Bomon Nobukiyo (坊門信清)

Nobukiyo BOMON (1159 - April 9, 1216) was a court noble during the Kamakura period. He was a son of Nobutaka BOMON. His mother was a daughter of Michimoto JIMYOIN. His older sister, FUJIWARA no Shokushi, was Emperor Takakura's wife and Emperor Gotoba was his nephew. His children were Tadanobu BOMON, who served as a captain on the side of the Retired Emperor Gotoba during the Jokyu War, and Nishi-hachijo dono who married MINAMOTO no Sanetomo. He was called the Bomon naifu/Uzumasa naifu.

In 1163, he was ennobled. He services included that of jiju (chamberlain), Shonagon (lesser councilor of state), Shichijoin (FUJIWARA no Shokushi) betto (a chief officer serving a retired empress), Meryo (the section taking care of imperial horses) and Uhyoe no kami (Captain of the Right Division of Middle Palace Guards). In 1197, he was awarded Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank), and in the following year, he was appointed Sangi (councilor) and later promoted to Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state). In 1204, he resigned from the post of Gon Dainagon; however he returned to the post in 1211, and was thereafter promoted to Naidaijin (minister of the center). The following year, he submitted his written resignation to the Emperor. Thereafter, as a Giseikan (Legislator), he served as Uemon no kami (Captain of the Right Division of Outer Palace Guards), Provisional Governor of Harima Province, Tobain betto (a chief officer serving a retired emperor), and Mimaya-Betto (chief of Umaya no tsukasa, ministry of the stable). In March 1215, he joined the priesthood at Saga betsugyo (Saga villa) and died in April of the following year.

He exhibited authority as an uncle of Emperor Gotoba, and he became Naidaijin in 1211. He protected Emperor Gotoba during the Battle of Hoju-ji Temple in 1183, while he was in the post of Jiju. In 1203, when he was awarded with Harima Province, he built Itsuji-dono Palace. In the following year, the Retired Emperor Gotoba moved his residence.
In 1195, while he was serving as Uma no kami (Captain of the Right Division of the Bureau of Horses), during the Ise reihei (offering a wand with hemp and paper streamers to a Shinto god at Ise Grand Shrine), Nobukiyo was not able to lead the horses out of the stable, and Kanezane KUJO complained that 'He was able to be involved in important rituals only because he was related to the imperial court.' (from "Gyokuyo" (Diary of Kanezane KUJO) dated September 11, 1195)
Because MINAMOTO no Sanetomo was his son-in-law, he also played the role of negotiator with the Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun). Nobukiyo had a home in Shijomibu and Sanjo bomon.

[Original Japanese]