Enoi no Okimi (朴井雄君)

ENOI no Okimi (year of birth unknown - June 676) lived in the Asuka period in Japan. His name ENOI no Okimi (朴井雄君) was also written 榎井小君. Enoi is also called MONONOBE no Okimi since the Enoi clan was in the same group as the Mononobe clan. His hereditary title was Muraji (second highest title under Yamato dynasty). It is believed that he was a member of the Mononobe clan in Mino province. He followed and worked hard for the Prince Oama (Emperor Tenmu) in the Jinshin War in 672. He was awarded daishi (the fifth grade of twenty-six of cap rank).

ENOI no Okimi was serving the Prince Oama as a toneri (palace servant) when the Jinshin War started. In May of 762, he reported to the Prince Oama that the Imperial Court, which was presided over by the Emperor Kobun, held the Prince in disfavor. He reported "I went to Mino province by myself on personal business. At that time, the Imperial Court ordered the governors of Mino and Owari provinces to select laborers to build an imperial tomb. But the selected labors were armed. I believe that their intention was not building an imperial tomb, but rather spreading dissent.
If we do not take any measure to prevent this, we will be in trouble"
Another vassal reported "Patrols are allocated between Omi no miya and Asuka. And guards of Todo no hashi bridge (Uji-bashi bridge) blocks the food supply for toneris of the younger brother of the Emperor who was the heir apparent (Prince Oama)." The Prince Oama investigated this, confirmed it's truth and decided to take up arms.

The Emperor Tenmu and Jito carried out a project to compile "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan) which describes the above history. Modern historians pointed out that it is highly possible that this episode was dramatized to justify the Prince Oama's act. The low reliability of the description, however, does not prove that opposite of the description to be correct. Since an armed fight over succession to the Imperial Throne was common at this time, it is possible that the Prince Otomo also considered taking up arms.

The Emperor Tenmu departed Yoshino on July 19 for the east. His wife, children, about two dozens of his vassals including ENOI no Okimi and about a dozen of court ladies joined him. No record have been found about ENOI no Okimi's role in the later domestic warfare.

July 21 (August 29 in new calendar), 701 of "Shoku Nihongi" (Chronicle of Japan Continued) reported that ENOI no Okimi was allotted 100 households.

In June of 676, he died from sudden illness. The emperor was greatly surprised and awarded uchinodaishi together with promotion to head of the clan.

[Original Japanese]