Saionji Yoshisue (西園寺賞季)
Yoshisue SAIONJI (September 29, 1743 to January 16, 1800) was Kugyo (a Court Noble) in the middle Edo period. He served for the four sovereigns: the 116th Emperor Momozono, the 117th Emperor Gosakuramachi, the 118th Emperor Gomomozono and the 119th Emperor Kokaku, and he was promoted up to Juichii-Udaijin (Junior First Rank and Minister of the Right). His father was Naidaijin (Minister of the Center) Kinaki SAIONJI. His mother was a daughter of Naidaijin Koresue IMADEGAWA. His wife was a daughter of Nagatada HIROHATA, who was adopted by Uchisaki KONOE. He had several biological children including Kinkane SAIONJI in the title Jugoi (Junior Fifth Rank), Kinuji SAIONJI who was in Konoefu (the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards), a daughter who was a legitimate wife of Chunagon (Vice-Councilor of State) Sadanari NONOMIYA and another daughter who was a legitimate wife of the lord of the Choshu clan, Masayoshi MORI. He had some adopted sons including Sanetsugu SAIONJI in Konoefu who was a biological son of Teruyoshi ICHIJO and Hirosue SAIONJI of Gon Chunagon (Provisional Vice-Councilor of State) who was a biological son of Harutaka NIJO.
In 1748, he was conferred a peerage. Since then, as the head of the Seiga family (the second highest family status for the court noble in Japan at that time), he was successfully promoted in the Imperial Court in a short period; In 1756, he achieved to become Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank), which gave him the title Kugyo. After he served as Chunagon (Vice-Councilor of State) and Dainagon (Chief Councilor of State), he was appointed the positions of the chief officer of Outadokoro (Folk Music Office) and "Toka no sechie Geben" (Kugyo who supervised many matters outside Jomei Gate at Toka no sechie [Imperial Court Ceremony]). In 1768, he became Togubo (Crown Prince's Quarters) for Imperial Prince Hidehito (later the Emperor Gomomozono); He resigned the position when the prince ascended the throne of Emperor in 1770. In 1775, he was appointed Naidaijin. In 1790, he was given the title Juichii. In 1796, although he was appointed Udaijin (Minister of the Right), he declined to take the position.
He had three sons; two biological sons were Kinkane and Kinuji, and one adopted son was Sanetsugu; Unfortunately, they successively passed away before he died. Because there was no eligible successor in the Saionji family, he adopted Hirosue who was the third son of Sadaijin Harutaka NIJO; Consequently, Hirosue became heir to the Saionji Family.