Heian period Fujiwara clan

during heian period of japanese history, hokke managed establish hereditary claim position of regent, either underage emperor (sesshō) or adult 1 (kampaku). prominent fujiwaras occupied these positions more once, , more 1 emperor. lesser members of fujiwara court nobles, provincial governors , vice governors, members of provincial aristocracy, , samurai. fujiwara 1 of 4 great families dominated japanese politics during heian period (794–1185), , important of them @ time. others tachibana, taira , minamoto. fujiwara exercised tremendous power, during period of regency governments in 10th , 11th centuries, having many emperors practically puppet monarchs.

the fujiwara dominated government of japan 794–1160. there no clear starting point of dominance. however, domination of civil administration lost establishment of first shogunate (i.e., kamakura shogunate) under minamoto no yoritomo in 1192.

fujiwara princes served highest ministers of imperial court (kampaku) , regents (sesshō) underage monarchs. fujiwara proverbial power behind throne centuries. apparently never aspired supplant imperial dynasty. instead, clan s influence stemmed matrimonial alliances imperial family. because consorts of crown princes, younger sons, , emperors fujiwara women, male heads of fujiwara house father-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, or maternal grandfather of emperor. family reached peak of power under fujiwara no michinaga (966–1027), longtime kampaku grandfather of 3 emperors, father of 6 empresses or imperial consorts, , grandfather of 7 additional imperial consorts; no exaggeration michinaga ruled japan during period, not titular emperors.

the fujiwara clan featured prominently in pillow book, sei shōnagon.

fujiwara regime in heian period

the fujiwara regency main feature of government of entire heian era. kyoto (heian-kyō) geopolitically better seat of government; river access sea, reached land routes eastern provinces.

just before move heian-kyō, emperor had abolished universal conscription in eighth century , local, private militaries came being. fujiwara, taira, , minamoto among prominent families supported new military class.

in ninth , tenth centuries, authority lost great families, disregarded chinese-style land , tax systems imposed government in kyoto. stability came heian japan, but, though succession ensured imperial family through heredity, power again concentrated in hands of 1 noble family, fujiwara.

family administrations became public institutions. powerful family, fujiwara governed japan , determined general affairs of state, such succession throne. family , state affairs thoroughly intermixed, pattern followed among other families, monasteries, , imperial family.

as soga had taken control of throne in sixth century, fujiwara ninth century had intermarried imperial family, , 1 of members first head of emperor s private office. fujiwara became regent grandson, minor emperor, , yet appointed kampaku (regent adult emperor). toward end of ninth century, several emperors tried, failed, check fujiwara. time, however, during reign of emperor daigo (897–930), fujiwara regency suspended ruled directly.

nevertheless, fujiwara not demoted emperor daigo became stronger during reign. central control of japan had continued decline, , fujiwara, along other great families , religious foundations, acquired ever larger shōen , greater wealth during tenth century. heian period, shōen had obtained legal status, , large religious establishments sought clear titles in perpetuity, waiver of taxes, , immunity government inspection of shōen held. people worked land found advantageous transfer title shōen holders in return share of harvest. people , lands increasingly beyond central control , taxation, de facto return conditions before taika reform.

fujiwara no michinaga (966–1028)

within decades of emperor daigo s death, fujiwara had absolute control on court. year 1000, fujiwara no michinaga able enthrone , dethrone emperors @ will. little authority left traditional officialdom, , government affairs handled through fujiwara family s private administration. fujiwara had become historian george b. sansom has called hereditary dictators.

the fujiwara presided on period of cultural , artistic flowering @ imperial court , among aristocracy. there great interest in graceful poetry , vernacular literature. japanese writing had long depended on chinese ideograms (kanji), these supplemented kana, 2 types of phonetic japanese script: katakana, mnemonic device using parts of chinese ideograms; , hiragana, cursive form of kanji writing , art form in itself. hiragana gave written expression spoken word and, it, rise in japan s famous vernacular literature, of written court women had not been trained in chinese had male counterparts. 3 late tenth century , eleventh century women presented views of life , romance @ heian court in kagerō nikki ( gossamer years ) mother of michitsuna , makura no sōshi (the pillow book) sei shōnagon, , genji monogatari (tale of genji) murasaki shikibu (herself fujiwara). indigenous art flourished under fujiwara after centuries of imitating chinese forms. vividly colored yamato-e (japanese style) paintings of court life , stories temples , shrines became common in mid , late heian periods, setting patterns japanese art day.

decline in food production, growth of population, , competition resources among great families led gradual decline of fujiwara power , gave rise military disturbances in mid-tenth , eleventh centuries. members of fujiwara, taira, , minamoto families—all of whom had descended imperial family—attacked 1 another, claimed control on vast tracts of conquered land, set rival regimes, , broke peace of japan.

the fujiwara controlled throne until reign of emperor go-sanjō (1068–73), first emperor not born of fujiwara mother since ninth century. emperor go-sanjō, determined restore imperial control through strong personal rule, implemented reforms curb fujiwara influence. established office compile , validate estate records aim of reasserting central control. many shōen not certified, , large landholders, fujiwara, felt threatened loss of lands. emperor go-sanjō established in no chō, or office of cloistered emperor, held succession of emperors abdicated devote behind-the-scenes governance, or insei (cloistered rule).

the in no chō filled void left decline of fujiwara power. rather being banished, fujiwara retained in old positions of civil dictator , minister of center while being bypassed in decision making. in time, many of fujiwara replaced, members of rising minamoto family. while fujiwara fell disputes among , formed northern , southern factions, insei system allowed paternal line of imperial family gain influence on throne. period 1086 1156 age of supremacy of in no chō , of rise of military class throughout country. military might rather civil authority dominated government.

a struggle succession in mid-twelfth century gave fujiwara opportunity regain former power. fujiwara no yorinaga sided retired emperor in violent battle in 1158 against heir apparent, supported taira , minamoto. in end, fujiwara destroyed, old system of government supplanted, , insei system left powerless bushi took control of court affairs, marking turning point in japanese history. within year, taira , minamoto clashed, , twenty-year period of taira ascendancy began. taira seduced court life , ignored problems in provinces. finally, minamoto yoritomo (1147–1199) rose headquarters @ kamakura (in kantō region, southwest of modern tokyo) defeat taira, , them child emperor emperor antoku controlled, in genpei war (1180–1185).

after downfall, younger branches of fujiwara clan turned focus politics arts, producing number of literary luminaries fujiwara no shunzei or fujiwara no teika.

descent

only forty years after michinaga s death, fujiwara heirs not able prevent ascension of emperor go-sanjō (reigned 1068–1073), first emperor since emperor uda mother not fujiwara. system of government retired emperor (daijō tennō) (cloistered rule) beginning 1087 further weakened fujiwara s control on imperial court.

the fujiwara-dominated heian period approached end along disturbances of 12th century. dynastic struggle known hōgen disturbance (hōgen no ran) led taira emerging powerful clan in 1156. during heiji disturbance (heiji no ran) in 1160 taira defeated coalition of fujiwara , minamoto forces. defeat marked end of fujiwara s dominance.