Kimmei

The emperor Kimmei (欽明天皇 Kimmei Tennō , 509 - 571) was the twenty-ninth emperor Japan, according to the traditional order of the succession, and the first to which modern historiography can allot exact dates. During its life, it was known under the name of Amehara Oshiharaki Hironiwa (天国排開広庭尊) or Amekuni Oshiharaki Hironiwa. At the time where he lived, the title of tennō did not exist yet, and its real title was probably sumeramikoto (治天下大王 - amenoshita shiroshimesu ōkimi , or will sumera No mikoto , Grand King of all that is under the Skies), and/or Yamato Ōkimi , Grand King of Yamato.

Biography

Access to the capacity

According to the history as brought back by the tradition, Kimmei reaches the throne only after the death of his/her brother the emperor Senka in 539. According to the specialists, there was however perhaps a leading rival during the reign of his two elder half-brothers Ankan and Senka (of the lacks and contradictions in the legends brought back by the Nihon Shoki tend to support this theory), and remains alone to reign after the death of the latter. It establishes or moves its court with the palate of Shikishima No Kanazashi (磯城嶋金刺宮) in the Province of Yamato. Mononobe No Okoshi and Nakatomi No Kanamura is both named Ōmuraji and Soga No Iname becomes Ōomi .

Introduction of Buddhism to Japan

Although the imperial court does not move in the area of Asuka before 592, the reign of Kimmei is generally regarded as the first of the Period Asuka, insofar as he sees the introduction of the Bouddhisme to Japan, brought by approximately 5000 families of Korean immigrants called Kikajin.

According to the Nihon Shoki , the Kimmei emperor receives in gift a statue of Bouddha on behalf of the king of Paekche Song Myong Wang (聖明王, Seimei Ō ). Although Buddhism is then already practiced in Japan by many Korean immigrants (according to the Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Teisetsu , Buddhism is introduced into the country in 538), this episode is generally regarded as the official introduction of Buddhism into the country.

With the introduction of this new religion to the court, a deep competition begins between the clan Mononobe, which support the worship of the Japanese traditional divinities, and the clan Soga, which supports the adoption of Buddhism. A famous episode reports that shortly after that Soga started to adore the new statue of Buddha, an epidemic was spread, that Mononobe were not long in allotting to a curse sent by the traditional divinities in punishment for the worship of the foreign god. Mononobe No Okoshi and its men promptly threw the statue in a river with Naniwa and burned the temple built by Soga to shelter it.

Always according to the Nihon Shoki , Kimmei reigns until its death in 571 and is buried in the Kofun of Hinokuma No Sakai (桧隈坂合陵), but a more probable theory supports than it has in fact buried in that of Misemaruyama (見瀬丸山古墳) located at Kashihara.

Genealogy

Kimmei was the son of the emperor Keitai and its mother the girl of the emperor Ninken, the princess Tashiraka (手白香皇女).

Empress and consorts

Kimmei had in all sixteen wire and nine girls, with six different women. The three first were three of his/her nieces, girls of her brother and predecessor the emperor Senka; the two first were girls of the empress Tachibana No Nakatsu; the third of a concubine. The two following ones were also sisters, girls of Soga No Iname. Kojiki gives only 5 consorts, and makes only one person of the third and the sixth consort.

Princess Ishi-Hime (or Iwa-hime), girl of the emperor Senka and the empress Tachibana No Nakatsu, empress in spring 540; empress dowager in 572; it had 3 children:

Prince Yata No Tamakatsu No Oe (first wire)
Prince Nunakura Futotama-Shiki (Bidatsu Emperor); born 538 (second wire)
Princess Kasanui (Satake Princess)

Princess Kura Wayaka-Hime, girl of the Senka emperor and the empress Tachibana No Nakatsu, second consort imperial; it had a child:

Prince Iso No Kami, born 539/540

Hikage Princess, girl of the Senka emperor and a secondary wife; third consort imperial; it had a child:

Prince Kura (Prince Soga No Kura)

Soga No Kitashi Hime, girl of Soga No Iname; fourth consort imperial; died before 612; it had 13 children:

Prince Oe or Ikebe (Emperor YOMEI); born 540
Ihane-hime Princess or Ihakumo, princess vestal of Ise; born towards 545
Prince Atori, born towards 545/550
Princess Nukatabe (Empress SUIKO), born 553
Prince Maroko
Princess Ohoyake
Prince Iso No Kami Be (Imigako)
Prince Yamashiro
Princess Ohotomo
Prince Sakurawi
Princess Katano
Prince Tachibana Motor bike No Wakugo
Toneri Princess, born towards 565; married to its nephew prince Tame Toroya, wire of the Yomei emperor; died 603

Soga No Oane hime, girl of Soga No Iname; fifth consort imperial; it had 5 children:

Prince Mubaragi
Prince Katsuraki
Princess Hasetsukabe Anahobe No Hashihito, married its half brother emperor Yomei
Prince Amatsukabe Anahobe (Prince Sume-Irodo), killed June 7th, 587
Prince Hatsusebe (emperor SUSHUN)

Nukako No Iratsume, girl of Kasuga No Hifuri No Omi; fifth concubine; it had 2 children:

Princess Kasuga No Yamada No Iratsume
Prince Tachibana No Maro

References

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