Soga no Iruka
Soga no Iruka was the son of Soga no Emishi (d. 645), and one of the most powerful men of his day. He was assassinated in a plot by Prince Naka no Oe and Nakatomi no Kamako to destroy the powerful Soga family.
The Assasination
As described in the Nihongi, Soga no Iruka was called into the court of Empress Kogyoku during a visit by Korean ambassadors bringing tribute. Prince Naka no Oe ordered the guards to close the doors of the palace and surrounded Soga no Iruka. Though Naka no Oe ordered the guards to strike, they would not do so in front of the Empress, who was present. Prince Naka no Oe then drew his own sword and struck Soga no Iruka in the head and the leg, in front of his mother. Soga no Iruka appealed for justice as he died, but Empress Kogyoku shortly abdicated her throne in favor of her brother, Prince Karu, on the urging of her son, Prince Naka no Oe.
References
- Nihongi
