Prince Otsu

Japanese: 大津皇子 - おおつのみこ

Year of death: Shucho 1.10.3 (686.10.25)
Year of birth: Tenchi 2 (663)
A member of the imperial family who committed suicide for treason. He was the son of Emperor Tenmu and Princess Ota (the daughter of Emperor Tenchi). In June of the first year of Tenmu (672), during the Jinshin War, he escaped from Omi (Shiga Prefecture), met an envoy from his father in Suzuka (Suzuka City), and then joined his father's party in Asaka District, Ise Province (near Asahi Town, Mie Prefecture). In May of the eighth year, he participated in a pledge at Yoshino Palace, where the Empress (later Empress Jito), Tenmu and Tenchi's six sons swore before Tenmu that they would cooperate with each other and not oppose each other. In February of the twelfth year, he turned 21 and participated in national politics for the first time. In August of the first year of Shucho (686), he was given an additional fief of 400 households, but when Tenmu died in September of the same year, he was instigated by the Silla monk Gyoshin and others to plot a treason on October 2, but failed and was executed the next day at his home in Yakoda (Kaijyo, Sakurai City). He was 24 years old. On the same day, his wife, Princess Yamabe, died of grief. Otsu had a strong appearance and a clear voice. He was loved by Tenchi, and when he grew up, he was gifted and learned, and loved writing. According to the "Kaifuso," he was generous, knowledgeable, and skilled in poetry. As he grew older, he became strong and skilled in swordsmanship. He was also popular because he treated people well and did not treat them with arrogance. It is said that it was his friend, Prince Kawashima (son of Emperor Tenchi), who reported Otsu's rebellion plan. Considering that all of the 30 or so people arrested, except for Gyoshin and one other person, were pardoned, even if the plan was not groundless, the most likely theory is that the empress and others who supported his son, Prince Kusakabe, found out about it in advance and used it to eliminate Otsu. Otsu's grave is located in Ogake on Mount Nijo (Toma Town, Nara Prefecture). He left four tanka poems in the "Manyoshu" and four poems in the "Kaifuso." The sorrowful poem that she wrote before her death, "Is it only today that I see the ducks crowing in the pond of Momozutafu Iware, and the clouds hide behind them?" is famous. The six poems left by her full sister, Princess Daihaku (Dairai), in the "Manyoshu" all express her sympathy for Otsu and her sorrow for his death. In 1984, a survey of the ruins of Asuka-kyo unearthed wooden tablets bearing the names "Otsu no Miko" and "Dairai." <References> Naoki Kojiro, "Empress Jito"

(Jiro Iwamoto)

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

Japanese:

没年：朱鳥1.10.3(686.10.25)
生年：天智2(663)
謀反の罪で自殺した皇族。天武天皇と大田皇女(天智天皇の娘)の子。天武1(672)年6月壬申の乱に際し,近江(滋賀県)を脱出,鈴鹿(鈴鹿市)で父からの使者に会い,続いて伊勢国朝明郡(三重県朝日町付近)において父の一行と合流した。8年5月吉野宮における誓盟に参加,天武の前で皇后(のちの持統天皇),天武・天智の6人の皇子が互いに協力し逆らうことのないことを誓った。12年2月21歳になり,初めて国政に参画。朱鳥1(686)年8月封400戸を加えられたが,同年9月天武が亡くなると,10月2日新羅僧行心らにそそのかされて謀反を企て,失敗して翌日訳語田(桜井市戒重)の家で死を賜った。時に24歳。即日,妃の山辺皇女は嘆いて殉死した。大津の風貌はたくましく音声明瞭で,天智の寵愛を受け,長じて才学あり文筆を好み,『懐風藻』によれば度量広大で博識,詩文を得意とし,成長するにおよび腕力強く撃剣に巧みとなった。また高貴の身をおごらず人を厚く礼遇したので人気があった。大津の謀反計画を密告したのは朋友の川島皇子(天智天皇の子)であったという。逮捕された三十余人のうち,行心ほかひとりを除きみな赦免になったことから察すると,計画が事実無根ではなかったとしても,子の草壁皇子を擁立する皇后らが事前に察知し,大津の抹殺のために利用したと考える説が有力である。大津の墓は二上山の雄岳(奈良県当麻町)にある。『万葉集』に4首の短歌,『懐風藻』に4編の詩を遺す。死に臨んでの「ももづたふ磐余の池に鳴く鴨を今日のみ見てや雲隠りなむ」の哀切の一首は有名。同母姉の大伯(大来)皇女が『万葉集』に遺す歌6首はすべて大津への思いやりとその死の哀惜を表す。1984年度飛鳥京跡調査で,「大津皇」「大来」などの木簡削片が出土した。<参考文献>直木孝次郎『持統天皇』

(岩本次郎)

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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