Emperor Hanzei - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

, also known as Emperor Hanshō, was the 18th emperor

Emperor

An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...

of Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, according to the traditional order of succession.

No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 406 to 410.

Legendary narrative

Although Hanzei is considered to have ruled the country during the early-5th century, there is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further verification and study.

Hanzei was the son of Emperor Nintoku

Emperor Nintoku

was the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 313–399.-Legendary narrative:...

and Iwanohime

Princess Iwa

, sometimes known as , was a poet and the Empress consort of Emperor Nintoku, who was the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. She was a descendant of Emperor Kōgen....

. He was the brother of Emperor Richū

Emperor Richu

was the 17th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 400–405.-Legendary narrative :...

; and this succession effectively by-passed Richū's two sons. No other details have survived.

Hanzei's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō

Empress Jito

was the 41st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.In the history of Japan, Jitō was the third of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The two female monarchs before Jitō were Suiko and Kōgyoku/Saimei...

. Rather, it was presumably Sumeramikoto or Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi (治天下大王), meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven." Alternatively, Hanzei might have been referred to as (ヤマト大王/大君) or the "Great King of Yamato."

The Nihongi records that the country enjoyed peace during this emperor's reign.

The description of Hanzei in the Kojiki is daunting as he is described as standing over nine feet tall and have enormous teeth all the same size. He is said to have ruled from the palace of Shibagaki at Tajihi in Kawachi (present day Matsubara, Osaka

Matsubara, Osaka

is a city located in Osaka, Japan. The city was founded on February 1, 1955.Hannan University is located in Matsubara. Hannan University is a mid-sized liberal arts university with a focus on business and technology.-Adjacent municipalities:*Osaka...

); and he is said to have died peacefully in his palace.
The actual site of Hanzei's grave

Grave (burial)

A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....

is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial

Memorial

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....

Shinto

or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...

shrine

Shrine

A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....

(misasagi) at in Sakai, Osaka

Sakai, Osaka

is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...

.

The Imperial Household Agency

Imperial Household Agency

The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...

designates the in Sakai as Hanzei's official mausoleum

Mausoleum

A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...

. It is formally named .

Consorts and Children

Empress: Tsunohime (津野媛), daughter of Ooyake no omi Kogoto (大宅臣木事)

Princess Kaihime (香火姫皇女)
Princess Tuburahime (円皇女)

Otohime (弟媛), younger sister of Tsunohime

Princess Takarahime (財皇女)
Prince Takabe (高部皇子)

Legendary narrative

Consorts and Children

See also