Prince Kawashima

Japanese: 川島皇子 - かわしまのみこ

Year of death: 5.9 (691)
Year of birth: 657
He was the second son of Emperor Tenchi in the second half of the 7th century, and his mother was Ikofukojo. He is also written as Prince Kawashima or Princess Kawashima. His wife was Princess Totsube, the daughter of Emperor Tenmu. He was on friendly terms with Prince Otsu and had promised to share his fate, but in 686, when Prince Otsu's rebellion was exposed, he is said to have taken a position to expose Prince Otsu's plan. The government praised his loyalty, but many in the public questioned the legitimacy of his accusation. This may have been because there had been voices of sympathy for Otsu since the time of the incident. In 681, together with Prince Oshikabe (Prince Ogabe), he participated in the recording of various ancient events and was involved in the compilation of national history. It seems that he was chosen because of his literary ability. He left one five-character quatrain in the "Kaifuso." In addition, the "Manyoshu" (volume 1) contains the poem "How many generations will pass until the grass on the branches of the white-waved beach pine trees has passed away?", which has been noted as a poem by Yamanoue Okura. He was buried in Ochi-no-Hito (Ochi, Takatori-cho, Nara Prefecture), and the poem that Kakinomoto no Hitomaro dedicated to Princess Totsube and Prince Oshikabe on that occasion is preserved in the "Manyoshu" (volume 2).

(Kiyoaki Kito)

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

Japanese:

没年：持統5.9(691)
生年：斉明3(657)
7世紀後半,天智天皇の第2皇子で,母は色夫古娘。河島皇子,河島王とも記す。妻は天武天皇の娘泊瀬部皇女である。大津皇子と親交があって運命を共にする約束をしていたが,朱鳥1(686)年,大津皇子の謀反が暴露された際には大津皇子の計画を告発する立場に立ったとされている。政府はその忠誠を嘉したが,世間には,その告発行為の是非を問う声が多かったという。事件当時から大津への同情の声があったためかとも考えられる。天武10(681)年忍壁皇子(刑部親王)と共に上古諸事の記定に参加し,国史の編纂に携わった。文筆の能力を評価されてのことであったらしい。『懐風藻』に五言絶句1首を残す。また『万葉集』(巻1)に「白波の浜松が枝の手向草幾代までにか年の経ぬらむ」の1首を収めるが,これは山上憶良の歌かとも注記されている。越智野(奈良県高取町越智)に葬られ,その折に柿本人麻呂が泊瀬部皇女と忍壁皇子に献じた歌が『万葉集』(巻2)に残されている。

(鬼頭清明)

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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