Minamoto no Yorikiyo (源頼清)

MINAMOTO no Yorikiyo (995 - August 29, 1073) was a samurai and government official (especially one of low to medium rank), who lived during the mid-Heian period. He was the Seiwa-Genji (Minamoto clan) family line. He was the second son of MINAMOTO no Yorinobu. His mother was Shuri no Myobu (the high-ranking court lady of the Palace Repairs Office), and he was a younger maternal half-brother of MINAMOTO no Yoriyoshi. He was the older brother of MINAMOTO no Yorisue, MINAMOTO no Yorito, MINAMOTO no Yoshimasa, and others. He had wives including the daughter of Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state) FUJIWARA no Tadanobu, and children such as MINAMOTO no Nakamune, MINAMOTO no Kanemune, MINAMOTO no Kiyomune, Eigen, MINAMOTO no Iemune, MINAMOTO no Suemune (Seiwa-Genji), MINAMOTO no Norimune, and MINAMOTO no Motomune.

He was raised to Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) and while he held the important positions such as Nakatsukasa no Shoyu (Junior Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Central Affaires), Governor of Aki Province, Governor of Higo Province, and Governor of Mutsu Province, he also took charge of Samurai-dokoro betto (the administrator of the Board of Retainers) of FUJIWARA no Yorimichi's family. In the "Goshui Wakashu" (Later gleanings of Japanese poems) (poem No. 474) there is a piece of waka by Sagami (poet), which was dedicated to Yorikiyo when he was reassigned from the Governor of Mutsu Province to the Governor of Higo Province. In addition, in the "Konjaku Monogatari" (The Tale of Times Now Past) (Vol. 12-36), he appears as Sakyo no daibu (Master of the Eastern Capital Offices) who lived in poverty.

His descendents established their influence in Shinano Province, and enjoyed the prosperity as the Shinshu-Murakami clan.

[Original Japanese]