Saionji Kinmoto (西園寺公基)
Kinmoto SAIONJI (西園寺 公基, 1220 - January 19, 1275) was a Kugyo (high court noble) in the Kamakura period. He worked for the four emperors, namely Emperor Gohorikawa (the eighty-sixth), Emperor Shijo (the eighty-seventh), Emperor Gosaga (the eighty-eighth), and Emperor Gofukakusa (the eighty-ninth), and ended up promoting to Shonii Udaijin (Senior Second Rank, Minister of the Right) in official court ranks. His father was Daijo-daijin (Grand Minister) Saneuji SAIONJI. He has the younger brother named Kinsuke SAIONJI who was promoted to Daijo-daijin. His older sister Kimiko SAIONJI was a Chugu (empress or one of the consorts of an emperor) of Emperor Gofukakusa. He has the son named Sanehira SAIONJI who was appointed as Gon Chunagon (Provisional Vice-Councilor of State).
In 1225, he was raised to the peerage for the first time one year earlier than his younger brother Kinsuke, and after holding the positions such as Jiju (Chamberlain), Tanba no Gon no suke (Provisional Assistant Governor of Tanba Province), Ukone no shosho (Minor Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Harima no suke (Assistant Governor of Harima Province) and Ukone no Gon no chujo (Provisional Middle Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), in 1236, he was appointed as Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) to rank with a Kugyo, and his younger brother also became a Kugyo in the same year. After that, while his younger brother was appointed as Junii Gon Dainagon (Junior Second Rank, Provisional Chief Councilor of State), it was in 1240 that Kinmoto was able to become Junii, and it was in 1241 that Kinmoto was able to become Gon Dainagon. Since then, Kinmoto had always been below his younger brother in official court ranks. In addition, while Kinmoto was in the position of Dainagon (Chief Councilor of State), not only his younger brother but also his uncle Saneo YAMASHINA was appointed as Gon Dainagon, with a result that the three men of the family worked as Dainagon at the same time.
In 1252, although his younger brother was promoted to Naidaijin (Minister of the Interior), Kinmoto still stayed in the position of Gon Dainagon. In 1253, Kinmoto was appointed as Ukone no daisho (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), but in the same year, his younger brother was appointed as Sakone no daisho (Major Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards) which is higher in rank than Ukone no daisho. Moreover, in 1257, Kinmoto was promoted to Naidaijin, and his younger brother was promoted to Udaijin. In the next year, Kinmoto resigned his post in the government. On the other hand, his younger brother continued to work in the government, and in 1261, he assumed the post of Daijo-daijin which was the highest of all the posts in the Imperial Court.
Although Kinmoto was the oldest legitimate son of the Saionji family, his younger brother was promoted to Daijo-daijin, but Kinmoto was Udaijin at best when he quitted working, and therefore, the position of the direct line of the Saionji family soon moved to the family of his younger brother.