Fujiwara no Mototsune 藤原基経
Mototsune by Kikuchi Yōsai
Born	836
Died	February 25, 891
Family	Fujiwara Hokke
Father	Fujiwara no Yoshifusa

Fujiwara no Mototsune (藤原基経, 836 – February 25, 891), also known as Horikawa Daijin (堀川大臣), was a Japanese statesman, courtier and aristocrat of the early Heian period.^[1] He was the first kampaku, a regent of an adult emperor, in Japanese history.

Biography

He was born the third son of Fujiwara no Nagara, but was adopted by his powerful uncle Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, who had no sons. Mototsune followed in Yoshifusa's footsteps, holding power in the court in the position of regent for four successive emperors.

Mototsune invented the position of kampaku regent for himself in order to remain in power even after an emperor reached maturity. This innovation allowed the Fujiwara clan to tighten its grip on power right throughout an emperor's reign.

Mototsune is referred to as Shōsen Kō (昭宣公) (posthumous name as Daijō Daijin).

Career

864 (Jōgan 6): Mototsune was named Sangi
866 (Jōgan 8): Chūnagon
870 (Jōgan 12, 1st month): He became Dainagon^[2]
872 (Jōgan 14): He was named Udaijin^[1]
876 (Jōgan 18): He was named Sesshō^[1]
880 (Gangyō 4): He was named Daijō Daijin^[1]
884 (Gangyō 8): Mototsune was the first to receive the title Kampaku.^[1]
890 (Kanpyō 2, 14th day of the 12th month): retire from Kampaku
February 25, 891 (Kampyō 3, 13th day of the 1st month): Mototsune died at the age of 56.^[3]

Genealogy

This member of the Fujiwara clan was the son of Fujiwara no Nagara, who was one of the brothers of Fujiwara no Yoshifusa. Mototsune was adopted as son and heir of Yoshifusa.^[4] In other words, Yoshifusa was Mototsune's uncle, and father through adoption.^[5]

He was married to a daughter of Imperial Prince Saneyasu (son of Emperor Ninmyō).

Their children were

Tokihira (時平) (871–909) – Sadaijin^[6]
Nakahira (仲平) (875–945) – Sadaijin^[7]
Tadahira (忠平) (880–949) – Daijō Daijin, Regent^[8]
Yoriko (頼子) (d. 936), consort of Emperor Seiwa
Kazuko (佳珠子), consort of Emperor Seiwa
Onshi (穏子) (885–954), consort of Emperor Daigo,^[1] and mother of Emperor Suzaku and Emperor Murakami

He was also married to Princess Sōshi (操子女王), a daughter of Imperial Prince Tadara (son of Emperor Saga).

Their children were

Kanehira (兼平) (875–935) – Kunai-Kyō (宮内卿)
Onshi (温子) (872–907), consort of Emperor Uda^[1]

His other children were

Kamiko (佳美子) (d. 898), consort of Emperor Kōkō
Yoshihira (良平)
Shigeko (滋子), married to Minamoto no Yoshiari (son of Emperor Montoku)
daughter, married to Imperial Prince Sadamoto (son of Emperor Seiwa), and mother of Minamoto no Kanetada (源兼忠)

Notes

References

Brinkley, Frank and Kikuchi Dairoku. (1915). A History of the Japanese People from the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era. New York: Encyclopædia Britannica. OCLC 413099
Hioki, S. (1990). Nihon Keifu Sōran. Kōdansya. (Japanese)
Kasai, M. (1991). Kugyō Bunin Nenpyō. Yamakawa Shuppan-sha (Japanese)
Kodama, K. (1978). Nihon-shi Shō-jiten, Tennō. Kondō Shuppan-sha. (Japanese)
Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
Owada, T. et al. (2003). Nihonshi Shoka Keizu Jinmei Jiten. Kōdansya. (Japanese)
Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Ōdai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691

Fujiwara family tree

Kamatari^[1]
614–669

Fuhito^[2]
659–720

NANKE branch

HOKKE branch

SHIKIKE branch

KYŌKE branch

Muchimaro^[2]
680–737

Fusasaki^[2]
681–737

Umakai^[2]
694–737

Maro^[2]
695–737

Toyonari^[3]
704–766

Nakamaro^[3]
706–764

Otomaro^[4]

Nagate^[5]
714–771

Matate^[4]
715–766

Uona^[6]
721–783

Kaedemaro^[7]
723–776

Yoshitsugu^[8]
716–777

Tamaro^[9]
722–783

Momokawa^[10]
732–779

Hamanari^[11]
724–790

Tsuginawa^[12]
727–796

Korekimi^[13]
727–789

Uchimaro^[14]
756–812

Sonohito^[12]
756–819

Otsugu^[12]
774–843

Fuyutsugu^[15]
775–826

Nagara^[1]
802–826

Yoshifusa^[1]
804–872

Yoshiyo^[16]
823–900

Mototsune^[17]
836–891

Tokihira^[18]^[12]
871–909

Tadahira^[12]
880–949

Saneyori^[12]
900–970

Morosuke^[12]
909–960

Yoritada^[19]
924–989

Koretada^[12]
924–972

Yoritada^[12]^[20]
925–977

Kaneie^[12]^[19]
929–990

Michitaka^[21]^[22]
953–995

Michikane^[22]
961–995

Michinaga^[23]
966–1028

Yorimichi^[24]^[25]
992–1074

Norimichi^[26]
996–1075

Morozane^[27]
1042–1101

Moromichi^[28]
1062–1099

Tadazane^[29]
1075–1162

Tadamichi^[30]
1097–1164

Yorinaga^[31]
1120–1156

Konoe
Family

Matsudono
Family

Kujō
Family

Konoe Motozane^[32]
1143–1166

Matsudono Motofusa^[33]
1144?–1231

Kujō Kanezane^[30]
1149–1207

Konoe Motomichi^[16]^[34]
1160–1233

Matsudono Moroie^[33]
1172–1238

Kujō Yoshitsune^[35]
1169–1206

Konoe Iezane^[34]
1179–1242

Kujō Michiie^[35]
1193–1252

Takatsukasa
Family

Nijō
Family

Ichijō
Family

Konoe Kanetsune^[36]
1210–1259

Takatsukasa Kanehira^[37]
1228–1294

Kujō Norizane^[38]
1211–1235

Nijō Yoshizane^[39]
1216–1271

Ichijō Sanetsune^[40]
1223–1284

Notes

In the 13th century, the main line of the Fujiwara family split into "Five regent houses": the Kujō, Nijō and Ichijō (descendants of Kanezane); and also the Konoe and Takatsukasa (descendants of Motozane). To view the complete family tree, visit Fujiwara family tree.

^ ^a ^b ^c Brinkley, Frank and Dairoku Kikuchi. (1915). A History of the Japanese People from the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era. New York: Encyclopædia Britannica. OCLC 413099
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^ ^a ^b Brown, Delmer M. (1988). The Cambridge History of Japan: Volume 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521223522.
^ ^a ^b 平城宮兵部省跡. 奈良文化財研究所. 2005. p. 168.
^ Yoshikawa, Toshiko (2006). 仲麻呂政権と藤原永手・八束（真楯）・千尋（御楯）. Hanawa Shobō (塙書房). ISBN 978-4-8273-1201-0.
^ Tyler, Royall (1993). The Book of the Great Practice: The Life of the Mt. Fuji Ascetic Kakugyō Tōbutsu Kū (PDF). Asian Folklore Studies. p. 324.
^ Yoneda, Yūsuke (2002). 藤原摂関家の誕生. 吉川弘文館. p. 139.
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^ Takemitsu, Makoto (2013). 日本史の影の主役藤原氏の正体: 鎌足から続く1400年の歴史. PHP研究所. p. 103. ISBN 978-4569761046.
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^ Kitayama, Shigeo (1973). 日本の歴史4 平安京 [History of Japan IV: Heian-kyō] (in Japanese). Chūkō Bunko (中公文庫). p. 242.
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^ Haruo, Sasayama (2003). "藤原兼通の政権獲得過程". 日本律令制の展開 (in Japanese). Yoshikawa Kōbunkan (吉川弘文館). ISBN 978-4-642-02393-1.
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v t e Sesshō
Asuka period	Prince Umayado
Heian period	Fujiwara no Yoshifusa Fujiwara no Mototsune Fujiwara no Tokihira Fujiwara no Tadahira Fujiwara no Saneyori Fujiwara no Koretada Fujiwara no Kaneie Fujiwara no Michitaka Fujiwara no Michinaga Fujiwara no Yorimichi Fujiwara no Morozane Fujiwara no Tadazane Fujiwara no Tadamichi Konoe Motozane Fujiwara no Motofusa Konoe Motomichi Matsudono Moroie
Kamakura period	Kujō Kanezane Konoe Motomichi Kujō Yoshitsune Konoe Iezane Kujō Michiie Kujō Norizane Konoe Kanetsune Ichijō Sanetsune Konoe Kanetsune Takatsukasa Kanehira Kujō Tadaie Ichijō Ietsune Takatsukasa Kanetada Nijō Kanemoto Kujō Moronori
Muromachi period	Takatsukasa Fuyuhira Nijō Yoshimoto Konoe Kanetsugu Nijō Yoshimoto Nijō Mochimoto Nijō Kaneyoshi
Edo period	Ichijō Akiyoshi Nijō Yasumichi Kujō Michifusa Nijō Mitsuhira Takatsukasa Fusasuke Ichijō Kaneteru Konoe Iehiro Kujō Sukezane Ichijō Michika Konoe Uchisaki Kujō Naozane Nijō Nariyuki
Taishō era	Crown Prince Hirohito

Kampaku

Heian period

Kamakura period

Nanboku-chō period

Southern Court	Nijō Moromoto Konoe Tsuneie Nijō Norimoto Nijō Noriyori Nijō Fuyuzane Konoe-tono (name unknown)
Northern Court	Konoe Tsunetada Konoe Mototsugu Ichijō Tsunemichi Kujō Michinori Takatsukasa Morohira Nijō Yoshimoto Kujō Tsunenori Konoe Michitsugu Nijō Yoshimoto Takatsukasa Fuyumichi Nijō Moroyoshi Kujō Tadamoto Nijō Morotsugu Nijō Yoshimoto Nijō Morotsugu