Prince Iyo

He was an official in the early Heian period. He was the son of Emperor Kanmu, and his mother was Yoshiko, the daughter of the Minister of the Right Fujiwara Korekimi. He came of age in 792 (Enryaku 11) and became a fourth-ranked official, and subsequently held important posts such as third-ranked Minister of Ceremonies and Minister of the Interior. He had the qualities of a politician and was also an accomplished musician. He was a favorite of his father, and in 804 (Enryaku 23), he was given 53 cho of Arata rice fields in Gamo County, Omi Province (Shiga Prefecture). However, in October 807 (Daido 2), Fujiwara Munenari, who was arrested for plotting a rebellion, confessed that the mastermind was the prince, and was arrested and imprisoned together with his mother at Kawaradera Temple in Shikinokami County, Yamato Province (Asuka Village, Takaichi County, Nara Prefecture). On November 11, he was stripped of his title of prince, and the next day, mother and son committed suicide by drinking poison in protest. It is believed that the background to this Prince Iyo incident was a conflict with aristocrats over the succession to the throne. In 819 (Kōnin 10), the prince's innocence was revealed and he was restored to his normal position, and both mother and son were enshrined at the Goryōe ceremony held at Shinsen-en in 863 (Jogan 5). He is enshrined at Kami-Goryo Shrine in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City.

[Muneyoshi Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安初期の官人。桓武(かんむ)天皇の皇子で、母は右大臣藤原是公(これきみ)の娘吉子。792年（延暦11）に元服し、四品(しほん)となり、ついで三品式部卿(しきぶきょう)、中務卿(なかつかさきょう)などの要職を歴任した。政治家としての素養をもち、管絃(かんげん)もよくし、父の寵愛(ちょうあい)を受け、804年（延暦23）には近江(おうみ)国（滋賀県）蒲生(がもう)郡の荒田53町を与えられた。しかし807年（大同2）10月、謀反を企てて検束された藤原宗成(むねなり)が、首謀者は親王であると自白したために捕らえられ、母とともに大和(やまと)国城上(しきのかみ)郡川原寺(かわらでら)（奈良県高市(たかいち)郡明日香村）に幽閉された。11月11日に親王号を剥奪(はくだつ)され、翌日母子は毒を飲んで抗議の自殺をした。この伊予親王事件の背景には皇位継承をめぐる貴族との抗争があったと考えられる。819年（弘仁10）に親王の無実が明らかとなり本位に復され、863年（貞観5）の神泉苑(しんせんえん)での御霊会(ごりょうえ)では母子ともに祀(まつ)られた。京都市上京区の上御霊(かみごりょう)神社に奉祀(ほうし)されている。

［佐藤宗諄］

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