Princess of Rocks - Princess of Rocks

She was the daughter of Katsuragi no Sotsuhiko, the son of Takeuchi no Sukune, and the empress of Emperor Nintoku. She was the mother of the three emperors Richu, Hanzei, and Ingyō. She is also written as "Iwanohime" (Kojiki) and "Iwahime" (Man'yoshu). She was a jealous woman, and there are stories and songs about her that she opposed the invitation of Princess Yata and Princess Kibi no Kurohime to the palace, which confused the emperor. These stories are written in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. She died in Tsutsuki Palace in June of the 35th year of the Nintoku era. Volume 2 of the Manyoshu contains "Four Poems Composed by Empress Iwahime Thinking of the Emperor." Considering the serial structure and style of the poems, which express the feelings of a faithful wife waiting for her husband to return, it is thought that these poems are based on traditional songs from the Fujiwara or Nara period and are entrusted to the Empress.

[Koji Inaoka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

武内宿禰(たけのうちのすくね)の子葛城襲津彦(かつらぎのそつひこ)の娘で、仁徳(にんとく)天皇の皇后。履中(りちゅう)、反正(はんぜい)、允恭(いんぎょう)3天皇の母。「石之日売」（『古事記』）、「磐姫」（『万葉集』）とも記す。嫉妬(しっと)深い性格で、八田皇女(やたのひめみこ)や吉備黒日売(きびのくろひめ)を宮中に召し入れることに反対し天皇を困惑させた話と歌謡が記紀に伝えられている。仁徳35年6月筒城宮(つつきのみや)で没。『万葉集』巻2に「磐姫皇后、天皇を思ひて作らす歌四首」があるが、夫の帰りを待つ貞淑な妻の心を詠む連作的構成や歌風からみて、藤原宮時代か奈良時代の伝誦歌(でんしょうか)が皇后に仮託されたものと考えられる。

［稲岡耕二］

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