noble
A noble is a member of the nobility.
Noble may also refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Noble Glacier, King George Island
* Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land
* Noble Peak, Wiencke Island
* Noble Rocks, Graham Land
Australia
* Noble Island, Gr ...
title (''
kabane
were Japanese hereditary noble titles. Their use traces back to ancient times when they began to be used as titles signifying a family's political and social status.
History
As the national unification by the Yamato imperial court progressed ...
'') of ancient Japan. It was given to the descendants of the
Imperial Family
A royal family is the immediate family of King, kings/Queen regnant, queens, Emir, emirs/emiras, Sultan, sultans/Sultana (title), sultanas, or raja/rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the ...
before
Emperor Kōgen
, also known as was the eighth legendary emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Very little is known about this Emperor due to a lack of material available for further verification and study. Kōgen is known as a "l ...
. Along with ''
Muraji
(from Old Japanese: ''muraⁿzi'' < *''mura-nusi'' "village master") was an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing (a '''', ''Omi'' was reserved for the head of the most powerful clans during the Kofun period. When the Yamato court was established, the most influential families bearing these two titles were given the title ''Ōomi'' and ''Ōmuraji'', respectively.
History
The O''mi'' clans generally took their names from the geographic location from which they originated, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the , thus making them regional chieftains in their own right.
The most powerful ''Omi'' added the prefix to the O''mi'' title, and were referred to as . Examples of ''Ōomi'' mentioned in the '' Nihon Shoki'' included during the reign of
Emperor Richū
, also known as was the 17th legendary Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 履中天皇 (17) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this Emperor's life or ...
, during the reign of Emperors Yūryaku and Seinei, during the reign of
Emperor Keitai
(died 10 March 531) was the 26th legendary emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 継体天皇 (26)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he ...
and the four generations of Sogas who dominated the title during the 6th and 7th centuries:
Soga no Iname
was a leader of the Soga clan and a statesman during the reign of Emperor Kinmei in the Asuka period. He was the first person to hold the position of ''Ōomi'' that can be verified with reasonable accuracy, in 536 A.D. Essentially what this m ...
,
Soga no Umako
was the son of Soga no Iname and a member of the powerful Soga clan of Japan.
Umako conducted political reforms with Prince Shōtoku during the rules of Emperor Bidatsu and Empress Suiko and established the Soga clan's stronghold in the go ...
,
Soga no Emishi
was a statesman of the Yamato Imperial Court. His alternative names include Emishi () and Toyora no Ōomi (). After the death of his father Soga no Umako, Emishi took over '' Ōomi '', the Minister of State, from his father.
According to the ...
and
Soga no Iruka Soga may refer to:
People
* Soga clan, a Japanese clan of the Yamato period
* Soga clan (Sagami Province), a Japanese clan
* Soga people, of the Busoga kingdom in present-day Uganda
* Machiko Soga, Japanese voice actress
* Soga Tokimune, Jap ...
.
When the ''kabane'' system was reformed into the eight kabane system in 684 following a series of coup attempts, the powerful O''mi'' of the time were given the ''kabane'' of ''
Ason
was a prestigious hereditary noble title in Japan, used mainly between Asuka and Heian periods. At first, it was the second highest, below '' Mahito'', which was given to members of the Imperial family, but after Heian period it became the h ...
'', which ranked second under the new system, and O''mi'' itself was dropped to sixth in rank.
Name
The title denoted supremacy within the court, with titular power belonging to the ''Ōkimi'' (later denoted Emperor), whether or not he actually held power.
These same characters of ''Ōomi'' () are pronounced ''Daijin'' to refer to titles beyond 670 A.D. in ''
Daijō-daijin
The was the head of the ''Daijō-kan'' (Great Council of State) during and after the Nara period and briefly under the Meiji Constitution. Equivalent to the Chinese (Grand Preceptor).
History
Emperor Tenji's favorite son, Prince Ōtomo, wa ...
Udaijin
was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''udaijin'' in the context of a central administ ...
'', ''
Naidaijin
The , literally meaning "Inner Minister", was an ancient office in the Japanese Imperial Court. Its role, rank and authority varied throughout the pre- Meiji period of Japanese history, but in general remained as a significant post under the Tai ...
Gōzoku
, in Japanese, refers to powerful regional families. In historical context, it can refer to powerful non-royal families regardless of their area of influence, in contrast to the Imperial Family. The most powerful ''gōzoku'' families of the Yamat ...