Fujiwara no Mototsune - Fujiwara no Mototsune

A government official in the early Heian period. He was the third son of Fujiwara Nagara (older brother of Yoshifusa), and his mother was Fujiwara Otoharu. He was adopted by Fujiwara Yoshifusa, and succeeded his adoptive father as head of the clan, laying the foundation for the rise of the so-called Fujiwara regent family. In 851 (Jinju 1), at the age of 16, he was crowned and came of age by Emperor Montoku, and in 858 (Ten'an 2), he became Kurodo no tou (chief priest) under Emperor Seiwa, who ascended to the throne. In 864 (Jogan 6), at the age of 29, he became a councilor. Two years later, in the "Otenmon Incident," he conveyed the innocence of Minamoto Makoto, and after Tomo Yoshio was overthrown, he surpassed seven other people to become Chunagon (middle counselor), and in 872, he became Shosanmi Udaijin (right minister). He was 37 years old at the time. His politics were based on an attempt to establish Yoshifusa's precedent as a legally consistent system, and were respected as such by later generations. This may have been a reason why Mototsune valued formality. Some historical documents state that he became regent after Yoshifusa's death (872), but this is likely a later addition. When abdicating to Emperor Yozei in 876, Emperor Seiwa issued an imperial decree that he should follow Yoshifusa's example and become regent himself.

In 880 (Gangei 4), he was appointed Daijo-daijin (Grand Minister of State), but he seemed to have doubts about the duties of the position and firmly refused, and there were many days when Mototsune did not attend work. Four years later, Emperor Yozei, whose behavior was questionable, was dethroned and replaced by Emperor Koko, who issued an edict entrusting all matters to Mototsune, effectively making him the regent. The Ako Incident, which occurred in 887 (Ninna 3) over the wording of the regent's edict given to Mototsune when Emperor Uda ascended to the throne, symbolizes Mototsune's political stance. In 890 (Kanpei 2), he became Jusangu (Jusan-gu). He died on January 13 the following year, and was awarded the rank of Shoichii (Senior First Rank), the title of Shosen-ko, and was given the fief of Echizen. He was also associated with Sugawara no Michizane and others, and was involved in the compilation of the "Jitsuroku (Chronicles of Emperor Montoku)."

[Muneyoshi Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安前期の官僚。藤原長良(ながら)（良房(よしふさ)の兄）の第3子で、母は藤原乙春(おとはる)。藤原良房の養子となり、養父を継いで氏長者(うじのちょうじゃ)となり、いわゆる藤原摂関家隆盛の基礎をつくりあげた。851年（仁寿1）に16歳で文徳(もんとく)天皇から加冠されて元服し、858年（天安2）に即位した清和(せいわ)天皇のもとで蔵人頭(くろうどのとう)となり、864年（貞観6）には29歳で参議となった。2年後の「応天門の変」では源信(まこと)の無実を伝え、伴善男(とものよしお)が失脚したのち、7人を抜いて中納言(ちゅうなごん)となり、872年には正三位(しょうさんみ)右大臣となった。ときに37歳。その政治は良房の先例を法的に整合性をもった体系として位置づけようとした点にあり、後世に先例として尊重された。基経が形式を重んじた理由もこれと無縁ではあるまい。良房の死（872）後、摂政(せっしょう)となったとする史料もあるが、後世の付会であろう。876年陽成(ようぜい)天皇に譲位するにあたって清和天皇は良房の例にならって摂政となるように詔(みことのり)している。

　880年（元慶4）太政(だいじょう)大臣に任ぜられたが、その職掌に疑義をもっていたらしく固辞し、基経の出仕しない日も多かったらしい。4年後言動に問題のあった陽成天皇を廃位し、光孝(こうこう)天皇を擁立したが、新天皇は基経に万機をゆだねる旨の詔を出したことにより、実質上の関白となった。887年（仁和3）宇多(うだ)天皇の即位にあたって基経に与えた関白の詔の文字をめぐって起こった阿衡(あこう)事件は基経の政治姿勢を象徴している。890年（寛平2）准三宮(じゅさんぐう)となる。翌年正月13日に没し、正一位・昭宣公が贈られ、越前(えちぜん)に封ぜられた。菅原道真(すがわらのみちざね)らとも交わり、『日本文徳天皇実録』の編纂(へんさん)にも携わった。

［佐藤宗諄］

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