was a Japanese

prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

. He was a son of

Emperor Ingyō was the 19th legendary Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 允恭天皇 (19) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this Emperor's life or reign, but he is ...

. Prince Kinashi no Karu, Princess Karu no Ōiratsume, Prince Anaho (

Emperor Ankō (401 — 24 September 456) was the 20th legendary Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 安康天皇 (20) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order of succession. Emperor Ankō is the earliest generally agreed u ...

) and Prince Ōhatsuse Wakatake (

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 ...

) were born as children of Ingyō and

Oshisaka no Ōnakatsuhime Oshisaka no Ōnakatsuhime (? – after 453) was Empress of Japan as the consort of Emperor Ingyō.https://glim-re.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=805&item_no=1&attribute_id=22&file_no=1 Daughter of Prince Wakanu ...

. Prince Kinashi no Karu was the first son of his father.

Imperial Household Agency The (IHA) is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial Family, and also the keeping of the Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century AD, up until the Second World War, it ...

(''Kunaichō'')
允恭天皇 (19)
/ref> Prince Kinashi no Karu was elected as the

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...

, but was accused of his

incest Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...

uous relationship with his sister, Princess Karu no Ōiratsume. But this was not his fault, as he had gone his entire life not knowing that this girl was his sister. One day when he proclaimed his love for her to his father, his father Ingyō forbade the relationship, claiming that he had slept with the girls' mother. After his father’s death, Anaho battled with Kinashi no Karu. Anaho was the new ruler after his father's passing and declared that Princess Karu no Ōiratsume be hanged for her actions and Kinashi no Karu be exiled. The

was unhappy with this and attempted to prevent the hanging from taking place. He rallied a few of his most loyal followers who also did not agree with the princess's death to help save her. He successfully saved her and slaughtered the small garrison of men attending her hanging. But unfortunately, Anaho grabbed the princess and pressed his blade to her throat. Kinashi no Karu offered himself instead. Kinashi no Karu let Anaho defeat him in exchange for the life of Princess Karu no Ōiratsume. He then became Emperor Ankō. According to ''

Kojiki The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...

'', Kinashi no Karu was sent into exile to

Iyo Province was a province of Japan in the area of northwestern Shikoku. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Tosa''" in . Iyo bordered on Sanuki Province to the northeast, Awa to the east, and Tosa to the south. Its abbreviated form name was . In term ...

and then committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

. But other sources claim that he committed suicide at the scene of Princess Karu no Ōiratsume's hanging under the orders of Anaho. According to '' Nihon Shoki'', Karu no Ōiratsume was sent into exile to Iyo Province during the reign of her father because of their incestuous relationship and Prince Kinashi no Karu committed suicide during the battle with Anaho.''The Chronicles of Japan''

References

External links

*
Nihon Shoki
' Online English translations
Scroll 13 - Emperors Ingyo and Anko
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinashi no Karu, Prince Incest Japanese princes People of Kofun-period Japan Suicides in Japan Ancient people who committed suicide Sons of emperors 450s deaths