Isonokami no Ienari (石上家成)
ISONOKAMI no Ienari (722 - August 3, 804) was a government official who lived from the Nara period to the beginning of the Heian period. He was a grandson of Sadaijin (Minister of the Left) ISONOKAMI no Maro and was a son of ISONOKAMI no Azumabito (東人), who was at the rank of Shorokuinojo (Senior Sixth Rank, Upper Grade).
Career
As his father died young before obtaining a high position, he started his career with a local government official despite the fact that he was a grandson of the Sadaijin. He was promoted to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) from Gejugoinoge (Jugoinoge granted to a local government official) in recognition of his great work for the suppression of the Rebellion of Fujiwara no Nakamaro, which occurred in 764. Concurrently with this promotion, he was also granted the Sixth Order of Merit in recognition of his distinguished military service. In 768, he was appointed the Governor of Kazusa Province and a Junior Assistant Minister of Edicts. Once the Hoki era began, he was promoted to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) from Jugoinoge, and after he experienced a Junior Assistant Minister of Popular Affairs and a Senior Assistant Minister of the Sovereign's Household, he became a Senior Assistant Minister of Popular Affairs with the rank of Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) in 781. In that year, Gon Dainagon (a provisional chief councilor of state) ISONOKAMI no Yakatsugu (who was a cousin of Ienari) died and Ienari practically became the head of the Isonokami clan, but he never joined the Giseikan (legislature) because he started his career with a local government officer.
Afterward, he was granted the rank of Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) after several positions such as a Junior Assistant Governor-General of Dazai-fu (the local government office in the Kyushu region), a Captain Gate guard, the Chief of Bureau of Palace Storehouses, and the Minister of the Sovereign's Household, but he did not have any official positions when he died.
Although he became a Court noble, he was never appointed any key positions while he was alive, because his father was in a lower rank, and additionally, he was serious about his work but not so talented. This was one of the main reasons why the Isonokami clan declined.