Fujiwara no Munemichi (藤原宗通)

FUJIWARA no Munemichi (1071 ~ August 17, 1120) was a government official of the late Heian period. He was a son of FUJIWARA no Toshiie. His mother was a daughter of Bizen no kami (Governor of Bizen Province), MINAMOTO no Kanenaga. His childhood name was Akomaru. His children were FUJIWARA no Koremichi, FUJIWARA no Suemichi, FUJIWARA no Narimichi and a wife of FUJIWARA no Tadamichi, etc. He was called Bomon dainagon.

He successively filled the posts of Sakon chujo (Middle captain of the Inner Palace Guards), Iyo no suke (Assistant governor of Iyo Province) and Kurodo no to (Head Chamberlain), and in 1094, he became Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), Sangi (Councilor) and Sakon chujo (Middle captain of the Inner Palace Guards), and on July 22, 1120 (lunar calendar date) he died at the age of 50.
His final official court rank was Shonii (Senior Second Rank), Gon dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state), Minbukyo (the Minister of Popular Affairs) and Chugu daibu (Master of the Consort's Household.)

He was raised by the Cloistered Emperor Shirakawa when he was a child. He was superior in music and waka poem, and his poems were selected to be included in "Kinyo wakashu (Kinyo Collection of Japanese poems)" (No.554) and another into "Shin chokusen wakashu"("A new anthology of Japanese poetry compiled by Imperial command") (No.274). While on August 25, 1091 (lunar calendar date), he hosted Sakon no gon no chujo FUJIWARA no Munemichi Asonke no utaawase (Asonke's poetry contest), it is very interesting that the participated 14 members were of poets around the Cloistered Emperor Shirakawa and the poets around the opposed line of the family of regents and advisors.

Official Court Rank

In 1084, Jiju (Chamberlain)
In 1086, Ushosho (Minor Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade)
In 1088, Jushiinoge (Junior Forth Rank, Lower Grade), Jushiinojo (Junior Forth Rank, Upper Grade)
In 1089, Shoshiinoge, Sachujo (Middle Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards.)
In 1092, the posts of Iyo no suke and Kurodo no to added.
In 1094, Sangi
In 1095, Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) and Bingo gon no kami (Provisional governor of Bingo Province), Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank)
In 1098, Gon chunagon (provisional vice-councilor of state)
In 1100, Junii (Junior Second Rank), Uemon no kami (Captain of the Right Division of Outer Palace Guards), Kebiishi no betto (Superintendent of the Imperial Police)
In 1101, Shonii
In 1108 the post of Azechi (Inspector of the provincial government) added.
In 1111, Gon dainagon
In 1115, the post of Minbukyo added. In 1118, the post of Chugu daibu added.

[Original Japanese]