seized power.
Morozane married Fujiwara no Reishi, who was a daughter of Minamoto no Morofusa, a grandson of Emperor Murakami
, and later adopted by Fujiwara no Nobuie. Morozane had many sons and daughters, including Fujiwara no Moromichi
and Fujiwara no Ietada. From Morozane, two kuge families derive, the Kazanin family and the Oimikado (Oinomikado) family.
Morozane is also known the author of the waka
collection Kyōgoku Kanpakushū (Anthology of Kyōgoku Kanpaku) and the diary Kyōgoku Kanpaku-ki (Diary of Kyōgoku Kanpaku).
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and a chief of the Fujiwara clan during the late Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. He was known as Kyōgoku dono (Lord Kyōgoku) or Go-Uji dono (the Later Lord Uji, 後宇治殿). He held the positions of sessho or kanpaku
Sessho and Kampaku
In Japan, was a title given to a regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his coming of age, or an empress. The was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the emperor, but was the title of both first secretary and regent who assists an adult emperor. During the Heian era,...
for a twenty year period, sessho from 1075 to 1086 during the reign of Emperor Shirakawa
Emperor Shirakawa
was the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.-Genealogy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō ....
and from 1094 to 1099 during the reign of Emperor Horikawa
Emperor Horikawa
was the 73rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Horikawa's reign spanned the years from 1087 through 1107.-Traditional narrative:...
, and kampaku from 1086 to 1094 during the reign of Emperor Horikawa.
He was the son of Fujiwara no Yorimichi
Fujiwara no Yorimichi
' , son of Michinaga, was a Japanese Court noble. He succeeded his father to the position of Sesshō in 1017, and then went on to become Kampaku from 1020 until 1068...
and Fujiwara no Gishi (藤原 祇子, her real name is unknown today), a daughter of Fujiwara no Tanenari (藤原 種成), hence the grandson of Fujiwara no Michinaga
Fujiwara no Michinaga
represents the highpoint of the Fujiwara regents' control over the government of Japan.-Early life:He was the fourth or fifth son of Fujiwara no Kaneie by his wife Tokihime, daughter of Fujiwara no Nakamasa...
. A contemporary document suggested he was the third born son, but this is uncertain. He was appointed to the positions of sadaijin, sessho and kampaku. He made his adopted daughter Kenshi (賢子) a consort of Emperor Shirakawa
Emperor Shirakawa
was the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.-Genealogy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō ....
. Kenshi died when she was very young, but she left a son who would later ascend to the throne as Emperor Horikawa.
Emperor Shirakawa seized political power and Morozane was unable to enjoy the monopolic power that his father and grandfather had enjoyed. Even after Emperor Horikawa reached adulthood, the cloistered Emperor Shirakawa seized power.
Morozane married Fujiwara no Reishi, who was a daughter of Minamoto no Morofusa, a grandson of Emperor Murakami
Emperor Murakami
was the 62nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Murakami's reign spanned the years from 946 to his death in 967.-Traditional narrative:...
, and later adopted by Fujiwara no Nobuie. Morozane had many sons and daughters, including Fujiwara no Moromichi
Fujiwara no Moromichi
, son of Morozane, was a kugyo during the late Heian period. He was a head of the Fujiwara clan and served as kampaku and udaijin. He was also known as Go-nijyo dono or Nijyo-kampaku...
and Fujiwara no Ietada. From Morozane, two kuge families derive, the Kazanin family and the Oimikado (Oinomikado) family.
Morozane is also known the author of the waka
Waka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
collection Kyōgoku Kanpakushū (Anthology of Kyōgoku Kanpaku) and the diary Kyōgoku Kanpaku-ki (Diary of Kyōgoku Kanpaku).