Fujiwara no Nariko

, also known as , was an empress consort of Emperor Toba of Japan and mother of Emperor Konoe. She was the daughter of the chūnagon and . Life Early years Born in 1117, Nariko grew up with her father Nagazane's doting affection. According to the Imakagami, he commented that he could not bring himself to marry her to an ordinary person. Nariko's maternal uncle recorded in his diary that even when Nagazane was on his deathbed, he shed tears and said that he could not forget his dear girl for even a moment. Nagazane was favored in the court because his grandmother acted as wetnurse to the future Emperor Shirakawa, and during Shirakawa's cloistered rule, Nagazane served as his attendant. In 1134, after Nagazane's death, Nariko gained the affection of the retired Emperor Toba, and in late 1135 gave birth to . Early in 1136, she was conferred the . In 1137 she gave birth to , and in 1139 to a long-awaited son, Prince Narihito, the future Emperor Konoe. Three months later, Toba made Narihito crown prince and thus successor to Emperor Sutoku. Nariko was promoted to the position of , surpassing Toba's main wife Fujiwara no Tamako in influence. In 1140, she adopted Emperor Sutoku's first son .