Struggle with Korechika Michitaka was regent from 990 until 995, when he died. Michikane then succeeded him, famously ruling as Regent for only seven days before he too died of disease. With his two elder brothers dead, Michinaga then struggled with
Fujiwara no Korechika, Michitaka's eldest son and the successor he had named. The mother of Ichijo, Fujiwara no Senshi, coerced Ichijo into granting Michinaga the title of
Nairan (内覧) in the fifth month of 995. Korechika's position was ruined by a scandal that took place the following year, likely arranged by Michinaga. Korechika had been seeing a mistress in one of the Fujiwara palaces. He was told that the retired
Emperor Kazan had been visiting the same house during the night; Korechika presumed that Kazan had been seeing the same mistress. Consequently, he and his brother Takaie ambushed the Emperor, shooting at him. An arrow struck Kazan's sleeve. Michinaga and his supporters then pressed charges of
lèse-majesté. Though the jurists examining the case found the servants of Kaneie and Takaie at fault. Korechika was accused of putting a curse on Senshi. During their struggle, Michinaga had gained the position of Minister of the Right, or
Udaijin (右大臣), on the 19th day of the 6th month of 995. Later, in 996, Michinaga became Minister of the Left,
Sadaijin (左大臣), the most senior position in government apart from that of Chancellor (Daijō-daijin).
Rule as Mido Kampaku During his lifetime, Michinaga was called the Mido Kampaku, a title referencing the name of his residence, Mido, and that he was Regent in all but name. Although Ichijo already had an Empress, Teishi, Michinaga made her
Kogo empress and had his first daughter,
Shoshi, also marry him as
Chūgū empress. When Teishi died of childbirth in 1001, Michinaga's influence over Ichijo was absolute.
Kenshi, Michinaga's second daughter, married the future
Emperor Sanjō. Ichijo and Shoshi had two sons, both future emperors, and it was to these that Michinaga's third and fourth daughters were married: Ichijo's eldest son,
Go-Ichijō, married the third daughter,
Ishi; and Ichijo's second son,
Go-Suzaku, married the fourth daughter, Kishi. Michinaga made alliances with the
Minamoto (or more specifically, the
Seiwa Genji); his wives were both Minamoto.
Minamoto no Yorimitsu and
Minamoto no Yorinobu were his two principal commanders. Michinaga never formally took the title of
Kampaku. In 1011, he was granted the privilege of travelling to and from the court by ox-drawn cart. In the same year, Ichijo's second son, Atsunari, was proclaimed Crown Prince. During Sanjō's reign as Emperor, he and Michinaga often came into conflict. Consequently, Michinaga attempted to pressure Sanjō into retirement. In 1016, he was successful. The youth of Go-Ichijō meant that Michinaga ruled as Sesshō, the Regency assumed. He briefly became Chancellor in the final month of 1017 before resigning in the second month of the following year. A month after his resignation, he also resigned from the position of Sesshō in favour of
Yorimichi, his eldest son. In 1019, he took the tonsure, becoming a monk at the
Hōjō-ji, which he had built. He took the
Dharma name Gyōkan (行観), which was later changed to
Gyōkaku (行覚). ==Death and legacy==