^259:2 Sugawara Michizane (845-903), the son of an obscure but talented family, exercised a very great influence over the Emperor Uda (889-897), and laboured with great diligence to break the power of the Fujiwaras and raise the prestige of the Imperial Family. He persuaded his master to abdicate in favour of his son, Daigo (898-930), under whose reign he continued his political designs, being much aided therein by the ex-Emperor, who had abdicated on purpose to be able to work with more freedom for the attainment of his aims. The Fujiwara, however, contrived, in 901, to poison the Emperor Daigo's mind by false charges against Michizane, who was banished to Izu in spite of all the efforts made on his behalf by the ex-Emperor. He died two years later, constant in his faithfulness to the master who had treated him so ungratefully. He has since been deified, and is worshipped in various localities as Kan Shojo, Tenjin, Temmangu, etc. He was a celebrated archer. Her Majesty the Empress has a very pretty poem which tells how he rose straight from his writing-table, took a bow, and hit a difficult mark to show that, book-worm though he was accused of being, he was still able to do manly service for his master.

^261:1 Articles in the Hansei Zasshi, vol. xii., on the luxury of the Fujiwara period.

^261:2 Nichiren, however, represented the almost simultaneous foundations of Kyoto and Hieizan as having been the result of a conspiracy between Dengyo and the Emperor for bringing the Buddhist Church into political dependence upon the Crown.

^262:1 The list of Japanese emperors during this period shows a majority of names of sovereigns who came to the throne as infants in succession to deposed predecessors, and who were forced in their turn to abdicate as soon as they reached manhood or wanted to exert their powers.

^262:2 Shirakawa reigned A.D. 1078 to 1086; Toba, 1108 to 1123. Shirakawa did not, however, die until 1129, and Toba lived until 1156. There was a time when three ex-Emperors were all alive at the same time, eating out their hearts in early retirement, whilst one of their number helped to pull the wires for their baby kinsman on the throne.

^264:1 Minamoto Yoritomo, the first of the Minamoto Shoguns (11471199), organized the Kamakura Bakufu, round which he gathered the military elements of the country, away from the influence of the Court and priesthood. He is often spoken of as Kamakura dono. See next chapter.