Fujiwara no Morinori (藤原盛憲)

FUJIWARA no Morinori (year of birth and death unknown) was a retainer of the Imperial court during the late Heian period. He was also known as Morinori KAJUJI. He was the first son of Shonagon (lesser councilor of state) FUJIWARA no Akinori, who descended from Kajuji line of the Fujiwara clan. His younger brothers included FUJIWARA no Norichika, FUJIWARA no Tsunenori, Genken (玄顕), and Noen, and his child was FUJIWARA no Kiyofusa. With the rank of Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), he was a Shonagon and Shikibu no taifu (Senior Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Ceremonial).

Because his father's sisters became FUJIWARA no Tadazane's wife and FUJIWARA no Yorinaga's biological mother, he served Yorinaga as a cousin. When Yorinaga left the palace grounds, Morinori often took the lead of the procession. Since he was also Retired Emperor Sutoku's tenjobito (a high-ranking courtier allowed into the Imperial Palace), he joined sides with the retired emperor and Yorinaga when the Hogen War broke out.

After being defeated, he escaped with Yorinaga, but was captured not permitting to go into priesthood after the unnatural death of Yorinaga. Furthermore, he was tortured together with Tsunenori on suspicion that they had cursed Emperor Konoe, Bifukumonin and others, and then they were exiled to Sado Province.

His grandson Shigefusa UESUGI received a shoryo (territory) in Uesugi no sho (manor), Ikaruga County, Tanba Province (a region around Uesugi-cho, Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture) and adopted the name Uesugi, and his descendants have prospered as the Uesugi clan.

[Original Japanese]