Fujiwara no Kaneie

A nobleman in the mid-Heian period. Son of Morosuke. His mother was Moriko, daughter of Shinano no Kami Fujiwara Tsunekuni. In 968 (Anwa 1), he surpassed his elder brother Kanemichi to become Junior Third Rank and Kurodo no To, and the following year he became Chunagon without going through the council. In 970 (Tenroku 1), he became Udaisho, and in 972, after the death of his eldest brother Koretada, Kanemichi showed Emperor Enyu a written will from the late Anshi, the emperor's mother and Kanemichi's younger sister, which said, "The position of regent should be in the order of brothers." The story goes that the emperor, being a filial son, immediately appointed Kanemichi as regent, and Kaneie remained Udaisho. In 977 (Teigen 2), on his deathbed, Kanemichi appointed his cousin Yoritada as regent and demoted Kaneie to Jibukyo. In 978 (Tengen 1), he was appointed Minister of the Right thanks to Yoritada's favor, but in 986 (Kanwa 2), he plotted Emperor Kazan's abdication in order to quickly place Emperor Ichijo, who was born to Emperor En'yu's consort Senshi (Kaneie's daughter), on the throne. Yoritada became Daijo-daijin almost at the same time as Emperor Ichijo ascended to the throne, but Kaneie became Sessho (regent of the right) at this time. However, he immediately resigned from his position as Minister of the Right and was ranked among the Three Ministers, becoming only Sessho (regent). This was the first time that the regent was able to gain independence and have strong authority. After Yoritada's death in 989 (the first year of the Eijo era), Kaneie became the Grand Minister of State, and on May 2nd the following year he became the Regent, but on the 8th of the same year he became a monk due to illness. He passed away on July 2nd.

[Yutaka Yamanaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の公卿(くぎょう)。師輔(もろすけ)の子。母は信濃守(しなののかみ)藤原経邦(つねくに)の女(むすめ)盛子。968年（安和1）兄兼通(かねみち)を超えて従三位(じゅさんみ)、蔵人頭(くろうどのとう)となり、翌年参議を経ず中納言(ちゅうなごん)になった。970年（天禄1）右大将、972年長兄伊尹(これただ)の死後、兄兼通は円融(えんゆう)天皇に、天皇の母后で兼通の妹にあたるいまは亡き安子(あんし)の遺言状「関白は兄弟の順によるべし」との書付けを見せたため、親孝行の天皇はただちに兼通を関白にしたという説話により、兼通は内大臣関白となり、兼家は右大将のままであった。977年（貞元2）兼通は臨終にあたり従兄の頼忠(よりただ)を関白とし、兼家を治部卿(じぶきょう)に左遷した。978年（天元1）頼忠の恩恵により右大臣に任ぜられたが、986年（寛和2）円融天皇の女御(にょうご)詮子(せんし)（兼家の娘）の産む一条(いちじょう)天皇を早く帝位につけたいため、花山(かざん)天皇の譲位に計画をめぐらしたことは見逃せない。一条天皇即位とほぼ同時に頼忠は太政(だいじょう)大臣となったが、兼家はこのとき右大臣摂政(せっしょう)になった。だが、ただちに右大臣を辞し、三公之上に列せられ、摂政のみとなった。ここに摂政が初めて独立して強い権威をもつこととなる。989年（永祚1）頼忠の死後、兼家は太政大臣、翌年5月2日には関白となり、同8日病のため出家。7月2日死去した。

［山中　裕］

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