Fujiwara no Fuhito
Fujiwara no Fuhito (藤原不"等: 659–720) was a powerful member of the imperial court of
Japan during the
Asuka and
Nara periods. Second son of
Fujiwara no Kamatari (or, according to one theory, of
Emperor Tenji), he had sons by two women, and those sons were the founders of the four principal lineages of the
Fujiwara clan: the South, North, Ceremonial, and Capital lineages. Also, he had four daughters by two other women. three by Kamohime, one by Tachibana no Michiyo. One daughter by Kamohime became
Emperor Mommu's wife Miyako, who in turn gave birth to
Emperor Shōmu. The daughter by Michiyo became the empress of Shomu.
During the reign of
Emperor Mommu, the government ordered that only the descendants of Fuhito could bear the Fujiwara surname and was able to be appointed in the Office of Daijokan, the center of administratives.
Fuhito was 13 years old when the
Jinshin incident occurred. His father Kamatari had been a strong supporter of Emperor Tenji, but Kamatari had already died and Fuhito was too young to be appointed a governmental officer, so he wasn't involved in this political conflict. In
688 he appeared first as a courtier.
In
697 Prince Karu, the son of Prince
Kusakabe and therefore grandson of
Emperor Temmu and
Empress Jitō, was appointed to the crown prince. Fuhito supported this appointment strongly and got the favor of Empress Jitō. Since then his promotion in the court began. In
701 Prince Obito, later the emperor Shomu was born by Miyako. He succeeded to make Obito the crown prince and made his other daughter a wife of Obito. Until then only a royal lady could be promoted to the empress, but he succeeded his daughter the empress of Obito, the emperor Shomu. It was the first empress who didn't derive from the imperial household.
He moved Yamashina-dera, the Buddhist temple which was the main temple his clan supported, to
Nara and renamed it
Kofuku-ji. After his death,
Kasuga shrine, the main temple of the Fujiwara clan was settled near to Kofuku-ji in
768.
He played a role in the establishement of the state law,
ritsuryo, in Japan. He participated in the edition called
Taiho Ritsuryo. He also joined its revision, the
Yoro ritsuryo but before its finish, he died in the summer of
720. When he died, he was appointed
Udaijin, one of ministers.
After his death the court honored him with two titles 文忠公(Bunchu Ko) and 淡海公(Omi Ko, Lord of Omi) and with the office of Daijodaijin, the highest office of the court.
