Minamoto no Michichika

A nobleman in the early Kamakura period. Son of Minamoto Masamichi. Called Tsuchimikado. During the Rokuhara period, he established his foothold as a politician through marriage to a member of the Taira clan, and was also highly regarded as a trusted vassal of Emperor Takakura. However, when the Taira clan fled the capital, he left them and stayed with Emperor Goshirakawa, gradually gaining influence as his trusted vassal. He also cooperated with the emerging Kanto government to secure his foothold in the Imperial Court, and came into conflict with the regent Kujo Kanezane. In 1196 (Kenkyu 7), he supported the Konoe family and overthrew the Kujo family, showing his strength to virtually monopolize the government. When Emperor Gotoba, as the retired emperor, saw the cloistered government, he accepted the will of the cloistered emperor and further consolidated his power. The Emperor's villa, Minasedono, was built by Michichika. He also placed his adopted daughter, Arishi, in the Emperor's harem, and when the prince ascended to the throne (Emperor Tsuchimikado), Michichika wielded authority as an in-law, surpassing his father and becoming Minister of the Interior, and this laid the foundation for the prosperity of the Tsuchimikado family during the Kamakura period. He was skilled in waka poetry and prose, and wrote Japanese works such as "Takakurain Shokaki" and "Takakurain Gokoki." He is especially highly regarded as a poet in the "Ienaga Nikki" written by Minamoto Ienaga, a trusted aide to Emperor Gotoba.

[Muneharu Taga]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉初期の公卿(くぎょう)。源雅通(まさみち)の子。土御門(つちみかど)を称した。六波羅(ろくはら)時代に、平氏との間に婚姻を通じて政治家としての地歩を築き、また高倉(たかくら)天皇の近臣として重んぜられた。しかし平氏の都落ちに際しては、これを離れて後白河(ごしらかわ)院のもとにとどまり、その近臣としてしだいに勢力を得た。また新興の関東政権とも連携して宮廷での地歩確保に努め、関白(かんぱく)九条兼実(かねざね)の執政と対立した。1196年（建久7）近衛(このえ)家を擁して九条家を失脚させ、事実上政権を独占する勢いを示した。やがて後鳥羽(ごとば)天皇が上皇として院政をみるや、院の意を迎えて、いよいよその権勢を固めた。院の別荘水無瀬殿(みなせどの)は通親の造営するところである。またその養女在子を院の後宮(こうきゅう)に入れ、その皇子が即位する（土御門天皇）に及び、通親は外戚(がいせき)として威を振るい、父祖を超えて内大臣となり、鎌倉時代の土御門家繁栄の基がここに築かれた。彼は和歌・文章に巧みで、『高倉院升遐記(しょうかき)』『高倉院御幸記』の和文の著があり、後鳥羽院の近臣源家長(いえなが)の『家長日記』にはとくに歌人として高く評価されている。

［多賀宗隼］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例