several fujiwara were exiled to posts in distant provinces. fujiwara no hirotsugu, the oldest son of umakai and nephew of empress kōmyō, was the leader of the shikike branch of the fujiwara family. hermann bohner describes him as a "knight", very talented in warfare, dance, music, poetry and science, but also as daredevil who is looking for enemies to attack and for risks to take. seeing the fujiwara influence waning, hirotsugu impeached genbō and vocally opposed makibi. however shōmu confided in his most influential advisors and had hirotsugu demoted from his position as governor of the central yamato province, which he had assumed a year earlier, to remote kyushu where he became vice-governor of dazaifu in 738.