Fujiwara no Hirotsugu rebellion

The Fujiwara no Hirotsugu Rebellion is sparsely documented and most of what is known about it, including exact dates, derives from a single historical source, the Shoku Nihongi. Completed in 797, this is one of the imperially commissioned Six National Histories and covers the time from 697 to 791. It is a valuable document for historians, though not all dates in it should be considered exact. ==Background==

The Fujiwara clan had influenced Japanese politics since its founder, Nakatomi no Kamatari, assisted in a coup d'état in 645, in which the Soga clan was overthrown and shortly thereafter a reform program (Taika Reform) was launched, aimed at reinforcing imperial authority. In the 730s, the imperial advisory body known as the Council of State (Daijō-kan) was controlled by four sons of Fujiwara no Fuhito known as the "Fujiwara Four": Fujiwara no Muchimaro, minister of the right since 729; Fujiwara no Fusasaki, consultant since 729; Fujiwara no Umakai and Fujiwara no Maro who joined the council in 731. Together they held four out of ten positions of this important council which was placed directly under the emperor and in charge of all kinds of secular affairs. In addition, the Fujiwara were related with the emperor as both Shōmu's mother and his consort Empress Kōmyō, were daughters of Fujiwara no Fuhito. While most victims were from the producer populace of western and central Japan, by 737, the epidemic reached the capital at Heijō-kyō (Nara) causing death and terror among the aristocracy. The following appointments brought about a shift in power towards nobles closely related to the emperor and away from non-imperial clans such as the Fujiwara. In 737 Prince Suzuka, brother of Prince Nagaya, was appointed to Chancellor (Daijō-daijin), the highest position of the Council of State. In the beginning of the following year, Tachibana no Moroe, half-brother of Empress Kōmyō, took the position of minister of the right that had been held by Muchimaro before his death. The only Fujiwara in the council at the time was Muchimaro's son, Fujiwara no Toyonari who had a relatively low rank. In addition, all the clans that had opposed the Fujiwara Four such as the Ōtomo, the Saeki or the Agata Inukai were Moroe backers. Unlike under the Fujiwara Four, the Emperor was not opposed by a single strong faction anymore as members of this new council originated from various clans. Makibi who had brought several important Confucian texts to Japan would advise the Emperor on the latest continental developments in legal codes, warfare and music. He was promoted to a higher rank and became Imperial professor (daigaku no suke) at court. In 736, 2nd month (March/April), the monk Genbō who had returned with more than 5000 Buddhist scrolls and commentaries was given a large plot of land, eight servants and a purple kesa by the court. Several Fujiwara were exiled to posts in distant provinces. Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, the oldest son of Umakai and nephew of Empress Kōmyō, was the leader of the Shikike branch of the Fujiwara family. Hermann Bohner describes him as a "knight", very talented in warfare, dance, music, poetry and science, but also as daredevil who is looking for enemies to attack and for risks to take. However Shōmu confided in his most influential advisors and had Hirotsugu demoted from his position as governor of the central Yamato Province, which he had assumed a year earlier, to remote Kyushu where he became vice-governor of Dazaifu in 738. ==Rebellion==

In a memorial sent to the Emperor in September 740, Hirotsugu declared that he held Kibi no Makibi and the priest Genbō responsible for corruption and general discontent at the capital. He pointed out "failures of recent policy, described catastrophes of heaven and earth" and demanded their dismissal. he declared himself in rebellion not unlike what Iwai did some 200 years before. With the force concentrated in vital Dazaifu and Hirotsugu's connections in the capital, this situation posed a serious threat to the central government. the government sends a reconnaissance team of 24 native Hayato. To secure spiritual support for the mission, Azumabito was ordered to pray to Hachiman, the god of war. In order to surround the government forces, Hirotsugu split his army into three units; one under his command and the others under command of his subordinates, Tsunade and Komaro respectively. Together they advanced along different routes to northern Kyushu where the Kanmon Straits separate Kyushu from Japan's main island, Honshu. Along the way, on 19 October, Hirotsugu stopped at the headquarters of Oka district to "make camp, set up his crossbows, raise beacon signals, and conscript soldiers from the province [of Chikuzen]". Earlier the court's army had been reinforced on 16/17 October with more than 4,000 men including 40 fine soldiers (jōhei) under the magistrate of Toyoura District, Nagato Province. several of Hirotsugu's allies surrendered and changed sides: four district officials defected together with 500 mounted warriors and a citizen from Buzen Province killed one of the rebels. Later, a magistrate from a Buzen district returned with several rebels' heads from battle. an imperial decree was distributed among the population and officials of Kyushu, trying to discredit Hirotsugu, and promising rewards to anybody who killed Hirotsugu. On November 2, the remaining army of Hirotsugu, said to consist of 10,000 horsemen, met the government forces at Itabitsu river. As they failed to cross, Hirotsugu's army was defeated and broke up. A week later, on November 24, a general beheaded him without the court's permission. ==Emperor Shōmu's tour to the eastern provinces==

While battle maneuvers were still underway, in the 10th month, Emperor Shōmu left the capital at Heijō-kyō (Nara) and traveled eastward via Horikoshi (堀越頓宮; today Tsuge; 10th month, 29th day: November 22), Nabari (10th month, 30th day: November 23), Ao Presumably Shōmu feared Fujiwara supporters in Nara and was hoping to quell potential uprisings in other parts of the country with his presence. After four days travelling through heavy rain and thick mud, the party reached Kawaguchi on November 25. A couple of days later, they learn of Hirotsugu's execution and that the rebellion had been quelled. He continued his journey east, then north via Mino Province and back west along the shores of Lake Biwa to Kuni in Yamashiro Province (today in Kizugawa) which he reached on January 6, 741. Places passed along the way included Akasaka Situated among the hills and near a river north of Nara, Kuni was easily defensible. In addition, the area was linked with the Minister of the Right, Tachibana no Moroe, while Nara was a center of the Fujiwara clan. On January 6, 741, Shōmu proclaimed a new capital at Kuni-kyō. ==Aftermath==

In an entry of the Shoku Nihongi, dated April 14, 741, it was noted that gifts of land, servants, horses and Buddhist sutras were made to the Hachiman shrine and for the construction of a pagoda. Bender considers these offerings to be in thanks for the suppression of Hirotsugu's rebellion. However, through the influence of the Fujiwara, Makibi and Genbō were removed from court and exiled to Kyushu, the place from where Hirotsugu had demanded the removal of Genbō and shortly thereafter started his rebellion. Genbō built the temple Kwannon-ji in 745 and Makibi became governor of Chikuzen Province in 759 and shortly thereafter of Hizen Province before he was sent to China. Herman Ooms sees in this rumor a "widespread support (probably limited to Nara and environs) for someone who critiqued the government (Hirotsugu) and suffered the consequences". In the second half of the 8th century Hirotsugu's spirit was, together with that of Prince Nagaya, considered particularly disruptive. at the Imperial Palace Gardens in Heian-kyō (Kyoto). This ritual was aimed at six spirits, including Fujiwara no Hirotsugu's, as each of them had become a departed spirit due to Fujiwara actions. McMullin therefore assumes that the event was held in order to direct the fear in the population to these six deceased people who had been enemies of the hokke branch of the Fujiwara family, sending the message that enemies of the hokke Fujiwara were enemies of the people. ==Timeline==