Inukai no Ikimi (犬養五十君)
INUKAI no Ikimi (year of birth unknown - August 24, 672) was a person from the Asuka Period in Japan.
In the old Japanese syllabary characters, his name was pronounced as 'INUKAHI no Ikimi.'
His Kabane (hereditary title) was Muraji. In 646, he was charged in connection with Kokushi (provincial governor), his superior officer, who led misgovernment. In the Jinshin War which broke out in 672, he fought for Prince Otomo (Emperor Kobun) as a competent commander but was defeated and killed.
He is considered to be a government official who worked for KI no Marikita, Kokushi of Togoku (eastern province) at least from the early reign of Emperor Kotoku, or presumably Empress Kogyoku, the previous reign. The precise location of his origin in Togoku is unknown. On April 12, 646, the emissary carried out the investigation over the work performance of Kokushis in Togoku including KI no Marikita, and tendered a report that disclosed the misgovernment of Kokushi and the involvement of INUKAI no Ikimi. In this incident, there were a great number of Kokushis and government officials who were impeached, and the emperor gave an admonishment to the criminals and granted amnesty afterwards. In the article on this matter in "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), INUKAI no Ikimi is mentioned without his hereditary title.
No records about INUKAI no Ikimi are found during the reigns of Empress Saimei and Emperor Tenchi until his name 'INUKAI no Muraji Ikimi' appears as the commander of Prince Otomo in 672, in the Jinshin War. OTOMO no Fukei rose in arms in Yamato (Yamato Province) taking the side of Prince Oama (Emperor Tenmu), and Ikimi was the commander attacking the troops of Fukei from the north side. Ikimi took part in the attack of Fukei taking over the place of ONO no Hatayasu who brought the victory in the battle on August 5, but the precise date of the replacement is unknown. In this battle, IKI no Karakuni who had intended to join the attack from the west side had been defeated, and troops of OTOMO no Fukei, the enemy, received tens of thousands of reinforcement.
OTOMO no Fukei allocated his troops on the ancient roads of Yamato. INUKAI no Ikimi advanced his troops along Nakatsu-michi Road and set up a camp at Muraya and had IOI no Kujira, another commander, attack the headquarters of Fukei's troops in Nakatsu-michi Road with his 200 warfare experts. Kujira had an advantage but 5 units including Tokomaro managed to stop his troops. During this battle, the enemy forces led by MIWA no Takechimaro and OKISOME no Usagi broke through the left side of INUKAI's troops in Hashi no Haka and attacked Kujira's troops from behind. Kujira was defeated and fled. The date of this battle is unknown. After the battle, Fukei did not pursue them but returned to Wakyo (a city in Yamato) and restored his armed forces.
INUKAI no Ikimi had never attacked Yamato region after the battle. "Nihonshoki" doesn't clearly mention about the reason but Ikimi presumably had to join the main battle line in Omi Province as the war situation was deteriorated. At least, he is thought to have joined in the Battle of Seta on August 23 which was the final battle of the war. On August 24, in Awazu near Seta, INUKAI no Ikimi and TANI no Shiote were slain by the enemy. Prince Otomo committed suicide on the same day, and it was the end of the Jinshin War.