Isonokami no Maro

Isonokami no Maro 石上麻呂
Illustration by Kikuchi Yōsai, from Zenken Kojitsu
Born	640
Died	April 22, 717

Isonokami no Maro (石上麻呂^?, 640 - April 22, 717) was a Japanese statesman of the Asuka period and early Nara period His family name was Mononobe no Muraji, later Mononobe no Ason and Isonokami no Ason. He attained the court rank of shō ni-i (正二位^?) and sadaijin, and posthumously ju ichi-i (従一位^?).

In 672 he supported Prince Ōtomo (later known as Emperor Kōbun) in the Jinshin War until the prince's suicide. He was forgiven and sent as an envoy to Silla in 676. After this he served as a judge (法官^?), and as head of the dazaifu in 700. He became centrally involved in politics with a promotion to dainagon in 701, making udaijin in 704 and sadaijin in 708. Between 715 and his death in 717 Maro was the most powerful man in the daijō-kan.