Emperor Kōgen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kōgen |
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|---|---|
| Emperor of Japan | |
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| Reign | legendary |
| Born | legendary |
| Died | legendary |
| Buried | Tsurugi no ike no shima no e no misasagi (Nara) |
| Predecessor | Kōrei |
| Successor | Kaika |
Emperor Kōgen (孝元天皇 Kōgen-tennō) was the 8th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Historians consider Emperor Kōgen to be a legendary person; and the name Kōgen-tennō was created for him posthumously by later generations.
No certain dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign. The conventionally accepted names and sequence of the early emperors were not to be confirmed as "traditional" until the reign of Emperor Kammu, who was the 50th monarch of the Yamato dynasty.
The Gukanshō records that Kōgen ruled from the palace of Sakaihara-no-miya at Karu in what will come to be known as Yamato province.
Traditional history
Kōgen is almost certainly a legend. The Kojiki records only his name and genealogy. The Nihonshoki includes Kōgen as the seventh of "eight undocumented monarchs" (欠史八代, Kesshi-hachidai).
Kōgen was the eldest son of Emperor Kōrei.
Some scholars question the existence of the first nine emperors. These critics consider Kōgen's grandson (Emperor Sujin) to be the earliest to have actually existed.
Events of Kōgen's life
The absence of information about Kōgen does not imply that no such person ever existed. Very little information is available for study prior to the reign of the 29th monarch, Emperor Kimmei.
The Abe clan are said to have descended from a son of Emperor Kōgen.
After his death
This emperor's official name after his death (his posthumous name) was regularized many centuries after the lifetime which was ascribed to Kōgen.
The actual site of his grave is not known. According to the Imperial Household Agency, this emperor is venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.
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