Tachibana no Michisada (橘道貞)
TACHIBANA no Michisada (year of birth unknown - May 24, 1016) was a bureaucrat, who lived during the mid-Heian Period. He was the child of TACHIBANA no Nakato, Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) Shimofusa no kuni no Kami (Governor of Shimofusa Province). He was a close adviser of FUJIWARA no Michinaga. It is said that because of his position, he and his older brother were given the character '道' (michi) by Michinaga to include it in their respective names.
Activities
He was a local bureaucrat who successively held important positions such as Izumi no kuni no Kami (Governor of Izumi Province) and Mutsu no kuni no Kami (Governor of Mutsu Province), belonging to the so called Zuryo (the head of the provincial governors) class. FUJIWARA no Michinaga also appreciated him.
Family
His first wife was the daughter of OE no Masamune, Echizen no kuni no kami (Governor of Echizen Province), and she, whose name was Suke no Naishi, was well known as Izumi Shikibu in later time. Later he divorced her and got remarried. The part of 'Izumi' in the name of Izumi Shikibu derives from the government post that Michisada was holding. The couple had a daughter called Koshikibu no Naishi.
Genealogy
In "Nihon Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten" (Dictionary of Japanese History and Figures) published by The Asahi Shinbun, he is described as a grandson of TACHIBANA no Hiromi, but it is an erroneous record or a misdescription. Nakato's father was TACHIBANA no Saomi (佐臣), Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) Shimofusa no kuni no Kami (Governor of Shimofusa Province), and Saomi (佐臣)'s father, TACHIMANA no Shigee (橘茂枝), who was ranked Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) Chikuzen no kuni no Kami (Governor of Chikuzen Province), and TACHIMANA no Hiromi, ranked Zo-Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank, posthumously conferred) Chunagon (Middle Councilor), were second cousins.
The highest official court rank
Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) Mutsu no kuni no Kami (Governor of Mutsu Province)