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Fujiwara no Senshi

Fujiwara no Senshi ([tel:962-1002 962-1002]) was a Japanese Imperial Consort of Emperor Enyu and later Empress Dowager during the mid-Heian period. She was one of the first Japanese women from the imperial family who were able to gain real political influence.

Early Life

She was the daughter of the powerful politician, Fujiwara no Kaneie. Her siblings were Fujiwara no Michitaka, who was the regent of the child emperor, Fujiwara no Michikane, who was regent for a shorther time, and Fujiwara no Michinaga, the most influental politician, who ruled Japan as regent.

Senshi entered the imperial court in 978 and was named nyogo, which was a title for the imperial consorts of the emperor. In 980, she gave birth to the only son of Emperor Enyu, Imperial Prince Kanehito, who later become Emperor Ichijo. Empress Junshi, who was considered the legal wife of the emperor, could not give birth to any son.

As Empress Dowager

Emperor Enyu resigned from the throne early, so his only son became the emperor, who was still a child at this time. So in 986, Senshi was made Empress Dowager instead of Empress Junshi, who was ordered to go a monastery because she was childless.

She had a strong say in politics, and she was called Kokumo, which means “the mother of the emperor”. Because of the minority of this son, she get extraordinary political influence and power. When her two brothers passed away, she support her younger brother, Michinaga, to be the Sessho (regent for a child emperor) over her nephew, Fujiwara no Korechika, who was the first son of the former regent, Fujiwara no Michitaka, and the brother of Empress Teishi, the legal wife of Emperor Ichijo. Emperor Enyu had only one son, so the line of the imperial family was questionable, so Empress Dowager Senshi tried to urge the birth of imperial descendants. Empress Teishi first gave birth to a daughter, Imperial Princess Shushi, but later the empress gave birth to Imperial Prince Atsuyasu, which was a great joy for the imperial family. But after Michitaka, the father of the empress died, Teishi was put aside and Michinaga brought his daughter, Fujiwara no Shoshi to the court with the support of Senshi. Shoshi became Imperial Consort and a big rivalry broke out between Senshi’s two nieces. Senshi support Michinaga politically, but because of Shoshi’s young age, she could not give birth, but get the title of empress and for the first time, there were two empress consort. When Teishi died in childbirth, Senshi adopted the daughter of the poor empress, Imperial Princess Bishi.

Later Years

She was deeply religous, she established Buddhist temples. In her later years, she felt guilty because of her torn family. Members of Michitaka’s family was put aside and exiled.

Her 40th Birthday Celebration was held in 1001 but soon she was died away from the imperial court. After his son, the emperor heard about her death, he was inconsolable and according to the Tale of Flowering Fortunes, the emperor cried for days on end. Senshi was a great example for her daughter-in-law, Fujiwara no Shoshi, who followed her aunt, and gain big power and political influence and lead the imperial family and the court.