was a member of the royal family in Japan during the

Asuka period The was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645), although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after ...

. He was the eldest son of Emperor Tenmu. He fought on the side of his father in the

Jinshin War The was a war of succession in Japan during the Asuka period of the Yamato state. It broke out in 672 following the death of Emperor Tenji. The name refers to the ''jinshin'' (壬申) or ninth year of the sixty-year Jikkan Jūnishi calendrica ...

(672), a battle of succession, which resulted in his father becoming

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

. At the age of 19, he was dispatched by his father to the battle front in what is now Fuwa District,

Mino Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today southern Gifu Prefecture. Mino was bordered by Ōmi to the west, Echizen and Hida to the north, and Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviat ...

(now the southern part of Gifu Prefecture) as vanguard and general commander. In 679, while in

Yoshino Yoshino may refer to: * Yoshino cherry, another name for ''Prunus × yedoensis'', a flowering cherry tree * Japanese cruiser Yoshino, Japanese cruiser ''Yoshino'', a protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy Places * Yoshino, Nara, a town ...

with his father, he swore to an oath of cooperation with his siblings. When

Empress Jitō was the 41st monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 持統天皇 (41)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). In the history of ...

ascended to the throne in 686 he became the ''

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 ...

'' and handled government affairs. He died suddenly in 696, thought by some to be an assassination. He loved

Princess Tōchi was a Japanese Imperial princess during the Asuka period of Japanese history and the empress consort to her cousin Emperor Kōbun. Her name Tōchi is derived from the Tōchi district, a neighbourhood located a few miles north of Asuka. Prince ...

(his elder half-sister, Prince Ōtomo's wife). He left only three ''

waka Waka may refer to: Culture and language * Waka (canoe), a Polynesian word for canoe; especially, canoes of the Māori of New Zealand ** Waka ama, a Polynesian outrigger canoe ** Waka hourua, a Polynesian ocean-going canoe ** Waka taua, a Māori w ...

'' poems during his whole life, but they were all poetry offered to her.

Family

Parents *Father: Emperor Tenmu (天武天皇, c. 631 – 1 October 686) *Mother: Munakata no Amako-no-iratsume (胸形尼子娘), unakata-no-Kimi Tokuzen's daughter Consorts and issues * Consort (''Hi''):

Princess Minabe (? – ?) was a member of the royal family in Japan during the Asuka period. She was a daughter of Emperor Tenji. Her mother was Lady Mei (姪娘), daughter of Soga no Kurayamada no Ishikawa no Maro (ob. 649) was a member of the Soga clan ...

(御名部皇女), Emperor Tenji's daughter and Empress Genmei's full-sister **First Son:

Prince Nagaya Nagaya ( ') (684 – 20 March 729) was a politician of the Nara period and an imperial prince of Japan, a son of Prince Takechi (grandson of Emperor Tenmu). His father was Prince Takechi and his mother Princess Minabe (a daughter of Emperor ...

(長屋王 , 684 – 20 March 729) **Second Son: Prince Suzuka (鈴鹿王, d. 3 October 745) * Consort (Hi): Princess Tajima (但馬皇女), Emperor Tenmu's daughter and Prince Takechi's half-sister *Unknown mother **Third Son: Prince Kadobe (門部王) **First Daughter: Princess Yamagata (山形女王, d. 5 October 745) **Second Daughter: Princess Kawachi (河内女王, d. 5 February 780) **Third Daughter: Princess Hinokuma (檜前女王)

References

*Yoshida Takashi 吉田隆 (1999), 飛鳥・奈良時代 ''Asuka Nara Jidai (Asuka and Nara Period)'', Iwanami Junior Shinsho, p. 71 Japanese princes 650s births 696 deaths Sons of emperors {{Japan-royal-stub