Peak of Fujiwara Regency Government

Timeline

1. 930–949Heian-kyō · JapanFujiwara Tadahira served as regent upon the accession of a child emperor, taking charge of court government in the name of assisting rule. After his death he was posthumously awarded the title of chancellor, consolidating the Fujiwara tradition of controlling the court as imperial in-laws.
2. 967–972Heian-kyō · JapanFujiwara no Michikane first created the title of kanpaku to assist an already enthroned emperor in handling government affairs; regent and kanpaku together were called 'sekkan', forming the institutional framework for Fujiwara monopoly of power. Thereafter the kanpaku post was largely hereditary within the Fujiwara clan.
3. 995–1027Heian-kyō · JapanDuring Fujiwara no Michinaga's tenure as kanpaku, he enthroned three emperors and married two daughters into the imperial harem, reaching the height of power, famously called 'this age is my age'. Sekkan politics peaked by the end of the 10th century, with flourishing aristocratic culture; works like The Tale of Genji were nurtured in this context.