Fujiwara no Yoshifusa - Fujiwara no Yoshifusa

A bureaucrat in the early Heian period. The first regent among the common subjects. The second son of Fuyutsugu, his mother was Fujiwara no Mitsuko (also called Princess Oba), a Naishi no Kami. He succeeded his father, who had risen to success as the first Kurodo no To (chief of the Chamberlains) and gained the trust of Emperor Saga, and built the power base of the Northern Fujiwara clan. In 814 (Kōnin 5), Emperor Saga married him Princess Kiyohime, and he served as Kurodo no To (chief of the Chamberlains), Chuhanji (middle judge), Daigaku no Kami (chief of the University), and then became Chōdo no To (chief of the Chamberlains) when Emperor Ninmyo ascended to the throne. In 834 (Jowa 1), at the age of 31, he became Sangi (councillor). In addition to his own political abilities, the popularity of Emperor Saga (the retired emperor) seems to have played a major role, as did the influence of his parents and the entry of his younger sister Junshi into the Imperial Court. In the Jowa Incident, which was triggered by the death of the retired emperor Saga in 842, he succeeded in having Prince Michiyasu (later Emperor Montoku), born to Junshi, made crown prince, and he himself advanced to the position of Dainagon. In 848 (Kasho 1), he became Minister of the Right and Tutor to the Crown Prince, and when Emperor Ninmyo died two years later, Emperor Montoku ascended to the throne and became his maternal relative, creating an unprecedented situation in which Prince Korehito (later Emperor Seiwa), born to the emperor and his daughter Akira Keiko, was made crown prince at just eight months old.

In 857 (Ten'an 1), he became Daijo-daijin (Grand Minister of State), but in reality, he was more like a regent. The following year, Emperor Montoku died and the 9-year-old Emperor Seiwa ascended to the throne, and Yoshifusa carried out his duties as Daijo-daijin (Grand Minister of State). The appearance of this young emperor marked the formation of political dominance by the Northern House of Fujiwara, and the completion of Yoshifusa's administration. Six years later, the emperor came of age, and the year after that (866), he took advantage of the Otenmon Gate blaze to oust Tomo no Yoshio, and became "Regent." This term refers to the act and power of carrying out government affairs on behalf of the emperor, as in "regent of the nation," and is not an official title. In 871 (Jogan 13), he became the third empress, but died on September 2nd the following year. He was awarded the rank of Shoichii and Chujinko, and was given the fief of Mino Province. During this period, the Fujiwara clan concentrated power and formed a fundamental relationship with the Emperor, and this is also known as the "early regent government." He also participated in the compilation of the Shoku Nihon Kiki (Chronicles of Japan Continued).

[Muneyoshi Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安前期の官僚。人臣最初の摂政(せっしょう)。冬嗣(ふゆつぐ)の第二子で、母は尚侍(ないしのかみ)藤原美都子(みつこ)（大庭(おおば)女王ともいう）。初代の蔵人頭(くろうどのとう)として嵯峨(さが)天皇の信任を得て栄達した父の後を継いで、藤原北家の権力基盤をつくりあげた。814年（弘仁5）に嵯峨天皇より皇女潔姫(きよひめ)を降嫁され、蔵人、中判事(ちゅうはんじ)、大学頭(かみ)などを経て、仁明(にんみょう)天皇の即位に伴って蔵人頭、ついで834年（承和1）に31歳で参議となる。本人の政治的力量とともに、父母の勢力や妹順子(じゅんし)の入内(じゅだい)など、嵯峨（太上）天皇の信望が大きな影響を与えたらしい。842年の嵯峨上皇の死を契機にした承和(じょうわ)の変では、順子の産んだ道康(みちやす)親王（後の文徳(もんとく)天皇）の立太子に成功し、自らも大納言(だいなごん)に進んだ。848年（嘉祥1）右大臣兼皇太子傅(ふ)となり、翌々年に仁明天皇が没すると、文徳天皇が即位して外戚(がいせき)となり、天皇と女明子(あきらけいこ)との間に誕生した惟仁(これひと)親王（後の清和(せいわ)天皇）を生後8か月で皇太子にするという前例のない事態を生み出した。

　857年（天安1）太政(だいじょう)大臣となったが、実際には摂関に近い存在であったらしい。翌年文徳天皇が没して9歳の清和天皇が即位し、良房は太政大臣としての任務を遂行した。この幼帝の出現は藤原北家の政治支配の形成を画する事件であり、良房政権の完成を示す。6年後に天皇が元服すると、翌々年（866）には応天門の炎上事件に乗じて伴善男(とものよしお)を失脚させ、自らは「摂政」となった。これは「天下の政を摂行せしむ」というように、天皇にかわってその政務を行うという行為・権能を示すもので、官職ではない。871年（貞観13）に准三后(じゅさんごう)となったが、翌年9月2日に没した。正(しょう)一位・忠仁公(ちゅうじんこう)が贈られ、美濃(みの)国に封ぜられた。この時代に藤原一門への権力の集中と、天皇との基本的な関係が形成され、「前期摂関政治」とも称される。なお『続日本後紀(しょくこうき)』の編纂(へんさん)に参画している。

［佐藤宗諄］

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