Iyo

Not to be confused with Iyo province or Prince Iyo

Iyo was the legendary queen successor to Himiko.

According to the History of Wei, Himiko's death was followed by considerable succession disputes, as male claimants were killed, one after another, at the hands of one another (or, at the hands of those loyal to, or in service to, other claimants). Eventually, Iyo emerged at the age of 13 as a new queen, and restored order. Like Himiko before her, she is said to have had substantial shamanic or spiritual abilities as well as wielding secular political power. Iyo continued, or restored, tributary relations between Wa and Wei; Wei officials were included among her advisors, and she sent an embassy of twenty individuals, led by her grand steward Isako, to accompany some of these Chinese officials back to China.

References

• David Lu, Japan: A Documentary History, 14.