Fujiwara no Nagaie (藤原長家)

FUJIWARA no Nagaie (October 2, 1005 - December 25, 1064) was a court noble and a kajin (waka poet) in the end of the Heian period. He was the sixth son of Daijo daijin (Grand minister of state) FUJIWARA no Michinaga. His mother was MINAMOTO no Akiko, but later he was adopted by Michinaga's lawful wife, MINAMOTO no Rinshi. He was appointed as Shonii (Senior Second Rank) and Gon Dainagon (a provisional councilor of state). He called himself Omiya or Sanjo. He was a founder of the Mikohidari family.

His childhood name was Kowaka. He celebrated his attainment of manhood in 1017 and was appointed to Jugoinojo (Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade). He was promoted to Shonii (Senior Second Rank) in 1024. He was appointed to Gon Dainagon (a provisional councilor of state) in 1028 and to Minbukyo (Minister of Popular Affairs) in 1044. He became a priest in 1064 because of an illness, but died one month later.

He was a great-grandfather of FUJIWARA no Toshinari, who was known as the editor of "Senzai Wakashu" (Collection of Japanese Poems of a Thousand Years), and he himself was one of the central figures of poetry circles with 44 poems chosen for Chokusen shu (anthology of poems collected by Imperial command). Some say he has a personal collection of poetry, but it does not exist now.

[Original Japanese]