Biographies LXXXV: Fujiwara-no-Nagakata and Fujiwara-no-Tsunefusa

Fujiwara-no-Nagakata

¶Fujiwara-no-Nagakata, whose given name was at first Noriyori, was the eldest son of Akinaga, Gon-Chūnagon, Provisional Middle Counsellor (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin and the Sonpi Bunmyaku). He excelled in learning (Note: following the Gyokukai), and through successive promotions in office and rank rose to Junior Second Rank and Gon-Chūnagon (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku. The Kugyō Bunin gives Senior Second Rank, which is mistaken). By nature he was resolute and firm; when matters required it he spoke frankly and never shrank from doing so, and so he was known as an upright man (Note: following the Gyokukai).

¶When Taira-no-Kiyomori moved the capital to Fukuhara, Nagakata, dissatisfied, did not accompany the imperial progress and remained in Kyoto. People of the time called him the "Caretaker Chūnagon" (Note: following the Genpei Jōsuiki. At that time, however, Nagakata was only a Sangi, Counsellor; calling him Chūnagon here is a later designation applied retrospectively, from the office he afterwards held).

¶Before this, Kiyomori had confined the Retired Emperor in a detached palace and had sent the Kampaku, Regent, Motofusa into exile in Bizen, and his violence grew worse with each passing day. People feared his power, and no one dared offer advice. When Minamoto-no-Yoritomo raised an army, the Retired Emperor summoned his ministers to discuss how to respond. Nagakata stepped forward and said: "Yoritomo raised his army alone and without allies, yet within a few months those who have answered him number more than ten provinces. This can only be because the hearts of the people long for disorder and flock to him. It is nothing other than the fact that the government does not accord with the will of Heaven that lies at the root of this. I beg that the Retired Emperor take up the conduct of government again as before, that Motofusa be recalled to the capital, and that effort be devoted to benevolent rule. Then the will of Heaven will be set right and the fighting will be quelled." Everyone present turned pale. Hearing this, Kiyomori was inwardly afraid; he restored the Retired Emperor to his former position and recalled Motofusa to the capital. Much of this was due to Nagakata's merit (Note: following the Gyokukai and the Kokon Chomonjū).

¶When Kiyomori assembled the hundred officials and asked which was better, the two capitals of Fukuhara and Kyoto, people kept their mouths shut and no one would speak; only Nagakata analyzed the matter point by point and spoke with utmost bluntness of the inconveniences of the new capital. Those around him all feared for his safety. Soon it was decided to return to Kyoto, and someone said to Nagakata: "The new capital was what Kiyomori (Jōkai) loved most of all, so why did you attack it so fiercely? That Kiyomori listened to your words was merely unexpected good fortune. Had you provoked his anger, what would you have done?" Nagakata answered: "That is not so. It is the way of people that they do as they please with whatever they believe to be right, without regard for what comes before or after; only when doubt and regret arise do they begin to consult others. As for Kiyomori's (Jōkai's) putting the question, I already understood that in his heart he was inclining toward returning the capital, and I merely guided him along with it. I never intended to brave his anger." Those who heard this admired him. Kiyomori held Nagakata in great esteem, and at every appointment session he would say without fail: "This man has broad and outstanding talent and insight; no one else may be allowed to rank above him" (Note: following the Zoku Kojidan).

¶In the second year of Juei (1183), Taira-no-Koremori, Michimori, and others attacked Minamoto-no-Yoshinaka, but their army was defeated and turned back. The capital fell into uproar, and the Retired Emperor summoned his ministers to discuss a plan of defense. Nagakata said: "Since the Minamoto raised their army, their power has grown more rampant with each passing day, the imperial armies have been defeated again and again, and we can no longer hold out. There has never before been a crisis for the state like this. In the past, when Han was troubled by the Xiongnu and could not defend itself by force, it concluded a peace and marriage alliance to tide over the emergency, which may be called a measure suited to the times. Even if the laws of the court are bent somewhat, compared with the loss of the people's lives the relative gravity of benefit and harm is clear. A court envoy should be sent quickly to pardon his offense and save one region." But this opinion was not adopted. Yoshinaka advanced and took up position at the Enryakuji, the capital was left without defense, and the Naidaijin, Minister of the Interior, Taira-no-Munemori, taking Emperor Yōwa with him, fled to the western seas. Yoshinaka and his men entered the capital and had an audience with the Retired Emperor (Note: following the Genpei Jōsuiki).

¶When the Retired Emperor was about to bestow rewards, those who deliberated said: "If we judge by military merit, Yoshinaka should receive the first reward; but Yoritomo was the first to raise an army, and he cannot be ranked below Yoshinaka," and for a long time the discussion was not settled (Note: following the Gyokukai). Nagakata said: "When Han put the Lü clan to death and set Emperor Wen on the throne, Chen Ping was the center of the planning. Yet Zhou Bo, on the strength of his military merit, received a reward exceeding Chen Ping's. Taking this as precedent, it is possible that Yoshinaka's reward might exceed Yoritomo's. But when I examine old cases, at the suppression of Taira-no-Masakado, the one who had the merit of quelling the rebellion was Fujiwara-no-Hidesato, yet the one who actually fought and won distinction was Taira-no-Sadamori. At that time Hidesato was ranked first in merit. In the light of this, it is Yoritomo who should receive the first reward." This opinion was followed (Note: following the Genpei Jōsuiki).

¶Yoshinaka intended to take the Retired Emperor with him to the western seas, and among the various shrines urged a visit to the Iwashimizu Shrine. Everyone was alarmed and afraid of this. Nagakata sent a messenger to tell Yoshinaka: "The Retired Emperor has been in contact with pollution and cannot yet worship the gods. Even if he does not himself perform the ceremony of worship, he still should not approach the sacred precincts." Yoshinaka thought this reasonable and postponed the date of the visit. Soon afterwards Yoshinaka was killed (Note: following the Gyokukai).

¶In the first year of Bunji (1185), when Minamoto-no-Yoritomo requested appointment as Sō-tsuibushi, Chief Constable, the Retired Emperor asked the opinion of his ministers. Nagakata argued forcefully that it was not permissible, but the Retired Emperor did not listen (Note: following the Yasaka-bon Heike Monogatari). In this year Nagakata shaved his head and changed his name to Chūin (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin). The Udaijin, Minister of the Right, Fujiwara-no-Kanezane, who had always recommended the notable men of the age, now sighed and said: "That the court has lost this minister is a great loss to the nobility, and truly regrettable." (Note: following the Gyokukai)

¶In the third year of Bunji (1187), the court issued an edict commanding the ministers to submit their opinions. Nagakata too was asked for his views, but, realizing that the affairs of the court were already beyond remedy, he would never again offer an opinion. In the second year of Kenkyū (1191) he died (Note: following the Gyokukai, the Sonpi Bunmyaku, and the Kugyō Bunin). He was fifty-three (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin). He was known in the world as the Umegoku-no-kōji Chūnagon, and also as Hachijō (Note: following the Gyokukai and the Genpei Jōsuiki). Nagakata was skilled in poetry (Note: following the Gyokukai), and his writings include the Shinsen Shūku (Note: following the Ninnaji Shoseki Mokuroku).

¶His sons were Munetaka, Nagakane, and Kanetaka. Munetaka was Gon-Chūnagon of Junior Second Rank. Nagakane, whose given name was at first Yoritsufusa, had literary talent and rose to Gon-Chūnagon of Senior Second Rank. Kanetaka was Sangi of Senior Third Rank (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin and the Sonpi Bunmyaku. That he had literary talent follows the Sonpi Bunmyaku).

Fujiwara-no-Tsunefusa

¶Fujiwara-no-Tsunefusa was a son of Mitsufusa, U-chūben, Middle Controller of the Right (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin and the Sonpi Bunmyaku). He was called Kadenokōji, and also Yoshida (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku and the Genpei Jōsuiki). He held a succession of offices, inside and outside the capital. During the Yōwa and Juei years he was appointed Sangi, concurrently Governor of Ōmi, was granted Junior Third Rank, and received the post of Gon-Chūnagon. During the Kenkyū years he concurrently served as Minbukyō, Minister of Popular Affairs, and rose to Senior Second Rank and Gon-Dainagon, Provisional Major Counsellor (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin).

¶At first, when the Taira held power, whenever there was a great debate they invariably consulted Tsunefusa (Note: following the Genpei Jōsuiki). When the Taira fell and Minamoto-no-Yoritomo rose, Yoritomo too heard of Tsunefusa's character and repeatedly exchanged letters with him in a cordial manner. For this reason Tsunefusa attached himself deeply to Yoritomo, and in his heart hoped that Yoritomo would recommend him (Note: following the Azuma Kagami. Both the Genpei Jōsuiki and the Heike Monogatari state that Tsunefusa was upright by nature and held to his principles; that when the Taira fell and Yoritomo, from afar, came to hold the government of the court, most courtiers ingratiated themselves with Yoritomo and sent him their respects, and even those who were relatives by marriage of the Taira did not fail to do so, but Tsunefusa alone kept to his principles and did not flatter. As this differs greatly from the account in the present work, it is not adopted here).

¶In the early years of Bunji, when Yoritomo desired to become Sō-tsuibushi of the whole realm, Tsunefusa approved and was effective in bringing it about (Note: following the Genpei Jōsuiki and the Heike Monogatari). From then on, whenever Yoritomo wished to petition for something, large or small, he had it presented to the throne through Tsunefusa (Note: following the Azuma Kagami). In the end Tsunefusa was recommended as a Gisō, Councillor for Memorials (Note: following the Gyokukai and the Azuma Kagami). When someone raised an objection to Yoritomo concerning Tsunefusa, Yoritomo would not listen and said: "Tsunefusa has always had the reputation of a good minister, and moreover everything I petition for is conveyed to the throne through him, and I have never seen any inconvenience in it. Such words must never be spoken again." (Note: following the Azuma Kagami)

¶In the second year of Shōji (1200) he died. He was fifty-eight (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin and the Sonpi Bunmyaku). His diary is called the Kikki (Note: following the Ninnaji Shoseki Mokuroku).