Sakanoue no Kumake (坂上熊毛)
SAKANOUE no Kumake (year of birth and death unknown) was a person in the Asuka period. He was also called 'Sakanouhe no Kumake,' according to old Japanese syllabary characters. His Kabane (surname) was Atae. He served as a Rusutsukasa (a guard of the city) of Asuka in the Jinshin War in 672 and secretly sided with Prince Oama.
According to 'the genealogy of the Sakanoue family,' his father was SAKANOUE no 甲由 and his grand father was SAKANOUE no 駒子. SAKANOUE no Okina, who also showed a great performance in the Jinshin War, was his cousin. Since his father is said to have come from Takaichi District, Yamato Province, he was likely to have come from the same region. The Sakanoue clan was a family member of the Yamato no Ayauji clan, an immigrant clan to ancient Japan. The Yamato no Ayauji clan had many branch families based in the southern area of Yamato Province and often involved in military affairs.
SAKANOUE no Kumake was serving as a Rusutsukasa of Wakyo (City in Yamato), when the Jinshin War occurred.
The Chinese character of Wa of WaKyo can be read as 'Yamato.'
Wakyo was managed by Rusutsukasa separately from the capital in Omi. "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan) describes that Takasaka no Okimi also served as Rusutsukasa. It is assumed that Kumake was a colleague or subordinate of Okimi.
When Prince Oama raised an army in the last half of June in 672, Prince Otomo (Emperor Kobun), who was in Omi no miya, sent envoys to Wakyo and ordered to advance his army. Takasaka no Okimi started to organize the army along with the envoys, Hozumi no Momotari, Hozumi no Ioe, and Monobe no Himuka. At this time, however, OTOMO no Hukei decided to side with Prince Oama and gathered people to raise an army. He also called the 12 clans of Ayano Atai (Wa no Ayano Atai) for betrayals, after the discussion with SAKANOUE no Kumake. On June 29, Hada no Kuma first pretended to be an envoy and ran on a horse to spread the following false report.
Takechi no Miko (Prince Takechi) is coming from Fuwa, and many armed people are following him.'
Soldiers in the camp were surprised and ran away. Then a dozen of mounted warriors entered the city, Kumake and other clans of Atae supported them. As the result, Hukei successfully captured the right of command with no difficulty. Anything other than the above is unknown about Kumake.