Fujiwara no Ietaka (Sakyo no daibu) (藤原家隆 (左京大夫))

FUJIWARA no Ietaka (date of birth: unknown to December 14, 1125) was a retainer of the Imperial Court during the late Heian Period. He was the third son of Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor) FUJIWARA no Moromichi. His mother was the daughter of TAIRA no Sadatsune and was Ie no Nyobo (a lady in waiting) of his grandfather FUJIWARA no Morozane. He was ranked Jushiinojo (Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade) or Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) and was Sakyo no daibu (master of the Eastern Capital Offices) and Shonagon (minor councilor). Paternal half-brothers are Kanpaku FUJIWARA no Tadazane and Sangi (councilor) FUJIWARA no Iemasa.

Although he was born in a Sekkan-ke (the families which produced the Regent and the Chief Adviser to the Emperor), since his mother was from a low status family and he lost his father in his infancy, he was not able to attain the position of a court noble. It is said that he associated closely with Tadazane, his older paternal-half brother, and following Tadazane, he took a daughter of Tosa no kami (governor of Tosa Province) FUJIWARA no Morizane, and had FUJIWARA no Naritaka as his legitimate son. It is also known that one of his daughters, (FUJIWARA no Shoshi nyobo (a court lady served to FUJIWARA no Shoshi)) became a concubine of TAIRA no Tadamori, and had TAIRA no Norimori.

In the article 32 of "Chugaisho" vol. II, there is a description, in which Tadazane's grandson, Keigaku, who was Betto (Secretary in the office of temple) of Kofuku-ji Temple, complained of his status as a priest.
And it is said that referring to this, NAKAHARA no Moromoto, Keishi (household superintendent) of Tadazane, commented, 'Keigaku has fortunately gained the present position in the Buddhist world, thanks to the backing of Tadazane, but if there had not been such support, he would not be able to surpass even the position of Ietaka even in secular society.'
In this comment, Ietaka's name was used as an example to show that being the son of Sekkan-ke did not always promise success in life.

After ages, the Tokunaga clan, which was the lord of the Takasu domain in Mino Province in the earlier Edo Period, claimed that his clan was a descendent of Ietaka.

[Original Japanese]