Hirohata Sakitoyo (広幡前豊)

Sakitoyo HIROHATA (March 26, 1742 - January 11, 1784) was a Kugyo (top court official) during the mid-Edo Period. He served four emperors successively from Emperor Sakuramachi (the 115th Emperor)to Emperor Gomomozono (the 118th Emperor). The highest official rank he attained was Juichii (Junior First Rank) Naidaijin (Minister of the Center). His father was Nagatada HIROHATA. His adoptive father was Uchisaki KONOE. As his wife, he was given princess Fushiminomiya Sadatake in marriage. Sakihide HIROHATA was his son and Toshisuke AYANOKOJI's wife was his daughter. His original name was Suketada, but after he joined Uchisaki KONOE's family as an adopted child, he was granted the use of the character (in this case '前' - saki) from the name of his adoptive father Uchisaki (内前), and changed his name to Sakitoyo (前豊).

After being conferred peerage in 1745, he was promoted progressively, and held prominent posts such as Jiju (chamberlain), Ukone no gon no shosho (provisional minor captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Ukone no gon no chujo (provisional middle captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), etc., and in 1754 he was raised to Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) and became one of the Kugyo. During his service, he became Uchisaki KONOE's adopted son in 1751. Afterwards, he served as Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), Dainagon (chief councilor of state), Toka no sechie Geben (a kugyo who supervised the matters outside Jomei Gate at Toka no sechie, an Imperial Court ceremony), and in 1769 he was appointed to Ukone no daisho (major captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards) and Umaryo gogen (inspector of the Right Division of the Bureau of Horses). In 1770 when Emperor Gosakuramachi abdicated and initiated the cloistered government rule, he became In no shikken (high-ranked official supervising the matter of the Retired Emperor's Office) and served at In no cho (Retired Emperor's Office) until 1774. He also took charge of Kotaigo no daibu (master of the Empress Dowager's Household) to Kyoreimonin (Emperor Momozono's consort and Emperor Gomomozono's real mother), when she became Empress Dowager in 1771, but soon he withdrew from this post. In 1775, he was appointed to Naidaijin but in the same year he resigned. In 1781 he was raised to Juichii. In 1783 he died. He was 42 years old.

[Original Japanese]