, also known as , Brown, Delmer M. (1979). ''Gukanshō,'' p. 274 was a Japanese aristocrat (''

kuge The was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese Imperial Court in Kyoto. The ''kuge'' were important from the establishment of Kyoto as the capital during the Heian period in the late 8th century until the rise of the Kamak ...

''), courtier, and statesman. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)
"Fujiwara no Nakamaro"
in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 207. He was Chancellor ('' Daijō-daijin'') of the Imperial government during the

Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the c ...

. Sansom, George Bailey. (1958). ''A History of Japan to 1334,'' p. 91; excerpt, "He paid particular attention to military matters, and while he was Chancellor, he planned a line of forts at points in the northern provinces of Mutsu and Dewa, which were to be bases of operations against the rebellious aborigines. His project did not succeed ..."

Early life

Nakamaro was the second son of

Fujiwara no Muchimaro was a Japanese courtier (''kuge'') and politician of the late Asuka and early Nara period. He founded the Nanke ("Southern") branch of the Fujiwara clan.'' MyPedia'' entry for "Fujiwara no Muchimaro His court rank is Senior First Rank. Life ...

, who was the founder of southern branch of the

Fujiwara clan was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

Career

Nakamaro was named to progressively important court positions during the reign of

Empress Kōken , also known as , was the 46th (with the name Empress Kōken) and the 48th monarch of Japan (with the name Empress Shōtoku), Emperor Kōnin, Takano Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. ...

. * Minister of the Right (''udaijin'') * Supreme Military Official (''shibinaishō'') * Vice Minister (''jundaijin'') Opposition led by

Tachibana no Naramaro was a Japanese aristocrat (''kuge''), courtier, and statesman of the Nara period. He was the son of ''sadaijin'' Tachibana no Moroe and the second head of the Tachibana clan. He attained the court rank of and the position of '' sangi'', and post ...

and others was put down in 757. In 758, Nakamaro was given the title and role of "Grand Guardian" (''taihō''); and his name was changed to Emi No Oshikatsu. The power to mint copper coins was granted to Oshikatsu in 758. Nakamaro became Prime Minister (''taishi'') during the reign of

Emperor Junnin was the 47th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 淳仁天皇 (47)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. The seventh son of Prince Toneri and a grandson of Emperor Tenmu, his reign spanned the years 758 to ...

. He acted to secure the northern border with the Ainu, but his plans did not succeed. Plans for a military campaign in Korea were started, but it was abandoned. His plans were opposed by some of his cousins in the Fujiwara clan.

Rebellion

In 764, Nakamaro was a trusted supporter of the emperor Junnin; and he was at odds with former-

and her close associate, the monk Dōkyō. In the struggle between the factions headed by Junnin and Kōken, Nakamaro was captured and killed.Sansom, p. 90; excerpt, "... Nakamaro, better known by his later title as the Minister Oshikatsu, was in high favour with the Emperor Junnin but not with the ex-Empress. In a civil disturbance that took place in 764-765, Oshikatsu was captured and killed, while the young Emperor was deposed and exiled in 765 and presumably strangled. The ex-Empress reascended the throne as the Empress Shōtoku, and Dōkyō was all powerful until she died withous issue in 770." His wife and children were also killed.Plutschow, Herbert. (1993). ''Historical Nara,'' pp. 176-177. Soon after, Junnin was deposed; and Kōken reclaimed the monarch's role for another five years.

Notes

References

* Bauer, Mikael. ''The History of the Fujiwara House''. Kent, UK: Renaissance Books, 2020; ; * Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979). ''Gukanshō: The Future and the Past.'' Berkeley: University of California Press.
OCLC 251325323
* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''
Cambridge:

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retir ...

. a
OCLC 58053128
* Plutschow Herbert E. (1983). ''Historical Nara: with illustrations and guide maps.'' Tokyo: Japan Times. * Sansom, George Bailey. (1958). ''A History of Japan to 1334.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Early life

Career

Rebellion

Notes

References

See also