Fujiwara no Yorizane (藤原頼実)
FUJIWARA no Yorizane (1155 - 1225) was a noble who lived the late Heian period and the early Kamakura period. He was the first son of Fujiwara no Tsunemune, who was the Sadaijin (minister of the left). His mother was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Kiyotaka. FUJIWARA no Yorihira was his son. He was the third family head of the Oinomikado family.
Since his youth, he won the Cloistered Emperor Goshirakawa's favor and, held positions of Ushosho (Minor Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of state), Sahyoe no kami (Captain of the Left Division of Middle Palace Guards), Jiju (Chamberlain), etc. consecutively and, in 1198, he was appointed to Udaijin (minister of the right). Next year, in 1199, he achieved the promotion to Daijodaijin (Grand minister of state) which even his father could not realize. As far as his career as official is concerned, he was promoted smoothly, but, on the other hand, because of outspoken power-oriented attitude, he was unpopular, FUJIWARA no Kanezane and FUJIWARA no Sadaie critically described him in their diaries. The fact that he forcibly remarried Kyo no Tsubone, who was a wet nurse of the Emperor Gotoba, was a sign of his political ambition and, thanks to this, he succeeded to make his daughter, Reishi OINOMIKADO the Empress (Onmeimonin) of the Emperor Tsuchimikado.
In 1209, he resigned from Dajodaijin. On the occasion of the Jokyu War, he opposed to the Retired Emperor Gotoba's plot to overthrow the bakuifu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun). In 1216, he became a priest (his homyo (Buddhist name) was Kensho (顕性)). In 1225, he died at the age of seventy-one. The Oinomikado family was inherited by his adopted child (younger brother, in fact), Morotsune OINOMIKADO.