Jinshin War

The Jinshin War (壬申の乱, jinshin no ran) was a war of succession that took place in the Yamato Kingship near the end of Asuka period. It broke out in 672 following the death of Emperor Tenji. The name refers to the jinshin (Ch. renshen 壬申) or ninth year of the sexagenary cycle, corresponding to the Gregorian year 672. It was one of the largest conflicts in classical Japanese history. Tenji had designated his brother, Prince Ōama, as his successor, but later changed his mind in favor of his son, Prince Ōtomo. In the course of the violence that erupted as a result of factional rivalries, Ōtomo, having taken the throne as Kōbun, killed himself after reigning for less than a year. His uncle Ōama then succeeded to the throne as Emperor Tenmu. Tenmu was the first monarch of Japan contemporaneously documented as using the title Emperor of Japan (天皇, Tennō)