Minamoto no Makoto

Who was Minamoto no Makoto?

Minamoto no Makoto was the seventh son of the Japanese Emperor Saga, and was the first courtier to be given the name Minamoto. Initially an honorary name given to a number of unrelated courtiers by a number of different Emperors, the Minamoto clan would grow to be an integrated clan family, one of the most powerful and most important in all of Japanese history.

Makoto, also known as Kitabe-daijin, was the brother of Emperor Nimmyō, Minamoto no Tokiwa, and Minamoto no Tōru. He received the name "Minamoto" in 814.

Towards the end of his life, in 866, the main gate of the Imperial Palace was destroyed by a fire; in one of the Heian period's more famous events of court intrigues, Makoto was accused by his political rival Tomo no Yoshio of having set the blaze. This came to be known as the "Ōtenmon Conspiracy"; with the help of his powerful connections at court, Makoto was able to successfully argue his innocence. It was later discovered that Ban Tomo set the fire himself.