Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Shikike

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Parent house
  
Fujiwara clan

Founder
  
Fujiwara no Umakai

Titles
  
Various

Founding year
  
8th century


The Shikike (式家, Ceremonials House) was a cadet branch of the Fujiwara clan founded by Fujiwara no Umakai, i.e., one of the four great houses of the Fujiwara, founded by the so-called Fujiwara Four, who were sons of Fujiwara no Fuhito.

The name Shikike (式家) derives from the fact that the founder Umakai held the office of Shikibu-kyō (式部卿), or the head of the Shikibu-shō (式部省, "Ministry of Ceremonial"). Thus Shikike may be translated the "Ceremonials House."

The other branches were the Nanke (the eldest brother Muchimaro's line), Hokke (Fusasaki's line), and the Kyōke (Fujiwara no Maro's line).

Umakai's son Hirotsugu mounted a rebellion named after his name in 740, which ended with suppression and his death, spelling ill-fortune for the Shikike. The Nanke then gained hegemony again (back from the non-Fujiwara Tachibana no Moroe) until Nakamaro mounted his own uprising.

Shikike came into ascendancy with Fujiwara no Momokawa. The notorious Fujiwara no Kusuko who enticed and held sway over Emperor Heizei is also of the Shikike clan.

References

Shikike Wikipedia