Fujiwara no Tadamasa (藤原忠雅)

FUJIWARA no Tadamasa (1129 - September 30, 1193) was a court noble who lived in the late Heian period and the early Kamakura period. He was the second son of Chunagon (vice-councilor of state) FUJIWARA no Tadamune. His father, Tadamune was the first son of FUJIWARA no Ietada, who was the second son of FUJIWARA no Morozane who was a child of FUJIWARA no Yorimichi of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan. His mother was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Ieyasu, who was Sangi (Royal Advisor) and a trusted vassal of the In (retired emperor).

Tadamasa lost his father while he was very young and he was took on and brought up by his maternal uncle, FUJIWARA no Ienari. Partly because of backup by Ienari, he was repeatedly promoted as a trusted vassal of the In. Furthermore, he was very close with FUJIWARA no Yorinaga, who was famous as 'akusafu' (powerful sadaijin, or minister of the left). He also approached by TAIRA no Kiyomori, who had been strengthening his influence, and succeeded to make his son, FUJIWARA no Kanemasa, marry a daughter of Kiyomori.

On May 17, 1168, he assumed the position of Daijodaijin (Grand Minister) as a successor to Kiyomori, who had resigned. He worked as Daijodaijin until June 6, 1170. In 1171, he made one of his daughter marry FUJIWARA no Motofusa, who succeeded the position of Daijodaijin and later became Kanpaku (chief advisor to the emperor). As seen in the above descriptions, through his well-considered marriage strategies, Tadamasa was promoted smoothly under the government by the Taira clan and established a basis for future development of the Kasannoin family.

[Original Japanese]