Fujiwara no Michiyori (藤原道頼)

FUJIWARA no Michiyori (971-July 16, 995) was a Court noble in the mid Heian period. He was the eldest child of Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor) FUJIWARA no Michitaka born out of wedlock. His mother was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Morihito, Kokushi (an officer of local government) in Iyo Province. His lawful wife was a daughter of Fujiwara no Eirai. FUJIWARA no Tadatsune was among his children. His childhood name was Ochiyo. He was adopted by his grandfather, FUJIWARA no Kaneie, and promoted to Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank), Dainagon (chief councilor of state).
Due to his succeeding to Yamanoi-den, which was the residence of his father-in-law, he was nicknamed 'Yamanoi no Dainagon.'

He was born the eldest son of FUJIWARA no Michitaka, but he was placed lower in rank than his younger paternal brother, FUJIWARA no Korechika, due to his mother's low status. Michitaka's father, Kaneie, favored Michiyori and decided to ask Michitaka to allow him to adopt and nurture Michiyori as his sixth son.

He was raised to the peerage in 985 and, after he held various posts including Jiju (chamberlain) and Konoe no chujo (middle captain of the palace guards), he was appointed Kurodo no to (Head Chamberlain) in 988. He was promoted to Sangi (councilor) on June 13, 990, and, in that year, his father-in-law, Kaneie, died and after his biological father, Michitaka, succeeded Kaneie, Michiyori was placed in adverse circumstances.

On October 22 of the following year he was appointed Chunagon (vice-councilor of state) with Korechika, who, in the following year, was promoted to Dainagon getting ahead of Michiyori in official court rank, but the fact is, on September 21, 993, he was appointed Dainagon as successor to Korechika, who was promoted to Naidaijin (the Minister of the Interior). Regarding this situation, even Sei Shonagon, who was close to Korechika, expressed doubts in her "Makura no soshi" (the Pillow Book).

He died young at the age of 25 from measles, which raged in 995.

[Original Japanese]