Minamoto no Moroyori (源師頼)
Born in 1068, and passed away on December 26, 1139, MINAMOTO no Moroyori was Kugyo (a top Court official) & a maker of Japanese poetry in the later Heian period. He belonged to Murakami-Genji (Minamoto clan). He was the first son of MINAMOTO no Toshifusa who reached the Court rank of Sadaijin (Minister of the Left), and his mother was the daughter of MINAMOTO no Sanemoto who became Mino no kuni no kami (the governor of Mino Province). Moroyori became the adopted child of TACHIBANA no Toshitsuna who served as Shuri no daibu (Master of the Office of Palace Repairs). His pseudonym was Ononomiya Dainagon. He had some wives, such as the daughter of FUJIWARA no Michimune who served as Wakasa no kuni no kami (the governor of Wakasa Province), the daughter of FUJIWARA no Tadatoshi who served as Aki no kuni no kami (the governor of Aki Province), and the daughter of "FUJIWARA no Saneyoshi" who served as Dainagon (chief councilor of state). He had some sons and daughters, such as MINAMOTO no Moroyasu, MINAMOTO no Moronori, MINAMOTO no Moromitsu, MINAMOTO no Morotsuna, the wife of MINAMOTO no Shigemichi, the wife of FUJIWARA no Mitsutaka, and the wife of MINAMOTO no Motohira. He was an excellent maker of Japanese poetry, and his 20-odd poems were selected to be included in parts of "Chokusen wakashu" (anthology of Japanese poetry compiled by imperial command).
He held various positions, such as "Bicchu no kuni no gon no suke" (the provisional assistant governor of Bicchu Province), "Sakone no shosho" (Minor Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards), "Sachuben" (Middle Controller of the Left) and "Uchuben" (Middle Controller of the Right), and in July (or August) 1094, he became "Kurodo no to" (Head Chamberlain). However, in December 1094 (or January 1095) at Gosechi-festival, he became excessively drunk, accidentally opening the door to a nobleman's living quarters, and so was forbidden to work for the Court for some time. In 1098, he was appointed to Sangi (Royal Adviser), and in the end, his Court rank & title rose to Shonii (Senior Second Rank) & Dainagon (Major Counselor). As a member of the decision-making committee within Grand Council of State, he additionally held various positions, such as Uhyoe no kami (Captain of the Right Division of Middle Palace Guards), Omi no kuni no gon no kami (the provisional governor of Omi Province), Bizen no kuni no gon no kami (the provisional governor of Bizen Province), Taikotaigogu no daibu (Master of the Household of Grand Empress Dowager [then, Imperial Princess Reishi]), and Togu no daibu (Master of the Quarters of Crown Prince [then, Imperial Prince Narihito, who later became Emperor Konoe]). In 1108, when he was in the position of Uhyoe no kami, he was deprived of his register in Court because of his not going to work at Court for three years. In December 1139, he deceased. He passed away at the age of 72.