was the 30th 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.

Bidastsu's reign spanned the years from 572 through 585.

Traditional narrative

Bidatsu was called in the Nihonshoki.

Bidatstu was appointed crown prince by his father Emperor Kimmei

Emperor Kimmei

was the 29th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.-Traditional narrative:...

; after Emperor Kimmei

Emperor Kimmei

was the 29th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.-Traditional narrative:...

 died, the new monarch ascended to the throne within a few days.

• 572: In the , the old emperor died, and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his second son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Bidatsu is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).

Bidatsu'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, Bidatsu might have been referred to as (ヤマト大王/大君) or the "Great King of Yamato."

He ruled during a tense period between the Soga and Mononobe clans regarding acceptance of Buddhism

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 in Japan.

In external affairs, Bidatsu sought to re-establish relations with Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

n Kingdoms and, according to Nihonshoki, his court successfully established relations with Baekje

Baekje

Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....

 and Silla

Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...

, two of the Three Kingdoms of Korea

Three Kingdoms of Korea

The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...

.

The emperor died from a disease which afflicted him with sores, apparently the first royal victim of smallpox in Japan.

The actual site of Bidatsu'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 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

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 Osaka.

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 this location as Bidatsu's 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 Kawachi no Shinaga no naka no o no misasagi.

Genealogy

He was the second son of Emperor Kimmei

Emperor Kimmei

was the 29th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.-Traditional narrative:...

 by his consort Iwahime, a daughter of Emperor Senka

Emperor Senka

, also known as Senkwa, was the 28th 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 536–539.-Legendary narrative:...

.

According to the Nihonshoki and Gukanshō

Gukansho

is a historical and literary work about the history of Japan. Seven volumes in length, it was composed by Buddhist priest Jien of the Tendai sect c. 1220....

, Bidatsu had four empresses and 16 Imperial children (6 sons and 10 daughters).

Bidatsu's first empress, Hirohime, died in the fifth year of his reign. To replace her, he elevated one of his consorts, Princess Nukatabe, to the rank of empress. Nukatabe was his half-sister by their father Kimmei. Later she ascended to the throne in her own right and is today known as Empress Suiko

Empress Suiko

was the 33rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Suiko's reign spanned the years from 593 until her death in 628....

.

Though he had many children, none of them would ever become emperor. He was succeeded first by one of his brothers, Emperor Yōmei

Emperor Yomei

was the 31st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Yōmei's reign spanned the years from 585 until his death in 587.-Traditional narrative:...

, then by another, Emperor Sushun

Emperor Sushun

was the 32nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Sushun's reign spanned the years from 587 through 592.-Traditional narrative:...

, and then Empress Suiko, his sister and wife, before his grandson, Emperor Jomei

Emperor Jomei

was the 34th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jomei's reign spanned the years from 629 through 641.-Traditional narrative:Before Jomei's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or...

, eventually took the throne.

• Princess Hiro Hime, daughter of Prince Mate no Okinaga ; Empress 572; died 575 ; 3 imperial children:
  • Princess Sakanobori
  • Princess Uji no Shitsukahi
  • Prince Oshisako no Hikohito no Oe,born about 556, married (A) Princess Ohomata (Ohotomo), his aunt, daughter of Emperor Kimmei and Soga no Kitashi-Hime, by whom he had a son and a daughter ;(B) Princess Nukate-Hime (his half sister), by whom he had 3 sons ; (C) Princess Woharida (his half sister), by whom he had a son and a daughter :
    • Eldest son : Prince Chinu,born about 575, married to Princess Kibitsu-Hime, by whom he had a son and a daughter: Princess Takara (Empress Kōgyoku
      Empress Kogyoku
      , also known as , was the 35th and 37th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kōgyoku's reign spanned the years from 642-645. Her reign as Saimei encompassed 655-661...
      
      ), born 594,and Prince Karu (Emperor Kōtoku
      Emperor Kotoku
      was the 36th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.The years of his reign lasted from 645 through 654.-Traditional narrative:Before Kōtoku ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or...
      
      )
    • Princesse Kuhada
    • Prince Tamura (Emperor Jomei
      Emperor Jomei
      was the 34th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jomei's reign spanned the years from 629 through 641.-Traditional narrative:Before Jomei's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or...
      
      ), born 593
    • Prince Nakatsu
    • Prince Tara
    • Prince Yamashiro
    • Princesse Kasanuhi
• Ominako no Iratsume (Kusu Kimi no Iratsuko), daughter of Kasuga no Nakatsu Kimi no Omi ; second consort ; 4 imperial children :
  • Prince Naniha
  • Prince Kasuga
  • Princess Kuwada
  • Prince Ohomata
• Unako no Otoshi (Wo-Umako no Iratsume), daughter of Ohoka no Obito no Okuma ; third consort; 2 imperial children :
  • Princess Futohime (Princess Sakurawi)
  • Princess Nukate Hime (Princess Takara or Tamura), born about 570, married to Prince Oshisako no Hikohito no Oe, her half brother
• Princess Nukatabe, born 553, died 628; daughter of Emperor Kimmei and Soga no Kitashi hime; imperial consort ; Empress 576,(Empress Suikō) ; 7 imperial children :
  • Princess Uji no Shitsukahi (Uji no Kahitako), born about 570, married to Prince Shōtoku, son of Emperor Yōmei
    Emperor Yomei
    was the 31st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Yōmei's reign spanned the years from 585 until his death in 587.-Traditional narrative:...
    
    and Empress Anahobe
  • Prince Takeda
  • Princess Woharida, born about 572, married to her half brother Oshisako no Hikohito no Oe
  • Princess Umori (Karu no Mori)
  • Prince Wohari
  • Princess Tame, married to her nephew Emperor Jomei
  • Princess Sakurawi no Yumihari