Fujiwara Ugo - Fujiwara no Umakai

A politician in the early Nara period. The third son of Fuhito. His mother was Shoshi, the daughter of the Minister of the Right, Soga no Murajiko. He is the ancestor of the Shiki family. He is also written as Umayo. In 716 (Reiki 2), he became a deputy envoy to Tang China and was awarded the rank of Junior Fifth Rank. In 717 (Yoro 1), he traveled to Tang China with Tajihi no Agatamori and others, and returned to Japan the following October. He was later appointed Hitachi no Kami and then Shikibukyo (the origin of the Shiki family name). In 724 (Jinki 1), during the Emishi rebellion, he defeated them as the Commander of the Imperial Guard, and was awarded the Order of the Second Class the following year. He also served as Chief Administrator of Naniwa Palace from 726, and was involved in the construction of Naniwa Palace. In 731 (Tenpyo 3), he was appointed Councilor and Vice-General Manager of Kinai, and the following year he was appointed Governor of the Saikaido region and also held the position of Dazai no Sochi. In 734, he was promoted to Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank), but died in August 737 from a smallpox epidemic that had spread throughout the country. He was skilled in both the arts and martial arts, and left behind two volumes of his anthology.

[Hirata Koji]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良初期の政治家。不比等(ふひと)の三男。母は右大臣蘇我武羅自古(そがのむらじこ)の女(むすめ)娼子(しょうし)。式家(しきけ)の祖。馬養とも書く。716年（霊亀2）遣唐副使となり従(じゅ)五位下に叙される。717年（養老1）多治比県守(たじひのあがたもり)らと渡唐、翌年10月帰国。その後常陸守(ひたちのかみ)を経て式部卿(しきぶきょう)に任ぜられる（式家の名のおこり）。724年（神亀1）蝦夷(えみし)の反乱に際し、持節大将軍としてこれを討ち、翌年勲二等を与えられた。また726年から知造(ちぞう)難波宮事(なにわぐうじ)として難波宮の造営にあたり、731年（天平3）参議、畿内(きない)副惣管(そうかん)、さらに翌年には西海道(さいかいどう)節度使に任命され大宰帥(だざいのそち)を兼ねた。734年正三位(さんみ)となったが、737年8月全国的に流行した天然痘のために没した。文武両道に通じ、家集二巻を残している。

［平田耿二］

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