Fujiwara no Morosuke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fujiwara no Morosuke 藤原師輔
Illustration by Kikuchi Yōsai, from Zenken Kojitsu
Born	January 11, 909
Died	May 31, 960
Family	Fujiwara Hokke
Father	Fujiwara no Tadahira

Fujiwara no Morosuke (藤原 師輔) (born January 11, 909 – died May 31, 960) was an important Japanese leader. He was a statesman, courtier, and politician during the middle Heian period. People also knew him as Kujō-dono or Bōjō-udaijin.

Morosuke was a very smart scholar. He knew a lot about the rules and traditions of the court. He helped lead the government as udaijin (a high-ranking minister) when Emperor Murakami was in charge. Morosuke's oldest daughter, Fujiwara no Anshi, married Emperor Murakami. She gave birth to two princes who later became Emperor Reizei and Emperor En'yū. This made Morosuke's family very powerful because they were the emperors' relatives on their mother's side.

Life of Fujiwara no Morosuke

Morosuke was the second son of Fujiwara no Tadahira. His father was a very powerful leader who controlled the government for many years. Tadahira held important roles like sekkan (regent) and daijō-daijin (Chancellor of the Realm).

Around the year 930, Morosuke started a relationship with Princess Kinshi. She was a daughter of Emperor Daigo. Later, he was allowed to marry her. This was a big deal! It was the first time a Japanese official who was not part of the imperial family married an imperial princess. Before this, if an official married an emperor's daughter, she would first lose her royal status.

From 931 to 947, Morosuke steadily moved up in his career. He became a sangi (counselor) and then a provisional chūnagon (middle counselor).

Morosuke's Wisdom in Court

When Taira no Masakado started a rebellion, the court appointed Fujiwara no Tadabumi as a great general. However, the rebellion ended before Tadabumi could even fight. The court then discussed what rewards Tadabumi should get.

Morosuke's older brother, Saneyori, argued that Tadabumi should not get any reward. He said Tadabumi hadn't actually done anything. But Morosuke disagreed. He argued that Tadabumi had accepted his orders and left the capital to fight. So, he should still be rewarded for his effort. Saneyori stuck to his opinion, but most people agreed with Morosuke.

After this event, Morosuke was promoted even more. He became a dainagon (great counselor). He was also made a general in the imperial guard and received a high court rank.

Morosuke's Rise to Power

In 947, Emperor Suzaku stepped down, and Emperor Murakami became the new emperor. Morosuke's older brother, Saneyori, was promoted to sadaijin (Minister of the Left). Morosuke then took Saneyori's old job as udaijin (Minister of the Right). He also received an even higher court rank.

Usually, the oldest son in a family gets promoted first. But Morosuke was so good at his job that he became very powerful, even more so than his older brother Saneyori. Morosuke had married his oldest daughter, Anshi, to Murakami when he was still a prince. When Murakami became emperor, Anshi became a court lady and helped him often.

When Anshi had a child, who would become Emperor Reizei, she was made chūgū (empress consort). Because Morosuke was the crown prince's grandfather on his mother's side, he and his friends were able to lead the court for about ten years.

Morosuke married other imperial princesses after his first wife died. He married Princess Gashi and then Princess Yasuko. All of them were daughters of Emperor Daigo. This made his family ties to the imperial family even stronger.

Morosuke's Final Years

In 960, Morosuke became very ill. According to the customs of that time, he tried to cut his hair and become a Buddhist monk. But Emperor Murakami sent a messenger to tell him not to. Even so, his sickness got worse. On May 29, he cut off his hair. He died two days later, on May 31, 960, at the age of 53.

Morosuke himself never became a sekkan (regent). However, his grandchildren, Emperor Reizei and Emperor En'yū, ruled after Emperor Murakami. This put Morosuke's family in a very important position as the emperors' maternal relatives. His oldest son, Koretada, briefly held power as a sekkan. His other sons, Kanemichi, Kaneie, Tamemitsu, and Kinsue, all became daijō-daijin. In his children's generation, Morosuke's descendants were the main line of the Fujiwara family that provided regents.

Personality and Works

Morosuke and his older brother Saneyori were both taught by their father, Fujiwara no Tadahira. They each created their own ways of doing things at court. Morosuke started the Kujō-ryū (九条流) school of court practices. Saneyori started the Ononomiya-ryū (小野宮流) school. These traditions were passed down to their children.

Morosuke wrote down the practices of his school in a book called the Kujō Nenchū-gyōji (九条年中行事). He was also good friends with Minamoto no Takaakira [ja]. Takaakira also knew a lot about court customs. Morosuke married his third and fifth daughters to Takaakira. With Morosuke's help, the talented Takaakira became very successful.

Morosuke was also a great poet. He left behind a collection of his poems simply called Morosuke-shū (師輔集). In 956, he held a party in his garden. There's a story in the Ōkagami about him visiting the famous poet Ki no Tsurayuki. Morosuke asked Tsurayuki to write a poem for him. Thirty-six of Morosuke's own poems are in the Gosen Wakashū, a famous collection of Japanese poetry.

His personal diary, called Kyūreki (九暦), is still around today. Also, the instructions he left for his children before he died, called Kujō-dono Ikai (九条殿遺誡), are preserved.

Family and Descendants

• Father: Fujiwara no Tadahira
• Mother: Minamoto no Shōshi (源昭子)
• Wives:
  • Fujiwara no Seishi (藤原盛子) (died 943)
  • Imperial Princess Kinshi (勤子内親王) (904-938), daughter of Emperor Daigo
  • Imperial Princess Gashi (雅子内親王) (910-954), daughter of Emperor Daigo
  • Imperial Princess Koushi (康子内親王) (919-957), daughter of Emperor Daigo
• Key Children:
  • Fujiwara no Koretada (924-972): His oldest son, who briefly held power.
  • Fujiwara no Kanemichi (925-977)
  • Fujiwara no Kaneie (929-990)
  • Fujiwara no Anshi (927–964): His oldest daughter, who married Emperor Murakami. She was the mother of Emperor Reizei and Emperor En'yū.
  • Fujiwara no Tamemitsu (942-992)
  • Fujiwara no Kinsue (956-1029)

Morosuke's daughter, Empress Anshi, had sons who became Emperor Reizei and Emperor En'yū. During their reigns, there were some disagreements among members of the Fujiwara family. Koretada's daughter gave birth to Prince Morosada, who later became Emperor Kazan. Kaneie's daughter was the mother of Okisada, who became Emperor Sanjo.