Minamoto no Takakuni (源隆国)

MINAMOTO no Takakuni (1004 – August 6, 1077) was a courtier during the later Heian period. Daigo-Genji (Minamoto clan), Dainagon (chief councilor of state) MINAMOTO no Toshikata's child. His childhood name was Munekuni. Shonii (Senior Second Rank), Dainagon. He was called the Uji Dainagon.

In 1014, he became Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) and later was Jiju (Chamberlain), Assistant Governor of Iyo Province, Ukone no Gon no chujo (Provisional Middle Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Kurodo no to (Head Chamberlain), and in 1034 reached Jusanmi Sangi (councillor in the Junior Third Rank). In 1043, he was appointed Gon Chunagon (provisional vice-councilor of state). In 1061, he quit Gon Chunagon and had his child MINAMOTO no Toshiaki as Governor of Kaga Province. In 1067, he was appointed Shonii (Senior Second Rank) Dainagon, but in 1074 he quit Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state) and had his grandchild through his daughter, FUJIWARA no Morokane appointed to the position.

He was considered as the author of "Konjaku Monogatari (Shu)" (The Tale of Times Now Past) by Nagahide IZAWA (clansman of the Higo Domain, scholar of Japanese classical literature, and the third head of Sekiguchi style battojutsu - the technique of drawing a sword) in "Kotei Konjaku Monogatari," but currently there is strong evidence to negate this theory. Takakuni is also considered as the author of "Uji Dainagon Monogatari" (The Tale of Uji Dainagon chief councilor).

[Original Japanese]