Suzuka King

Japanese: 鈴鹿王 - すずかおう

Year of death: Tempyo 17.9.4 (745.10.3)
Year of birth: Year of birth unknown. An Imperial family member in the Nara period. Son of Prince Takaichi and younger brother of Nagaya no O. In 710, he was promoted from no rank to Junior Fourth Rank Lower, in 726, he was promoted to Junior Fourth Rank Upper, and around 755, he became Minister of Finance. He was implicated in the Nagaya no O Incident (729), but was pardoned, and the following year he was promoted to Senior Fourth Rank Upper, in 731 he became a councilor, and in 736 he was promoted to Junior Third Rank. Given this situation, it is speculated that the king had a different mother than his older brother Nagaya no O, and that he had close ties with the four children of Fujiwara no Fuhito (Mutsushimaro, Fusasaki, Ugo, and Maro). In 769, after the deaths of the four Fujiwara brothers one after another due to the rampant smallpox epidemic, he became the fourth Chief Minister of the Grand Council of State. He held that position until his death, but real power was held by Tachibana no Moroe, who was also of Imperial descent, and his position was merely symbolic. In 1582, he was promoted to the rank of Junior Second Rank, and died as the Chief Minister of the Grand Council of State and Minister of Ceremonies. It is said that his former residence in Heijo-kyo was later included in the tomb of Emperor Shotoku.

(Yoshinori Hashimoto)

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

Japanese:

没年：天平17.9.4(745.10.3)
生年：生年不詳
奈良時代の皇親。高市皇子の子で,長屋王の弟。和銅3(710)年無位から従四位下に初めて叙され,神亀3(726)年従四位上に進み,5年ごろ大蔵卿。長屋王の変(729)に連座したが許され,翌年には正四位上に進み,天平3(731)年参議となり,4年には従三位。このような状況からすると,王は兄長屋王と母を異にし,また藤原不比等の4人の子(武智麻呂,房前,宇合,麻呂)とつながりが深かったとも憶測される。9年,猛威をふるった天然痘のため藤原4兄弟が相次いで死没したあとを受け,4人目の知太政官事となった。死去するまでその職にあったが,実権は同じ皇親出身の橘諸兄が握り,その地位も象徴的なものにすぎなかった。15年従二位に昇り,知太政官事兼式部卿従二位で死去。平城京にあった旧宅はのちに称徳天皇陵域に入ったと伝える。

(橋本義則)

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

<<: Suzuka River

>>: Oriental fire-bellied toad