Fujiwara no Morozane (藤原師実)
FUJIWARA no Morozane (born in 1042, birth date unknown - March 21, 1101) was a Court noble during the period of cloistered rule and was also the Toshi choja (head of the Fujiwara clan). He served as Sadaijin (Minister of the Left), regent, and the chief advisor to the Emperor. He was also known as Kyogoku dono and Nochinouji dono. His father was FUJIWARA no Yorimichi. His mother was FUJIWARA no Gishi, a daughter of FUJIWARA no Tanenari.
Biography
Baby boys born to Gishi were all adopted by other families out of consideration to Yorimichi's legal wife, MINAMOTO no Takahime and the legitimate son FUJIWARA no Michifusa (the biological mother however was not MINAMOTO no Takahime); however, Michifusa, the older brother of Morozane born to a different mother, suddenly died after the birth of Morozane, and Morozane therefore was appointed to be the successor of the family headship. Morozane arranged for his adopted daughter, FUJIWARA no Kenshi (whose biological father was MINAMOTO no Akifusa), to marry Emperor Shirakawa. After the death of his uncle, FUJIWARA no Norimichi, Morozane and his cousin, FUJIWARA no Nobunaga, fought over the regent post, but because Morozane cooperated with the Emperor who loved Kenshi very much and who was hoping to let his direct family line take over the throne instead of his younger brothers (Imperial Prince Sanehito and Imperial Prince Sukehito) who were not of Fujiwara origin, Morozane successfully took over the family headship from Nobunaga who served as the regent, the head of the Fujiwara clan, and Dajodaijin (Grand Minister). Although it was in a period of decline, the regent-and-advisor political administration still had some power during the time of Morozane.
However, the regent-and-advisor political administration finally collapsed for a number of reasons: Kenshi being married off to the Emperor meant strengthening the power of the Murakami-Genji (a branch of the Minamoto clan); Morozane's son, FUJIWARA no Moromichi, and Morozane himself died one after the other which led to fights over the family succession; and Morozane's official grandson, Emperor Horikawa, died young. He was talented at making waka poems (Japanese poems), playing the biwa (Japanese lute), and making kotouta pieces (traditional koto tunes), and after he resigned as the advisor in 1094, he held the Zen Kanpaku Morozane Utaawase poetry contest. He created a poem collection called "Kyogoku kanpaku shu" and kept a diary called "Kyogoku kanpaku ki."
Record of Office and Rank
*Dates are all based on the lunar calendar
On April 21, 1053, he was appointed to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade). He was allowed to enter the Imperial Court.
On January 7, 1054, he was promoted to Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade). On February 23, he was appointed to Jiju (Chamberlain). On September 22, he was promoted to Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) while still serving as Jiju.
On February 23, 1055, he was assigned to Sakonoe no gon chujo (Brigadier General). On December 14, he was promoted to Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) while still serving as Sakonoe no gon chujo.
On February 3, 1056, he was additionally appointed to the Director of Oe Province. On February 22, he was promoted to Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank) while still serving as Sakonoe no gon chujo and as the Director of Oe Province. On October 29, he was assigned to Gon chunagon (Provincial Middle Councilor) while still serving as Sakonoe no gon chujo.
On January 7, 1058, he was promoted to Junii (Junior Second Rank) while still serving as Gon chunagon and Sakonoe no gon chujo. On April 25, he was assigned to Gon dainagon, (Provisional Major Councilor) and resigned as Sakonoe no gon chujo.
On July 17, 1060, he was assigned to Nai daijin (Minister of the Interior).
On April 22, 1062, he was additionally appointed to Sakonoe no taisho, (Western Commander).
On January 5, 1063, he was promoted to Shonii (Senior Second Rank) while still serving as Nai daijin and Sakonoe no taisho.
On June 3, 1065, he was promoted to Juichii (Junior First Rank) and also was assigned to Udaijin (Minister of the Right). On June 6, he was again appointed to Sakonoe no taisho. On December 23, he received the Imperial proclamation to announce him as Tachibanashi Choja, which was the head of the Tachibana clan (an example in which a member of the Fujiwara clan received an Imperial proclamation).
On June 14, 1068, he was additionally appointed to Kurodo dokoro no betto (Chief Secretary of the Sovereign).
On April 28, 1069, he was additionally appointed to a tutor of the Crown Prince (Imperial Prince Sadahiro who later became Emperor Shirakawa). On August 22, he was assigned to Sadaijin while still serving as Kurodo dokoro no betto. On August 25, he was again appointed to Sakonoe no taisho. In December (leap month), he was again appointed to the tutor of the Crown Prince.
On October 13, 1075, he received the Imperial proclamation to announce him as Fujiwarashi Choja, which was the head of the Fujiwara clan. On October 15, he received the Imperial proclamation to announce him as Kanpaku (Advisor). He was at the same time still serving as Sadaijin and Sakonoe no taisho. On October 27, he resigned as Sakonoe no taisho.
On January 19, 1076, he resigned as Sadaijin.
On November 26, 1086, he resigned as Kanpaku and received the Imperial proclamation to announce him as Sessho (Regent).
On December 14, 1088, he received the Imperial proclamation to announce him as Dajodaijin. He was still serving as Sessho.
On April 25, 1089, he resigned as Dajodaijin.
On December 10, 1090, he resigned as Ssessho and received the Imperial proclamation to announce him as Kanpaku. He also received the Imperial proclamation to announce him as Junsessho (Assistant Advisor).
In 1091, he as a member of the Sekkan (regent and advisor) family received the first tribute (two war horses) from FUJIWARA no Kiyohira from the Oushu area.
On March 8, 1094, he resigned as Kanpaku. Morozane's post was taken over by his son, Moromichi.
On January 29, 1101, he entered the priesthood. His Buddhist name was Hokaku. He died on February 13. He was 60 years old.
His poem
His poem from Senzai Wakashu (Collection of Japanese Poems of a Thousand Years) is as follows:
There are thousands of waves that go over the rocks in the Yasouji-kawa River that runs fast and wild.