was an imperial regent in the late 12th century, serving both Emperor Rokujō and

Emperor Takakura was the 80th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1168 through 1180. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was Norihito''-shi ...

. He was also called , as he came from the village of Matsudono, near

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. Fujiwara no Tadataka and Matsudono Moroie were his first and third sons, respectively. Though wielding great power as ''sesshō'' and ''kampaku'', Motofusa was prevented from becoming the head of the Fujiwara family by the political maneuvers of

Taira no Kiyomori was a military leader and ''kugyō'' of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. Early life Kiyomori was born in Heian-kyō, Japan, in 1118 as the first so ...

. An incident in 1170, while Motofusa was on his way to the Hōjuji Palace, further cemented his rivalry with the

Taira The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divided ...

clan. The Regent, along with a large retinue, was making his way to the palace for a ceremony which the cloistered

Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His de jure reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158, though arguably he effectively maintained imperial power for almost thirty-seven years through the ''ins ...

was supposed to attend, when a young boy, Taira no Sukemori, refused to make way for him and his retinue. As a result, the Regent's men smashed Sukemori's carriage and humiliated him. Sukemori was a grandson of Kiyomori and so, after a few failed attempts at reprisal, followers of

Taira no Shigemori was the eldest regent of the Taira clan patriarch, Taira no Kiyomori. He supported his father in the Heiji Rebellion. He died two years before his father. His son, Taira no Koremori, became a monk in 1184, and drowned himself. Oda Nobunaga cl ...

(Sukemori's father) attacked the Regent's men on their way to a solemn ceremony, dragging them from their horses and humiliating them. These events, while seemingly minor on the surface, led to a rift between Emperor Go-Shirakawa and the Taira, and therefore to closer relations between Go-Shirakawa and the

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, enemies of the Taira. He is the maternal grandfather of the founder of Sōtō Zen Buddhism in Japan, Eihei Dōgen. In 1179, he ordained as a Buddhist monk and took the

Dharma name A Dharma name or Dhamma name is a new name acquired during both lay and monastic Buddhist initiation rituals in Mahayana Buddhism and monastic ordination in Theravada Buddhism (where it is more proper to call it Dhamma or Sangha name). The nam ...

Zenkan (善観). When he died in 1230, he was given the posthumous Buddhist names Nakayamain (中山院) and Bodaiin (菩提院).

Service as Regent

*1166–1168: Sessho under Emperor Rokujō. *1168–1172: Sessho under

. *1172–1179: Kampaku under Emperor Takakura. {{DEFAULTSORT:Matsudono, Motofusa 1144 births 1230 deaths Fujiwara clan Matsudono family People of Heian-period Japan People of Kamakura-period Japan Sesshō and Kampaku Heian period Buddhist clergy Kamakura period Buddhist clergy