Saionji Sanesuke (西園寺実輔)
Sanesuke SAIONJI (1661- February 8, 1685) was Kugyo (a Court Noble) in the early Edo period. He served for the sovereign of the 112th Emperor in the Imperial Court; He was promoted up to "Jusami Chugushiki" (Junior Third Rank and Office of the Consort's Household).
His father was Kanpaku (Chief Adviser to the Emperor) Fusasuke TAKATSUKASA. His mother was a daughter of Hidenari MORI who was the lord of the Choshu domain. His adoptive father was Kinsui SAIONJI who was Konoefu (the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards). He had some brothers; The older brother was Kanehiro TAKATSUKASA who was Kanpaku; The younger brothers were Sukenobu TAKATSUKASA who was a master of the Japanese tea ceremony and Kaneka ICHIJO who was also Kanpaku. He had several children, including the son, Munesue SAIONJI who was Sadaijin(Minister of the Left).
Because there was no eligible successor in the Saionji family after the previous lord died young, they arranged marriage between a daughter of the late Kiminobu SAIONJI and Sanesuke who was from the Takatsukasa family; Consequently Sanesuke became the adopted child and heir to the Saionji Family.
He became Chunagon (Vice-Councilor of State) in 1681; He took the position of "Chugu Gon no Daibu" (Provisional Master of the Consort's Household) to Fusako Takatsukasa, who was the Empress of Emperor Reigen, in 1683; Nevertheless, he died young at the age of 25 in 1685.