Abe no Otarashihime - Abe no Otarashihime

Japanese: 阿倍小足媛 - あべのおたらしひめ

Year of birth: Unknown
Empress of Emperor Kokutoku in the 7th century. Daughter of Abe no Kurahashimaro. She was also written as Otarihime, and may be pronounced "Otarihime". In 640, when Emperor Kokutoku was still called Prince Karu, she accompanied him to Arima Onsen (Arima Onsen, Hyogo Prefecture) and gave birth to Prince Arima. After Kokutoku ascended to the throne, Otarihime, the daughter of a vassal, was merely one of the wives, but Prince Arima was the emperor's only son. By the time the prince was executed by hanging on suspicion of treason (658), she was no longer alive. The "favorite concubine Abe," who is recorded in the "Nihon Shoki" as having Nakatomi Kamatari, who visited the palace in 644, courteously entertained by Prince Karu, is likely to be Otarihime, who lived with the young Prince Arima and his husband.

(Kyoko Kojima)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
7世紀,孝徳天皇の妃。阿倍倉梯麻呂の娘。男足媛とも書かれ,読みは「おたりひめ」かもしれない。舒明12(640)年,孝徳天皇がまだ軽皇子と呼ばれていたころ,同行先の有間温湯(兵庫県有馬温泉)で有間皇子を生む。孝徳即位後,臣下の娘である小足媛は妃のひとりにすぎなかったが,有間皇子は天皇にとって唯一の皇子だった。その皇子が謀反の疑いで絞殺刑にされたとき(658),彼女はすでにこの世になかったようである。皇極3(644)年に軽皇子が,宮を訪れた中臣鎌足を丁重に接待させたと『日本書紀』に記されている「寵妃阿倍氏」とは,幼い有間皇子と夫と暮らす小足媛のことであろう。

(児島恭子)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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