Minamoto no Yorichika (源頼親)
MINAMOTO no Yorichika (year of birth and death unknown) was a busho (Japanese military commander) during the mid Heian period. He was the second son of MINAMOTO no Mitsunaka. His mother was the daughter of FUJIWARA no Munetada, Saemon no gon no suke (provisional assistant captain of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards). His brothers were MINAMOTO no Yorimitsu, MINAMOTO no Yorinobu, MINAMOTO no Yorihira, MINAMOTO no Yorinori, MINAMOTO no Takamichi, and Genken, and Yorinobu was his maternal half brother. He was the father of MINAMOTO no Yorinari, MINAMOTO no Yorifusa, MINAMOTO no Yorito, and MINAMOTO no Yorimoto. He was Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), kebiishi (officials with judicial and police powers), Sahyoe no jo (third-ranked officer of Sahyoe-fu, the Left Division of Middle Palace Guards), Saemon no jo (third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards), Yamato no kuni no kami (Governor of Yamato Province), Suo no kuni no Kami (Governor of Suo Province), Awaji no kuni no kami (Governor of Awaji Province), and Shinano no kuni no kami (Governor of Shinano Province). He was the ancestor of Yamato-Genji (Minamoto clan).
He served the FUJIWARA no Michinaga family, along with his brother Yorimitsu, and held various posts as kokushi (provincial governors) in the Yamato Province and many other provinces. In 994, he worked on capturing robbers as a 'Buyujin' (brave man) with his uncle MINAMOTO no Mitsumasa, his brother Yorinobu, and TAIRA no Koremasa ("Honcho seiki" (Chronicle of Imperial Reigns)). Also, Yorichika's first home base was the shoryo (territory) in Toshima-gun, Settsu Province that is assumed to have been succeeded from his father Mitsunaka and he also worked on establishing other bases in the same province. He was recommended to be Settsu no kami (Governor of Settsu Province) by Michinaga in 1014, but FUJIWARA no Sanesuke was against it as he already had significant shoryo within the province, so Michinaga's recommendation fell apart ("Shoyuki" (the diary of FUJIWARA no Sanesuke), Article of March 25, 1014).
In April 16, 1017, an incident occurred where the roto (retainer) and one party of HADA no Ujimoto killed KIYAHARA no Munenobu (Sei Shonagon's elder brother) in the capital, however, it was later found that the incident was ordered by Yorichika. When Michinaga heard of this incident, he wrote about Yorichika as a 'superior in murder' in "Mido Kanpakuki" (FUJIWARA no Michinaga's diary). He pursued the position of Settsu no kami again in 1028 but was rejected.
Since he could not become the kokushi (provincial governor) of Settsu Province where his first home base was, Yorichika served as Yamato no kami (Governor of Yamato Province) three times in his lifetime and continued instilling and expanding his power within the province. Therefore, he had to fight over the shoryo against the Kasuga-taisha Shrine, Kofuku-ji Temple, and Todai-ji Temple which already had caused stress within the Yamato Province. In 1049 when he was serving as Yamato no kami for the third time, his second son Yorifusa warred with the Kofuku-ji Temple and millions were killed. After which, Yorichika was also accused by Kofuku-ji Temple and exiled to the Tosa Province.
His information after that was unknown.