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Fujiwara no Michinori

1106 – 1160

Japanese aristocrat, Confucian scholar and Buddhist monk in late Heian period

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About Fujiwara no Michinori

Lived 1106 – 1160 (aged 53–54). Fujiwara no Michinori was a Japanese writer and buddhist monk.

, also known as , was a Buddhist monk in late Heian period Japan. He was one of the chief advisors to Emperor Nijō, and one of the chief allies of Taira no Kiyomori. Enmity towards him led to the Heiji Rebellion of 1159, in which he died early in the conflict.

As the head of the leading faction at Court, Shinzei enjoyed access to the emperor and other privileges which his rival Fujiwara no Nobuyori envied. In early 1160, Shinzei's ally Taira no Kiyomori left the capital with much of his family, thus providing Nobuyori's faction (and his allies, the Minamoto clan) the opportunity to make a move for power. Some believe this may have been intentional on Kiyomori's part, laying a trap for the Minamoto.

Nobuyori and the Minamoto set fire to the Sanjō Palace and abducted both Emperor Nijō and the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. They then turned on Shinzei's home, destroying it and killing all those inside, with the exception of Shinzei himself, who escaped only to be captured in the mountains near Kyoto and decapitated soon afterward.

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Important facts

Born
1106, Kyoto
Birth century
Nationality
Positions held
Shōnagon
Also known as
Shinzei

People in Fujiwara no Michinori's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Fujiwara no Michinori's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Fujiwara no Michinori?

Japanese aristocrat, Confucian scholar and Buddhist monk in late Heian period

When was Fujiwara no Michinori born?

Fujiwara no Michinori was born in 1106 in Kyoto.

When did Fujiwara no Michinori die?

Fujiwara no Michinori died on 23 January 1160 in Tawara.

What was Fujiwara no Michinori's occupation?

Fujiwara no Michinori was a writer and buddhist monk.

What nationality was Fujiwara no Michinori?

Fujiwara no Michinori was Japanese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Fujiwara no Michinori

· Wikidata: Q711600

· DBpedia: Fujiwara no Michinori

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Fujiwara no Michinori. https://biography.guide/fujiwara-no-michinori/

MLA: "Fujiwara no Michinori." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/fujiwara-no-michinori/.

Chicago: "Fujiwara no Michinori." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/fujiwara-no-michinori/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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