Saionji Kinmitsu (西園寺公満)

Kinmitsu SAIONJI (1622 - September 4, 1651) was Kugyo (a Court Noble) in the early Edo period. He served for the three sovereigns who were the 108th Emperor Gomizunoo, the 109th Emperor Meisho and the 110th Emperor Gokomyo; He was promoted up to Jusanmi Chunagon (Junior Third Rank and Associate Chief of the Councilor of State). His father was Sadaijin (Minister of the Left) Saneharu SAIONJI. His mother was Tokuhime who was a daughter of Tadataka HOSOKAWA. His wife was a daughter of the lord of the Tanagura domain, Yasushige MATSUDAIRA. He had several children, including Sanenao SAIONJI who was Konoefu (the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards) and a daughter who became a wife of Chunagon Michina KOGA.

In 1624, he was conferred a peerage. Since then, being the head of the Seiga family, he was successfully promoted in the Imperial Court in a short period; In 1639, he became Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank), which gave him the title Kugyo. He took some positions such as "Gon Chunagon" (Provisional Vice-Councilor of State) in 1641 and "Toka no sechie Geben" (Kugyo who supervised many matters outside Jomei Gate at Toka no sechie [Imperial Court Ceremony]) in 1644. He resigned the positions in 1649; He died young at the age of 30 in 1651.

[Original Japanese]