Fujiwara no Michifusa (藤原通房)
FUJIWARA no Michifusa (February 16, 1025-May 29, 1044) was a Court noble in the mid Heian period. He was the eldest son of Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor) FUJIWARA no Yorimichi. He was, as a legitimate son of Sekkan-ke (the families which produced regents), promoted to as high as Shonii (Senior Second Rank) Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state) and Ukone no daisho (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), but suddenly died young at the age of 20. He called himself Ujitaisho.
Career
Although he was born as Yorimichi's eldest child out of wedlock, he became a legitimate son because Princess Takahime, Yorimichi's lawful wife, was not blessed with a male child. Out of consideration for Yorimichi's lawful wife and the importance of succeeding the Sekkan-ke, he was nurtured at the Tsuchimikado-dono Palace of FUJIWARA no Michinaga (Father of Yorimichi and grandfather of Michifusa) who was the virtual head of the Sekkan-ke. The childhood name was Nagakimi. Later, he lawfully married a daughter of MINAMOTO no Morofusa, younger brother of Takahime, which, as a result, established a blood relationship between lawful wife Takahime and legitimate son Michifusa.
Upon his Genpuku (celebrate one's coming of age) on August 24, 1035, he was immediately raised to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) and appointed Sakone no shosho (Minor Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards). On December 8, 1037, he was appointed Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank), Hisangi (advisor at large) at a mere 13 years of age and two years later, on March 2, 1039, promoted to Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of state). Although he was promoted to Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state) on December 18, 1042, two years later he died from a sudden disease. Because of this, his younger paternal brother, FUJIWARA no Morozane, who was to be adopted by another family, became the successor of the Sekkan-ke.
Waka poems Michifusa composed are seen in each of "Goshui Wakashu" (Later Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poetry) and "Shin chokusen wakashu" (New Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry).