Koga Haremichi (久我晴通)

Haremichi KOGA (1519 - May 3, 1575) was a Kugyo (top court official) during the late Muromachi period. He served the Imperial Court mainly during the era of Emperor Gonara (105th). His highest official rank was Shonii (Senior Second Rank), and his highest government post was Gon Dainagon (a provisional chief councilor of state), Ukone no daisho (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards). His biological father was Hisamichi KONOE. Taneie KONOE was his brother. He had children, including Michikata KOGA, Tomotaka IWAKURA, a daughter who was Kita no Mandokoro (legal wife of regent or chief adviser to the Emperor) of Sakihisa KONOE, Zuikoin, who was the lawful wife of Sanemasu SAIONJI, and Koshunin (興春院), who was the lawful wife of Atsumichi KOGA and later the lawful wife of Suefuji OGURA (小倉季藤).

He was born as the second son of Taneie KONOE, who was Kanpaku Daijo-daijin ((chief adviser to the Emperor and grand minister of state). Since Gon Dainagon Kunimichi KOGA died without leaving an heir, Haremichi was adopted by Kunimichi's father, Michinobu KOGA. In 1533, he was conferred peerage and celebrated his coming of age, and he was ranked with jiju (a chamberlain). Thereafter, he successively held Konoefu (the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards) and in 1536, he was conferred Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) and appointed Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of state). In the same year, he became Genji no choja (chief of the Minamoto clan) and was appointed to Shogakuin Betto (chancellor of Shogakuin, a private school of the Ariwara Family). He was appointed to Gon Dainagon in 1543 and to Junnain Betto (chancellor of Junna-in Palace) in 1545. He was appointed to Ukone no daisho (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards) in 1553 but, inexplicably, he suddenly entered into the priesthood in the same year and left the Imperial Court. He was only 35. He never returned to government affairs for the rest of his life.

Among his sons, the eldest son Michikata inherited the KOGA family, and the second son branched out and founded the Iwakura family. Tomomi IWAKURA, who was an adopted child from another court noble Horikawa family, was a descendant in the Iwakura family line.

[Original Japanese]