November 1, 643.
A force commanded by Soga no Iruka launched an attack on Prince Yamashiro Ōe at Ikaruga.
Mitsunari, serving the prince, led several dozen retainers in defense, killing the attacking commander, Haji no Saba.
During this time, Prince Yamashiro Ōe escaped from Ikaruga with his wife and children.
Their refuge was Mount Ikoma.
His retainers advised him to head east, gather troops, and fight back.
Prince Yamashiro Ōe agreed that such a strategy would likely lead to victory.
Yet, he did not raise an army.
He did not wish to cause suffering to the people for his own sake.
The “Nihon Shoki” records these words as Prince Yamashiro Ōe’s final testament.
A few days later, the prince returned to Ikaruga from Mount Ikoma and ended his life along with his children and wife.
Twenty-one years had passed since the death of Prince Shōtoku.
The royal family of Ue-no-miya, based in Ikaruga, was annihilated by Soga no Iruka’s assault.
However, Prince Yamashiro Ōe’s mother was a daughter of Soga no Umako.
The prince himself carried Soga blood.
Why was it that the child of Prince Shōtoku, who had deep familial ties with the Soga clan, was destroyed by Soga no Iruka?
We will trace his life.
Born to Prince Shōtoku and a Daughter of Soga no Umako
The birth year of Prince Yamashiro Ōe is unknown.
His father was Prince Shōtoku, a figure later known as Shōtoku Taishi.
His mother was Tojikoro no Iratsume.
She was a daughter of Soga no Umako.
Prince Yamashiro Ōe was born as the child of Prince Shōtoku, linking him to the imperial family on his father’s side and to the powerful Soga clan, influential in the court at the time, on his mother’s side.
His maternal grandfather, Soga no Umako, served as a minister across four reigns: Bidatsu, Yōmei, Sushun, and Suiko.
Meanwhile, his father, Prince Shōtoku, was a son of Emperor Yōmei and held a significant position in the Suiko court.
Prince Yamashiro Ōe was born inheriting these two lineages.
The emergence of Yamashiro no Oe as a candidate for imperial succession was rooted in his lineage and the foundation at Ikaruga inherited from his father.
601 AD—Prince Umayado Constructs Ikaruga Palace
In the ninth year of Empress Suiko’s reign, 601 AD.
Prince Umayado began the construction of a palace in Ikaruga, Yamato Province.
This was the Ikaruga Palace.
According to the Nihon Shoki, Prince Umayado moved to Ikaruga Palace in 605 AD.
Nearby, Ikaruga Temple was also established, which would later become known as Horyu-ji Temple.
Ikaruga became an important stronghold for Prince Umayado and his family.
Yamashiro no Oe would eventually become a central figure in the imperial family group based at Ikaruga.
In later generations, this family would be known as the Upper Palace Family.
The Ikaruga built by his father would later become the stage for Yamashiro no Oe’s final days.
622 AD—The Death of Prince Umayado
February 622 AD.
Prince Umayado passed away.
With the loss of his father, Yamashiro no Oe became the central figure of the royal family left at Ikaruga.
At Hokki-ji Temple, a tradition remains that Prince Umayado, on his deathbed, instructed Yamashiro no Oe to convert his Okamoto Palace into a temple.
This story is not found in the Nihon Shoki.
It is based on the inscription on the finial of the three-story pagoda at Hokki-ji, quoted in the Kamakura period’s “Shoutoku Taishi Den Shiki.”
According to that inscription, Yamashiro no Oe donated 12 cho of rice fields in Yamato Province and 30 cho in Omi Province to the temple.
Four years after Prince Umayado’s death.
Yamashiro no Oe’s maternal grandfather, Soga no Umako, also passed away.
626 AD—The Death of Soga no Umako
In 626 AD, Soga no Umako passed away.
The position of minister within the Soga clan was inherited by Umako’s son, Soga no Emishi.
To Yamashiro no Oe, Emishi was his maternal uncle.
Two years after Umako’s death.
Empress Suiko, who had reigned for 36 years, also passed away.
Who would be the next emperor?
Yamashiro no Oe found himself at the center of the struggle for imperial succession.
628 AD—The Death of Empress Suiko
March, 628 AD.
Empress Suiko passed away.
With Prince Umayado already deceased, the question of who would become the next emperor arose.
Two members of the imperial family emerged as strong candidates.
One was Prince Tamura.
He was the son of Prince Hikohito no Oe, who was the son of Emperor Bidatsu, and he would later become Emperor Jomei.
The other was Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
According to the Nihon Shoki, even by September, after Empress Suiko’s funeral, a successor had not been decided.
Soga no Emishi, a minister, gathered the court nobles at his residence to seek their opinions on who should be the next emperor.
The issue at hand was the words Empress Suiko had spoken to Prince Tamura and Prince Yamashiro no Oe during her lifetime.
To Prince Tamura, she had conveyed the importance of ruling the realm with caution and care.
To Prince Yamashiro no Oe, she had advised not to act alone but to heed the words of the court nobles.
The interpretation of these two statements led to differing opinions among the court nobles.
Prince Tamura or Prince Yamashiro no Oe?
At the meeting held at Soga no Emishi’s residence, Otomo no Kujira supported Prince Tamura.
Uneme no Mareshi, Takamuko no Uma, Nakatomi no Mikeko, and Naniwa no Kishi no Misashi also agreed.
On the other hand, Kose no Oomaro, Saeki no Higashito, and Ki no Shioteno supported Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
Even within the Soga clan, opinions were divided.
Sakabe no Marise strongly supported Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
Marise was said to be the brother of Soga no Umako and a prominent figure within the Soga clan.
According to the Nihon Shoki, when asked by Emishi whom he thought should be emperor, Marise clearly advocated for Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
The struggle over the imperial succession created rifts not only among the imperial family but also within the Soga clan.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe Questions Soga no Emishi’s Intentions
Prince Yamashiro no Oe was at Ikaruga Palace.
Soon, word reached him that Emishi intended to make Prince Tamura the emperor.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe sent Mikuni no O and Sakurai no Omi no Wajiko to Emishi to inquire about his true intentions.
Emishi explained that he was not deciding the imperial succession on his own but was conveying Empress Suiko’s words to the court nobles and listening to their opinions.
The Nihon Shoki records a lengthy exchange between Prince Yamashiro no Oe and Emishi through these envoys.
There is no indication that Prince Yamashiro no Oe immediately raised an army.
Meanwhile, the relationship between Marise, who supported the prince, and Emishi rapidly deteriorated.
The Death of Sakaibe no Marise
At that time, the Soga clan was gathering to build a tomb for the late Umako.
Marise destroyed the temporary structure set up at the burial site and withdrew to the Soga family estate.
Emishi urged Marise to reconsider, but Marise refused to comply.
Subsequently, Marise headed to Ikaruga and entered the palace of Prince Hatsuse.
Emishi sent a messenger to Prince Yamashiro no Oe, requesting the handover of Marise to investigate the situation.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe, noting that Marise was a close associate of his father, Prince Umayado, advised Marise not to disrupt the realm for the sake of one person.
He also cited his father’s dying words to his children: “Commit no evil, perform all good deeds.”
Marise left Ikaruga and returned home.
A few days later, Prince Hatsuse, whom Marise relied on, died of illness.
Afterwards, Emishi dispatched troops and killed Marise and his son Aya.
A prominent supporter of Prince Yamashiro no Oe within the Soga clan lost his life amidst the struggle for succession.
The Year 629: Prince Tamura Becomes Emperor Jomei
January 629.
Soga no Emishi and the court officials presented the imperial seal to Prince Tamura.
Prince Tamura initially declined but later accepted the throne at the insistence of the court officials.
Thus, he became the 34th Emperor, Emperor Jomei.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe did not ascend to the throne.
The succession in 628 was not solely decided between Prince Tamura and Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
The court was divided over how to interpret Empress Suiko’s words, and even within the Soga clan, there were those who supported Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
Amidst this, Prince Tamura was chosen.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe remained in Ikaruga.
During Emperor Jomei’s reign, there is no record in the “Nihon Shoki” of Prince Yamashiro no Oe engaging in any major political activities.
The Year 641: The Death of Emperor Jomei
In October 641, Emperor Jomei passed away.
In the following year, 642, Empress Kōgyoku, who was Emperor Jomei’s consort, ascended to the throne.
She became the 35th Empress, Empress Kōgyoku.
Within the Soga clan, Emishi’s son, Soga no Iruka, was advancing to the center of political power.
The “Nihon Shoki” records in the first year of Empress Kōgyoku’s reign that Emishi had a tomb constructed for himself and Iruka, mobilizing a large number of people for this purpose.
Then, in the second year of Empress Kōgyoku’s reign, 643.
Iruka moved to eliminate the Ue no Miya royal family.
The Year 643: Iruka Attempts to Make Prince Furuta no Oe Emperor
The “Nihon Shoki” records that Soga no Iruka plotted to depose the princes of the Upper Palace and install Prince Furubito no Ōe as emperor.
Prince Furubito no Ōe was a son of Emperor Jomei.
His mother was Hoteirō no Iratsume, a daughter of Soga no Umako, so Prince Furubito no Ōe also carried Soga blood.
On the other hand, Prince Yamashiro no Ōe was a prominent candidate in the imperial succession of 628.
His father was Prince Shōtoku, and his mother was Tōjiko no Iratsume, another daughter of Soga no Umako.
In Ikaruga, the foundation of the Upper Palace family inherited from his father remained.
The “Nihon Shoki” also notes that Iruka deeply resented the widespread fame of the princes of the Upper Palace.
November 643.
Iruka moved to eliminate them by force.
November 1, 643—The Assault on Ikaruga
November 1.
Iruka ordered Shōtoku and Kose no Tokuta no Omi, along with Daini and Haji no Saba no Muraji, to lead troops and attack Prince Yamashiro no Ōe and his followers in Ikaruga.
The “Nihon Shoki” also contains an alternative account naming Kose no Tokuta no Omi and Yamato no Makai no Kubi as the generals.
Mitsunari, who served the prince, led dozens of palace guards to meet the attack.
Mitsunari and his men put up fierce resistance.
Haji no Saba no Muraji, on the attacking side, was struck by an arrow and killed in battle.
The attacking forces, frightened, retreated.
The “Nihon Shoki” recounts that the soldiers spoke of Mitsunari, saying, “Surely, this is the man who can stand against a thousand.”
During this time, Prince Yamashiro no Ōe escaped from Ikaruga.
Leaving Horse Bones Behind, Fleeing to Mount Ikoma
Prince Yamashiro no Ōe left horse bones in the palace’s sleeping quarters and fled with his consort, children, and family.
He was accompanied by Miwa no Fumiya no Kimi, Toneri no Tamura no Muraji and his daughter, Uda no Moroishi, and Ise no Abe no Katatsuna.
The group fled to Mount Ikoma.
The attacking forces burned the palace.
Finding bones in the ashes, they believed them to be the remains of Prince Yamashiro no Ōe, lifted the siege, and withdrew.
By leaving horse bones in the sleeping quarters, he made it appear as though he had perished in the fire.
Prince Yamashiro no Ōe survived.
However, the group spent four or five days in the mountains, unable to secure enough food or water.
It was then that Miwa no Fumiya no Kimi proposed a plan.
“If We Go to the Eastern Provinces, We Can Win”
Miwa no Fumiya no Kimi advised Prince Yamashiro no Ōe to move to Fukakusa Tonomura and from there, ride to the eastern provinces.
In the eastern provinces, there were wet nurses affiliated with the royal family.
The plan was to gather troops and confront Iruka.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe believed that this strategy could lead to victory.
However, the prince chose not to go to war.
According to the Nihon Shoki, Prince Yamashiro no Oe expressed that he did not wish to burden the common people with prolonged labor for his sake, nor did he want future generations to say, “We lost our parents because of Prince Yamashiro no Oe.”
He further stated that sacrificing oneself to strengthen the nation is the true act of a nobleman.
These words cannot be taken literally as his actual speech.
The Nihon Shoki portrays Prince Yamashiro no Oe as a figure who avoided war for the sake of the people.
On the other hand, a concrete plan to escape to the eastern provinces and gather troops is mentioned.
The path of battle was also laid out for Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
He chose not to take it.
Iruka Learns of Prince Yamashiro no Oe’s Survival
Someone spotted Prince Yamashiro no Oe hiding on Mount Ikoma from afar.
The news of the prince’s survival reached Iruka.
Iruka was astonished and ordered Takamuko no Kuniushi to head to Mount Ikoma and capture the prince.
Kuniushi refused, citing his duty to guard the palace of Empress Kogyoku.
Iruka decided to go to the mountain himself.
At that moment, Prince Furubito no Oe appeared.
After hearing the situation from Iruka, Prince Furubito no Oe remarked,
“A mouse lives in its hole and dies if it loses it,”
conveying this sentiment.
Iruka abandoned the idea of personally leading the expedition and sent his forces to the mountain.
However, they could not find Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe Returns to Ikaruga Temple
Prince Yamashiro no Oe still had the option to flee to the eastern provinces and gather troops.
He descended from Mount Ikoma and returned to Ikaruga.
His destination was Ikaruga Temple.
This temple was established by his father, Prince Shotoku.
Iruka’s forces surrounded Ikaruga Temple.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe sent Miwa no Fumiya no Kimi as an emissary to convey his thoughts.
If he raised an army to defeat Iruka, he could win.
However, he did not wish to harm the people for his own sake.
Therefore, he offered himself to Iruka.
The Nihon Shoki records these words as the prince’s final statement.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe then took his own life, along with his children and consorts.
The Fall of the Uemiya Royal Family
The Nihon Shoki records that at the end of Prince Yamashiro no Oe’s life, his children, wives, and concubines all took their own lives simultaneously.
It was not just the death of one prince.
Close relatives who were with Prince Yamashiro no Oe also ended their lives, leading to the destruction of the Uemiya Royal Family, which had been centered around Prince Shotoku in Ikaruga.
The area where the current Horyuji Temple’s Eastern Precinct stands is believed to be the location of Prince Shotoku’s Ikaruga Palace.
It was in Ikaruga, where his father had established the palace, that Prince Yamashiro no Oe and his family met their end.
The Tale of the Five-Colored Banners Appearing in the Sky
The Nihon Shoki also recounts a mysterious event following the deaths of Prince Yamashiro no Oe and his family.
It is said that when the prince and his family took their lives, five-colored banners and various performances appeared in the sky, hanging over the temple.
People looked up in astonishment and reported this to Iruka.
However, the banners turned into dark clouds, and Iruka could not see them.
This is not treated as historical fact.
It is a tale from the Nihon Shoki that honors Prince Yamashiro no Oe and criticizes Iruka, who destroyed his family.
Father Soga no Emishi Rebukes Iruka
The news of the complete annihilation of Prince Yamashiro no Oe and his family reached Soga no Emishi.
He was Iruka’s father and the head of the main Soga family.
According to the Nihon Shoki, Emishi was furious.
He scolded Iruka, telling him that his foolishness and unchecked violence would endanger his own life.
In the imperial succession of 628, Soga no Sakaibe no Marise supported Prince Yamashiro no Oe and lost his life.
In 643, Iruka destroyed the Uemiya Royal Family, and his actions were harshly criticized by his father, Emishi.
The relationship between Prince Yamashiro no Oe and the Soga clan remained complex until the end.
Prince Yamashiro no Oe himself was a grandson of Soga no Umako, and Iruka, who destroyed him, was also a grandson of Umako.
645—The End of Soga no Iruka
Two years after the death of Prince Yamashiro no Oe.
June 645.
At the Asuka Itabuki Palace, where Empress Kogyoku was present, Soga no Iruka was attacked by Prince Naka no Oe and Nakatomi no Kamatari.
This was the Isshi Incident.
Iruka was killed in the imperial court, and the next day, his father Emishi set fire to his own residence and died.
This marked the end of the main line of the Soga clan.
The words of Emishi, placed right after the depiction of Prince Yamashiro’s death in the Nihon Shoki, seem to foreshadow Iruka’s demise two years later.
It is unclear how much military power Prince Yamashiro could actually wield.
What can be confirmed from historical records is that he was supported by some courtiers during the imperial succession in 628, and in 643, Iruka sent troops to eliminate him.
In the end, the path of fleeing to the eastern provinces to gather troops and fight was also presented.
However, the Prince Yamashiro depicted in the Nihon Shoki does not choose this path.
He descended Mount Ikoma and returned to Ikaruga, left by his father.
November 643.
Twenty-one years after the death of Prince Shotoku, the Ue-no-Miya royal family, based in Ikaruga, vanished from the political stage along with Prince Yamashiro.
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