was a Japanese court minister of rank during the

Kofun period The is an era in the history of Japan from about 300 to 538 AD (the date of the introduction of Buddhism), following the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes collectively called the Yamato period. This period is ...

, who was able to briefly usurp the throne of Japan in a coup attempt. He was the son of

Heguri no Tsuka is a town located in Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of April 1, 2015, the town has an estimated population of 18,774, and 7,847 households. and a density of 790 persons per km². The total area is 23.90 km². Education El ...

, and served in the administration of

Emperor Yūryaku (418 - 8 September 479) was the 21st legendary Emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 雄略天皇 (21) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order of succession. He is remembered as a patron of sericulture.Nippon ...

and

Emperor Ninken (449 — 9 September 498) was the 24th legendary Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 仁賢天皇 (24) retrieved 2013-8-30. according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this Emperor's ...

. According to the '' Nihon Shoki'', when the emperor Ninken died in 498, Heguri no Matori took over the government and started an attempt to establish his own imperial reign. He behaved arrogantly towards Ninken's heir, the Crown Prince Wohatsuse Wakasazaki (later

Emperor Buretsu (489 — 7 January 507) was the 25th legendary Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 武烈天皇 (25)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this Emperor's life or reign, but ...

), taking over a palace he claimed to have constructed for the prince and denying him a request for horses. The prince wished to marry a woman named Kagehime. Matori's son, Heguri no Shibi, was secretly betrothed to Kagehime, and on discovering this Wakasazaki had Shibi killed. With the aid of

Ōtomo no Kanamura Ōtomo no Kanamura (大伴金村) was a Japanese warrior and statesman during the late Kofun period. Most of what is known of his life comes from the ''Kojiki'' and the '' Nihon Shoki''. His clan, the Ōtomo, had been highly influential at court ...

, he also put down and defeated Heguri no Matori's incipient rebellion.

References

People of Kofun-period Japan Japanese rebels {{Japan-bio-stub