Fujiwara no Fuhito (è¤å ä¸Âæ¯ÂçÂÂ: 659 – 13 September 720) was a powerful member of the Imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods. Second son of Fujiwara no Kamatari (or, according to one theory, of Emperor Tenji), he had sons by two women, and those sons were the founders of the four principal lineages of the Fujiwara clan: the South, North, Ceremonial, and Capital lineages. Also, he had four daughters by two other women, three by Kamohime, one by Tachibana no Michiyo. One daughter by Kamohime became Emperor Monmu's wife Miyako, who in turn gave birth to Emperor Shà Âmu. The daughter by Michiyo became the empress of his grandson Shà Âmu, Empress Kà Âmyà Â.
During the reign of Emperor Monmu, the government ordered that only the descendants of Fuhito could bear the Fujiwara surname and could be appointed in the Office of Dajà Âkan, the center of administratives.
Fuhito was 13 years old when the Jinshin incident occurred. His father Kamatari had been a strong supporter of Emperor Tenji, but Kamatari had already died and Fuhito was too young to be appointed a governmental officer, so he was not involved in this political conflict. In 688 he appeared first as a courtier.
In 697 Prince Karu, the son of Prince Kusakabe and therefore grandson of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jità Â, was appointed crown prince. Fuhito supported this appointment strongly and gained the favor of Empress Jità Â. After that, his position in the court rose steadily. In 701 Prince Obito, later the emperor Shà Âmu was born by Miyako. Fuhito succeeded in persuading the court to appoint Obito the crown prince, and made his other daughter a wife of Obito. Until then only a royal lady could be promoted to the empress, but he succeeded in gaining his daughter the position of empress of Obito by the emperor Shà Âmu. It was the first empress who did not derive from the imperial household.
He moved Yamashina-dera, the Buddhist temple which was the main temple his clan supported, to Nara and renamed it KÃ Âfuku-ji. After his death, Kasuga shrine, the main Shinto shrine of the Fujiwara clan, was settled near Kofuku-ji in 768.
He played a role in the establishment of the state law, ritsuryà Â, in Japan. He participated in the edition called Taihà  Ritsuryà Â. He also joined in making its revision, the Yà Ârà  ritsuryà Â. Before its completion, he died in the summer of 720. When he died, he was appointed Udaijin, one of the ministers.
After his death the court honored him with two titles Bunchà « Kà  (æÂÂå¿ å ¬) and Tankai Kà  (æ·¡æµ·å ¬) and with the office of Daijà Â-daijin, the highest office of the court.
He had four sons: Fujiwara no Muchimaro, Fujiwara no Fusasaki (681âÂÂ737), Fujiwara no Umakai and Fujiwara no Maro. His son Fusasaki would become the ancestor of the regent line of the Fujiwara clan.
Additionally, four poems of his can be found in the Kaifà «so.