Fujiwara no Momokawa

Fujiwara no Momokawa, born in 732, was an eighth son of Fujiwara no Umakai and Kume no Wakame. Earlier known as Odamaro, he served in Empress Shōtoku's court; by 769 his posts included deputy head of the inner court administration under Yuge no Kiyohito, Dōkyō's brother. His career thus crossed the political change that followed Shōtoku's death in 770. He joined Fujiwara no Nagate and Yoshitsugu in supporting Prince Shirakabe, the future Emperor Kōnin. [S01]

Momokawa became a councillor and held posts in the palace administration and guards. A later biographical account, quoted in Nihon kiryaku, credits him with falsifying a proclamation to secure Shirakabe's selection. Another later narrative describes his interventions in favour of Prince Yamabe, Kōnin’s son and the future Emperor Kanmu, after Crown Prince Osabe’s removal. Osabe’s mother, Princess Inoe, was Kōnin’s empress; accusations of cursing the emperor led to her deposition and her son’s removal in 772. These accounts give him a decisive role, but their precise stories are disputed. They do not establish that he murdered Inoe and Osabe, or fully explain Yamabe’s appointment as crown prince in 773. [S01, S03]

He died in 779, while still a councillor and Minister of Ceremonial Affairs. In 783, Emperor Kanmu posthumously granted him the office of minister of the right, an honour recorded in Shoku Nihongi. His daughter Tabiko became a consort of Kanmu and the mother of Emperor Junna. When Junna acceded in 823, Momokawa received another posthumous promotion, to the highest ministerial office. His family connection brought recognition long after his own court service had ended. [S01, S02]