Kado no okimi (葛野王)
Kado no okimi (c. 669 - December, 705) was the first prince of the Prince Otomo (the Emperor Kobun). His mother was Tochi no Himemiko. His sons were Ikebe no okimi, Fujinami no okimi, and his grandson was Omi no Mifune.
Although he is said to have been literally talented, as he was a prince of the Emperor Kobun who lost the Jinshin war, he seemed to have a bad reputation in the beginning.
According to "Kaifusou" (Fond Recollections of Poetry), when the Emperor Jito intended to make the grandson, the Prince Karu (later the Emperor Monmu) as the crown prince after Takechi no miko died in 696 rejecting the Emperor Tenmu's princes, Kado no okimi insisted the direct line succession of the imperial throne which had been carried form ancient Japan, and the interfraternal succession would cause conflict.
(Some say that FUJIWARA no Fuhito suggested this idea to Kado no okimi.)
Actually, the succession of the imperial throne between brothers was common from ancient time, and when Yuge no miko was going to ask Kado no okimi about this, Kado no okimi scolded loudly Yuge no miko. Yuge no miko eventually accepted the Emperor Jito's intention, and the decision was made to make the Prince Karu as the crown prince.
Later Kado no okimi was granted Shoshii (Senior Fourth Rank) and assumed the position of Shikibukyo (Minister of the Ministry of Ceremonial). It is said that he was 37 years old at that time, but it is believed that the age of his death was reported incorrectly.
His father, the Emperor Kobun who was out in the succession to the imperial throne against his maternal grandfather, the Emperor Tenmu, committed suicide, and his mother, Hochi no Himemiko also died young (There are theories saying she committed suicide or was assassinated.)
Although he was promoted to a certain position despite of the complicated blood line, he died young after all. His descendants were buried in history after Mifune, along with the change of the imperial line from the Tenmu to the Tenji.