Fujiwara no Yoshifusa
Encyclopedia
, also known as Somedono no Daijin or Shirakawa-dono, was a Japanese
statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period
.
When Yoshifusa's grandson was enthroned as Emperor Seiwa
, Yoshifusa was assumed the role of regent (sesshō
) for the young monarch. He was the first sesshō in Japanese history who was not himself of imperial rank; and he was the first of a series of regent
s from the Fujiwara clan
.
and Emperor Seiwa
.
Yoshifusa conceived the programme of boy-sovereigns with Fujiwara regents; and his adopted son, Mototsune, carried out the plans.
, Fujiwara no Yoshisuke
and Fujiwara no Yoshikado
.
.
They had only one daughter.
He adopted his brother Nagara's third son.
Yoshifusa is referred to as Chūjin Kō (忠仁公) (posthumous title was Daijō Daijin).
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
statesman, courtier and politician during the 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...
.
When Yoshifusa's grandson was enthroned as Emperor Seiwa
Emperor Seiwa
was the 56th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876.-Traditional narrative:...
, Yoshifusa was assumed the role of regent (sesshō
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 the young monarch. He was the first sesshō in Japanese history who was not himself of imperial rank; and he was the first of a series of regent
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...
s from the Fujiwara clan
Fujiwara family
The Fujiwara clan , descending from the Nakatomi clan, was a powerful family of regents in Japan.The clan originated when the founder, Nakatomi no Kamatari , was rewarded by Emperor Tenji with the honorific "Fujiwara", which evolved as a surname for Kamatari and his descendants...
.
Career
He was a minister during the reigns of Emperor Ninmyō, Emperor MontokuEmperor Montoku
was the 55th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.The years of Montoku's spanned the years from 850 through 858.-Traditional narrative:...
and Emperor Seiwa
Emperor Seiwa
was the 56th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876.-Traditional narrative:...
.
- 834 (Jōwa 1, 9th day of the 7th month): SangiSangi (Japan)was an associate counselor in the Imperial court of Japan from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century.This was a position in the daijō-kan, or early feudal Japanese government...
- 835 (Jōwa 2): Gon-no-ChūnagonChunagonwas a counselor of the second rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.The role was eliminated from the Imperial hierarchy in 701, but it was re-established in 705...
- 840 (Jōwa 7): ChūnagonChunagonwas a counselor of the second rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.The role was eliminated from the Imperial hierarchy in 701, but it was re-established in 705...
- 842 (Jōwa 9): DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
- 848 (SaikōSaikoSaiko may refer to:* Saiko, Yamanashi, a lake of Japan* Saikō, a Japanese era...
1, 1st month): UdaijinUdaijinUdaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central... - 857 (Saikō 4, 19th day of the 2nd month): Daijō Daijin
- 858 (Ten'anTen'anwas a after Saikō and before Jōgan. This period spanned the years from February 857 through April 859. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of Era:* January 30, 857 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
2, 7th day of the 11th month): SesshōSessho and KampakuIn 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 Emperor SeiwaEmperor Seiwawas the 56th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876.-Traditional narrative:...
. - October 7, 872 (JōganJoganwas a after Ten'an and before Gangyō. This period spanned the years from April 859 through April 877. The two reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* February 7, 859 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
14, 2nd day of the 9th month): Yoshifusa died at the age of 69.
Yoshifusa conceived the programme of boy-sovereigns with Fujiwara regents; and his adopted son, Mototsune, carried out the plans.
Genealogy
This member of the Fujiwara clan was the son of Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu. Yoshifusa's brothers were Fujiwara no NagayoshiFujiwara no Nagayoshi
, also known as Nagayoshi, was a Japanese poet and a court bureaucrat of the Heian period. He was the son of Fujiwara no Tomoyasu. His sister was the mother of Fujiwara no Michitsuna. She was a writer of the famous diary, Kagerō Nikki . His another sister was a mother of Sugawara no Takasue no...
, Fujiwara no Yoshisuke
Fujiwara no Yoshisuke
was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Career at court:He was a minister during the reign of Emperor Montoku.* 857 : Yoshisuke was made udaijin....
and Fujiwara no Yoshikado
Fujiwara no Yoshikado
was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Genealogy:This member of the Fujiwara clan was the sixth son of Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu...
.
Marriages and children
He was married to Minamoto no Kiyohime (源 潔姫), daughter of Emperor SagaEmperor Saga
was the 52nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign spanned the years from 809 through 823.-Traditional narrative:...
.
They had only one daughter.
- Akirakeiko/Meishi (明子) (829-899), consort of Emperor MontokuEmperor Montokuwas the 55th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.The years of Montoku's spanned the years from 850 through 858.-Traditional narrative:...
He adopted his brother Nagara's third son.
- MototsuneFujiwara no Mototsune, also known as Horikawa Daijin, was a statesman, courtier and politician during the Nara period.Mototsune continued the trend begun by Yoshifusa of monopolizing the position of regent to the Japanese emperor. He was third son of Fujiwara no Nagayoshi, brother of Yoshifusa, and Fujiwara no Otoharu...
(基経) (836-891) - Daijō Daijin and KampakuSessho and KampakuIn 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,...
Yoshifusa is referred to as Chūjin Kō (忠仁公) (posthumous title was Daijō Daijin).
See also
- Fujiwara Regents
- Shoku Nihon KōkiShoku Nihon Kokiis an officially commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 869, it is the fourth volume in the Six National Histories. It covers the years 833-850.-Background:...
, one of the Six National HistoriesRikkokushiis a general term for Japan's six national histories chronicling the mythology and history of Japan from the earliest times to AD 887. The six histories were written at the imperial court during the eighth and ninth centuries, under order of the Emperors...
of Japan; edited by Fujiwara no Yoshifusa.