Fujiwara no Michinaga

Fujiwara no Michinaga (966 – 1028) ruled Japan from 995 to 1027 as the most powerful member of the Fujiwara clan.

The Late Heian Era from 967 to 1068 is also known as the Fujiwara Era, because the Fujiwara became the dominant family, reaching its peak of influence. The Fujiwara maintained power, authority, and position through marriage: a prince or emperor would marry a Fujiwara bride; a prince born of that union would be raised by his Fujiwara grandfather; the emperor would abdicate in favor of the boy; and the boy emperor would be guided by his maternal grandfather as regent.  It depended only upon two things: Fujiwara females and their sons. The most powerful and successful of all the Fujiwara was Fujiwara no Michinaga who wrote in Mochizuki no Uta (Full Moon Poem):

“This world, I think,
Is indeed my world.
Like the full moon I shine,
Uncovered by any cloud”

This poem was composed at the party to celebrate his daughter’s accession as empress. He expressed his delight to win power in this poem

Fujiwara no Michinaga was the fourth or fifth son of Fujiwara no Kaneie by his wife Tokihime. There were two regents and two imperial consorts among his brothers and sisters by the same mother, but Michinaga was not expected to become regent. Though he started his career in the court when he was 15 years old, Michinaga’s rise to power was as much by survival, good health, and some luck and cunning.

Michinaga’s rise began with the deaths of his two older brothers, Michitaka and Michikane, who died of disease in 995 during the reign of Emperor Ichijō creating an opening for him. His main rival was Fujiwara no Korechika, his nephew, the elder son of Michitaka, who hoped to be regent someday. Michinaga was supported by Senshi who was both his sister and Ichijō’s mother. Korechika was supported by his sister, Teishi, who was married to Emperor Ichijō. In 995, Michinaga was appointed nairan, the emperor’s secretary who reviewed all documents prior to the emperor seeing them. In this position, he became close to Ichijō.  Michinaga convinced Ichijō that he needed two empresses, which had never been done before. So in 1000, Ichijō became the first emperor with two empresses, Teishi and Michinaga’s daughter, Shōshi. Naturally this move was controversial but when Teishi died unexpectedly in 1001, there was only one empress, Shōshi – end of controversy. So by Michinaga surviving his brothers and Shōshi (his daughter) surviving Teishi, Michinaga first gained ascendency.

Shōshi became the mother of two princes who became emperors: Emperor Go-Ichijō and Emperor Go-Suzaku.

Michinaga kept the Fujiwara tradition alive. Michinaga was married to Minamoto no Rinshi or Michiko, daughter of Sadaijin Minamoto no Masanobu. They had six children. Daughter Shōshi (988 – 1074) became empress to Emperor Ichijō. His son Yorimichi (992 – 1074) became regent for Emperor Go-Ichijō, Emperor Go-Suzaku, and Emperor Go-Reizei. His daughter Kenshi (994 – 1027) became consort of Emperor Sanjō. His son Norimichi (996 – 1075) became regent for Emperor Go-Sanjō and Emperor Shirakawa. His daughter Ishi (999 – 1036) became consort of Emperor Go-Ichijō. His daughter Kishi (1007 – 1025) became consort of Crown Prince Atsunaga (later Emperor Go-Suzaku).

He was also married to Minamoto no Meishi, daughter of Sadaijin Minamoto no Takaakira. They also had six children. All of them rose to high, but not imperial, rank.

Michinaga had one daughter from an unknown woman, Seishi, who became a wife of Emperor Sanjō.

Altogether Fujiwara no Michinaga made himself grandfather to two rulers and father-in-law to three. He did indeed continue the family tradition well.

Michinaga was also quite a kingmaker. After Ichijō retired because of illness, Emperor Sanjō (976 – 1017, reigned 1011 – 1016) ascended the throne. Michinaga arranged for his daughter, Kenshi, to be a consort to Sanjō. Though Sanjō was a nephew of Michinaga (the mother of Sanjō was another sister of Michinaga; she had died already in Sanjō’s childhood and he was relatively less influenced by his maternal line). Michinaga pressured Emperor Sanjō to retire and finally Sanjō did so in 1016 under a condition that Sanjō’s eldest son, Prince Atsuakira, be appointed as Go-Ichijō’s successor. Sanjō was succeeded by Prince Atsuhira, the son of Shōshi, Michinaga’s grandson, who became Go-Ichijō.

Later Michinaga pressured Crown Prince Atsuakira into relinquishing his title so that one of his heirs could be the crown prince. He did give Atsuakira his daughter, Kanshi (999 – 1025), as a consolation wife ensuring that the prince would not be an obstacle in the future and bestowed on Atsuakira the title of Ko-ichijo-in, which gave him a status equal to the retired emperor.

Go-Ichijo was followed by his brother, Atsunaga, the son of Ichijo and Shōshi, who became Go-Suzaku (1009 – 1045, r. 1036 – 1045). Go-Suzaku was married to Michinaga’s sixth daughter, Yoshiko or Kishi (1007 – 1025), who gave birth to Chikahita. Chikahita acceded to the throne as Emperor Go-Reizei (1025 – 1068, r. 1045 – 1068) and he married three of Michinaga’s granddaughters.

During the initial years of Go-Ichijō’s reign, Michinaga actually ruled from his position as sesshō (regent). Although Michinaga never formally took on the title of kampaku (regent for an adult emperor), he exercised great power and influence. Michinaga is popularly known as the Mido Kampaku, implying that he had usurped the full power of a kampaku without necessarily calling himself that. Michinaga was so powerful he did not need titles. He took the title of sessho, but kept it only for about one year from 1016 till 1017. In 1017 he gave it to his heir, Yorimichi. And he did the same thing with the very prestigious office of Daijō Daijin in 1018. He was given other titles, but his position as regent, grandfather, father, and so forth guaranteed him his power. He was granted the extraordinary privilege of travelling to and from the court by ox-drawn cart. In 1013, it was the emperor, Sanjō, who visited Michinaga, an unheard of event. Even after he officially retired in 1019 becoming a priest, he continued to run the affairs of his son, Yorimichi.

Michinaga took tonsure, though did not relinquish power, and built Hojoji, dedicating its Golden Hall to the repose of his own soul. He was an adherent of the Jodo or Pure Land Sect of Buddhism. He built an Amida Hall in 1020 and for five days recited between 110,000 and 170,000 invocations to Amida. His work was continued under Yorimichi who for fifty years served as regent to three emperors. On January 3, 1028, Michinaga died at the age of 62.

The Fujiwara Era is known for the heights that aristocratic culture achieved particularly leaving a long-lasting legacy in literature.

The empresses and consorts of emperors were part of court intrigue. Michinaga, after installing his daughter Shōshi as empress, made sure that her retinue had good women to help her.  In doing so, Michinaga also did his part to further Japanese literature. He chose the famous author, Murasaki Shikibu. Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) and The Diary of Murasaki Shikibu (Murasaki Shikibu Nikki) (978? – 1015?). Another famous author was Akazone Emon who was a lady in waiting not only for Michinaga’s wife but also for Empress Shōshi, who wrote A Tale of Flowering Fortunes. Also in Shōshi’s retinue was Izumi Shikibu, who was a great poet and author of Izumi Shikibu Nikki.

Michinaga left a diary, Midō Kanpakuki, that is one of the prime sources of information about Heian-era court life at its height.