Kujō Kanezane

• • Period: Heian Period / Kamakura Period
  • Occupation: sesshō, kampaku
  • Family: Fujiwara no Tadamichi (father) Kujō Yoshimichi (son) Kujō Yoshitsune (son) Kujō Yoshisuke (son) Kujō Yoshihira (son) Kujō Ninshi (daughter) Kanoe no Motozane (brother) Fujiwara no Motofusa (brother) Fujiwara no Kanefusa (brother) Jien (brother) Fujiwara no Masako (sister) Fujiwara no Ikushi (adopted sister) Fujiwara no Teishi (adopted sister)
  • Birth: 1149AD
  • Death: 1207AD

Kujō no Kanezane

Kujō no Kanezane (九条 兼実) was the founding member of the Kujō Family, a descendant of the Fujiwara Clan, living from 1149-1207.¹ He was also known as Tsuki no Wa no Kampaku.²

He was the son of Fujiwara no Tadamichi, and the Kujō Family he founded became part of what is known as the go-sekke (五摂家).¹²

He had numerous children including Kujō Yoshimichi, Kujō Yoshitsune, Kujō Yoshisuke, Kujō Yoshihira and Kujō Ninshi.

During his career he recieved the title of sesshō in 1186 and in 1191 became kampaku.¹

He tried during his lifetime to stop retired emperors from intervening in the world of politics however lost his power in 1196 and so he became a monk.

In regards to literature, we can find poems of his in the Kokinshū and Senzai wakashū. He has also left behind a diary called the Gyokuyō,¹ which covers the years 1164-1201.

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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