Fujiwara no Suetsune

Lord Fujiwara no Suetsune, Junior Third Rank

従三位藤原朝臣季経 (1131-1221)

Suetsune was the sixth son of Master of the Left Capital Office Fujiwara no Akisuke 藤原顕輔 (1090-1155); his mother was an anonymous lady in his father’s house, with whom his father had another son, Fujiwara no Shige’ie 藤原重家 (1128-1181). By repute, his father was particularly fond of the two brothers, possibly because he would have seen them much more often than his other sons, who would have resided with their mothers. Suetsune had a successful court career, ending as Minister of the Imperial Household, at Senior Third Rank, but he was particularly well-known as a poet, judging the ‘Poetry Contest in 1500 Rounds’, and coming into conflict with Fujiwara no Teika over matters of poetic style.

Suetsune has the following poems in the Roppyaku-ban Uta Awase:

3
13
29
41
55
63
75
93
97
109
123
139
151
157
173
185
195
205
217
229
245
263
269
281
293
301
313
331
341
353
361
375
387
403
409
425
435
453
457
471
489
495
511
519
537
549
553
573
579
595
603
619
625
639
655
665
677
687
697
711
721
737
747
759
771
785
793
811
817
831
841
859
869
881
891
905
915
925
939
949
967
979
993
1005
1017
1023
1039
1047
1059
1075
1087
1095
1111
1127
1135
1145
1157
1171
1179
1193

'Simply moving and elegant'