Katsuranomiya

During the Edo period, this was one of the four princely families alongside Fushimi, Arisugawa and Kan'in. The first prince was Prince Toshihito, the sixth son of Prince Sanehito (Emperor Yokoudajo) of Emperor Ogimachi. Prince Toshihito was initially adopted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but when Hideyoshi had a child in 1589 (Tensho 17), he applied to have the family taken over as a princely family, and the following year Hachijo Palace was founded. He built a villa near the Katsura River, which was completed during the reign of the second prince, Prince Toshitada (now the Katsura Imperial Villa). After Prince Tomohito, there was an adopted son, who died young, and the 5th Prince Hisahito also had no heir, so Prince Sakunomiya, the son of Emperor Reigen, was made the heir and was given the title of Tokiwainomiya, but he died young, so his elder brother Prince Ayahito became the 6th and was renamed Kyogokunomiya. His grandson Prince Kimihito again had no heir, so Prince Takehito, the son of Emperor Kokaku, inherited the 9th and was called Katsuranomiya. After the 10th Prince Misahito, his elder sister Princess Sumiko inherited the 11th, but with his death in 1881 (Meiji 14), the Katsura line came to an end.

[Masanobu Hashimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸時代、伏見・有栖川(ありすがわ)・閑院(かんいん)と並ぶ四親王家(ししんのうけ)の一つ。正親町(おおぎまち)天皇の皇子（陽光太上(ようこうだじょう)天皇）誠仁(さねひと)親王の第6皇子智仁(としひと)親王を初代とする。智仁親王は初め豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の猶子(ゆうし)となったが、秀吉は1589年（天正17）一子をもうけると、親王家の取り立てを申請し、翌年八条宮の創立をみた。桂川のあたりに別邸を営み、2代智忠(としただ)親王のとき完成（いまの桂離宮）。智仁親王以降、養嗣子(ようしし)、しかも早死にし、5代尚仁(ひさひと)親王にも嗣なく、霊元(れいげん)天皇皇子作宮(さくのみや)が継嗣とされ常盤井宮(ときわいのみや)の称も賜ったが、夭折(ようせつ)したため、兄文仁(あやひと)親王が6代となり京極宮(きょうごくのみや)と改めた。その孫公仁(きみひと)親王に至りふたたび嗣なく、光格(こうかく)天皇皇子盛仁(たけひと)親王が9代を相続し、桂宮と称した。10代節仁(みさひと)親王ののちは姉淑子(すみこ)内親王が11代を継承したが、1881年（明治14）その死去とともに桂宮は断絶した。

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