Mutsuge no Hiro (身毛広)
MUTSUGE no Hiro (date of birth and death unknown) was a man who lived during the Asuka Period. His name is also spelled as 牟宜都比呂. His kabane (hereditary title) was Kimi. He fought with Prince Oama (Emperor Tenmu) and took an active part in the Jinshin War.
MUTSUGE was of a Mutsugenokuni no miyatsuko descent (the heads of local governments in ancient Japan) and a powerful local clan in Muge District (later became Mugi District), Mino Province.
When Prince Oama made the decision to raise an army, Hiro was in Yoshino with him. On June 22, two days before the prince took any action, he sent MUTSUGE no Hiro, MURAKUNI no Oyori, and WANIBE no Kimite to Mino Province. Their task was to convince Yunounagashi, O no Honji who was in Ahamachi District (now known as Anpachi District) at that time to raise his army first. They successfully accomplished their task and 3,000 troops form Mino Province fought for Prince Oama. This made it possible for Prince Oama to gather soldiers from eastern provinces.
Although it is unknown what happened to him afterward, it is said that he was given the property with 80 households after the war on July 21, 701 ("Shoku Nihongi" (Chronicle of Japan Continued)). It is stated in the "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan) that those with distinctive merits were selected on December 4 and given the title Shosen or higher, and therefore Hiro probably received the same or higher title as well.
There is no further records about MUTUGE no Hiro.