Jinmu tenno

Jinmu Tennō (神武天皇, Jinmu Tennō^? literally 'divine warrior') (February 13 711 BC – April 9, 585 BC) was the founder of Japan and the first Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession.

His reign spanned from February 11, 660 B.C. C. until his death in 585 a. c.; that is, he ruled for 76 years. He had various personal names such as Kamuyamato-iwarebiko-no-mikoto (神倭伊波礼 琵古命, Kamuyamato-iwarebiko-no-mikoto^? according to the Kojiki), Wakamikenu-no-mikoto (若御毛沼命, Wakamikenu-no-mikoto^?), Sano-no-mikoto (狹野尊, Sano-no-mikoto ^?), Hiko-hohodemi (彦火火出見, Hiko-hohodemi^? ), Hatsukuni-shirasu-sumeramikoto (始馭天下之天皇, Hatsukuni-shirasu-sumeramikoto^?), Kan'yamato-iwarehiko-no-mikoto (神日本磐余彦尊, Kan'yamato-iwarehiko-no-mikoto^?), among others. His posthumous name, Jinmu, was first used in the late Nara period by Ōmi no Mifune.

This character is considered a "legendary emperor" because his biography is only explained first hand in the Japanese chronicles of the 8th century, the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki ; Therefore, various historians consider that given the inaccuracy of the data, it is doubtful that this ruler really existed. However, the Japanese Imperial Family traditionally welcomes the descendants of Emperor Jinmu; and also currently celebrated in Japan the traditional day of the emperor's ascension to the throne, February 11, as the Kenkoku Kinen no hi (建国記念の日, 'Kenkoku Kinen no hi' ^? "National Foundation Day").

The actual founding date of the Japanese Empire is unknown, although the expansion of the Yamato dynasty probably occurred in the early Christian era (perhaps around the 17th century III, with the appearance of the first Kofun). Kinmei Tennō (539-571) is generally considered to be the first "historical" emperor, though how many preceded him is unknown. Furthermore, it was not until the VII that Japanese rulers adopted the title Tenno. Before the Taika Reform, the emperors were called Sumera no mikoto or Ō-kimi.

Legend

Because his biography was written as a primary source in the Kojiki (written in 712) and in the Nihonshoki (written in 720), chronicles that served as the basis Literary for Japanese mythology and Shinto, Japan's native religion, his life and work are considered legendary. In both works, extraordinary facts from the historical point of view, such as the creation of heaven and earth, the appearance of kami (deities) and the formation of the Japanese archipelago, are explained as true events..

Genealogy

According to these chronicles, Emperor Jinmu was a descendant of Amaterasu Ōmikami, deity of the sun and ruler of the sky, considered one of the most important kami in Japanese mythology.

The genealogy is broken down as follows: Amaterasu had a son named Ame-no-oshihomimi-no-mikoto, and by him she had a son known as Ninigi-no-mikoto. Amaterasu decided to send Ninigi to the Japanese archipelago in order to pacify the territory and make it her own. When Ninigi arrived on the island of Kyushu, he established himself as ruler, married Konohana-sakuya-hime and they had three children, most notably Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto, who married Toyotama-hime, daughter of Ryūjin, God of the sea.

From the relationship between Hikohohodemi and Toyotama, a son named Hikonagisa-takeugaya-fukiaezu-no-mikoto was born (彦 波瀲武鸕鶿草葺不合命, Hikonagisa-takeugaya-fukiaezu-no-mikoto^?) , who was abandoned by his parents at birth and later raised by Tamayori-hime (玉依 姫命, Tamayori-hime^?), her mother's younger sister. Later they would marry and have four children: Itsuse-no-mikoto, Inameshi-no-mikoto, Mikenuma-no-mikoto and Kan'yamato-iwarehiko-no-mikoto, the future Emperor Jinmu.

Early Years

At the time of his birth he already possessed wisdom and the ability to decide. At the age of 15, he was named heir to the throne and married Ahiratsu-hime (吾平津姫, Ahiratsu-hime ^?), whom he made her his consort; from this marriage they had two children: Tagishimimi-no-mikoto (手研耳命, Tagishimimi-no-mikoto^?) and Kisumimi-no-mikoto (岐須美美命, Kisumimi-no-mikoto^?).

According to the Nihonshoki, in the year of Kinoetora or Kōin (甲寅, 'Kinoetora or Kōin' ^?), at the age of 45, while at Takechiyo Palace in Hyūga province, he gathered his brothers and sons and declared that his divine ancestor, Ninigi, when he came down from heaven 1,792,470 years ago, he found a desolate nation and that with his arrival he brought peace and prosperity and managed to establish himself as ruler of the western region and that this peace had extended during the reigns of his successors; however, many regions of the archipelago, especially the east, had not yet been pacified and were outside the imperial power of Amaterasu, and were ruled by local chiefs and gods, therefore, constant territorial conflicts took place in these regions.

He also declared that the east was the center of the universe and that it was a region to establish a new capital and pacify the entire archipelago. All the brothers and sons shared his idea and decided to go on a naval expedition to the east, led by Iwarehiko.

Jinmu then married Himetataraisuzuhime, daughter of the god Omononushi and daughter of the knight and god Kotoshironushi (son of Okuninushi, descending from this line directly from the mythology of the Japanese gods through the line of Okuninushi's parents). On her mother's side, she was the daughter of Princess Tamayoribime (daughter of Iga Koya Nissho and the god of ears Kamo Taketsunomi {son of Tenkushi Tamai.})

Expedition to the East

On the fifth day of the tenth month, Iwarehiko's older brother, Itsu-se-no-mikoto, led the expedition and they sailed on a boat through the Hayasui Channel, guided by the kunitsukamiShiinetsuhiko. Upon arriving in Usa, in the province of Tsukushi, they were received by two natives, Usatsuhiko and Usatsuhime, who invited them to a palace.

They later advanced further east and in the twelfth month settled in Takeri Palace in Aki Province. In the third month of the following year they arrived in the province of Kibi and settled in the Takashima Palace where they all temporarily lived for three years, in order to resupply the ship with provisions.

Battle with Nagasunehiko

By the second month of the year Tsuchinoeuma or Bogo (戊午, 'Tsuchinoeuma or Bogo'^?) they set out with a fleet of ships in the direction of Naniwa province. By the third month they reached Kawachi province and by the fourth they were advancing up the Tatsuta River, crossing a gorge toward Mount Ikoma, finally reaching a sandbar at Kusaezaka. This region was under the control of Prince Nagasunehiko, who had assembled a large army and fought against Itsu-se and his brothers.

During the battle Itsu-se was severely wounded in his hand by an arrow shot by Nagasunehiko. Itsu-se realized that they were fighting in the direction of the sun (facing east) and that this was considered a celestial offense, being descendants of Amaterasu, and for that reason he had received such a punishment. They withdrew to Kusaka, in order to reorganize and encourage the troops, and for this action the place was named Tatezu (盾津, Tatezu^? "port defense").

In the fifth month, Iwarehiko headed the fleet south to Kii Province, where Itsu-se, who was mortally wounded, washes his wound with the waters of a river mouth to the Chinu Sea. He subsequently gives a war cry and then passes away, being buried on Mount Kama.

Emperor Jinmu (on foot) together with his men see the legendary Yatagarasu. Recorded by Ginko Adachi (1891).

Pacification of the empire

Having subjugated all the wild deities and local tribes of Yamato in the third month of the Kibi year, Iwarebiko declares the end of the eastern expedition after six years, but that a " vast and spacious" capital as the center of the empire, so he chose a point southwest of Mount Unebi, on the Kashihara plain to build the palace.

Although the palace was not yet finished, Iwarebiko married the daughter of the kami Ōmo-no-nushi, Princess Ahira, and they had two children: Tagishi-mimi and Kisu-mimi. Princess Ahira took the name of Hime-tatara-i-suke-yori-hime, a fair maiden august daughter of the kami.

Emperor Jinmu's mausoleum in Nara.

Reign

On New Year's Day in the year Kanototori (660 BCE), Iwarebiko ascended the throne in Kashihara Palace and took the name Hatsukunishirasu-sumeramikoto (始馭天下之天皇 , Hatsukunishirasu-sumeramikoto^?) at the age of 52. At this time he begins his reign as the first emperor of Japan.

Death

He died in the 76th year of his reign at the age of 126. The Kojiki narrates that, on the death of the monarch, his eldest son, Prince Tagishi, by his first wife married, probably by force, the second wife of the father of he, Empress Isuke-yori. Her intention was to eliminate the young children that she had had with the deceased monarch and reign in her place. However, her mother warned her children of the conspiracy through a song and they were able to eliminate the usurper.