Prince Yamashina Takehiko
Encyclopedia
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, was the third (and final) head of the Yamashina-no-miya, a collateral line
of the Japanese imperial family. He was nicknamed “the Flying Prince”.
by his first wife, the former Kujo Noriko. He succeeded his father as the third head of the Yamashina-no-miya house on 2 May 1908, after his father's sudden and untimely death.
in 1918 ranked 1st in his class of 126 cadets. He served his midshipman
duty on the battleship
Kirishima
. After graduating from naval artillery
and torpedo
warfare schools, he joined the Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Bureau
as a sub-lieutenant in 1921. Prince Yamashina was a naval aviation
enthusiast and helped establish a private aviation institute, the Mikuni Aviation School. He rose to the rank of lieutenant
and was attached to the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
. Prince Yamashina retired from active service in 1927 because of declining health (he allegedly had a nervous breakdown
).
. Princess Sakiko was killed on 1 September 1923 during the Great Kanto Earthquake, when their house in Yuigahama
, Kamakura
collapsed on top of her, killing her and her unborn child named Prince Yamashina Taha (山階宮 他派王, Yamashina-no-miya Taha-ō). The death of his wife severely affected Prince Yamashina, and he suffered from severe depression for years afterwards. He never remarried. He and his friend Abduxaliq Uyghur
, a Uyghur classical poet, were both arrested by Sheng Shicai
while at Urumqi
, Xinjiang
. He and Uyghur were both executed there on March 13, 1933.
|
, was the third (and final) head of the Yamashina-no-miya, a collateral line
Oke
The , were branches of the Japanese Imperial Family created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house. All but one of the ōke were formed by the descendants of Prince Fushimi Kuniye. The ōke were stripped of their membership in the Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in...
of the Japanese imperial family. He was nicknamed “the Flying Prince”.
Early life
Prince Yamashina Takehiko was the son of Prince Yamashina KikumaroPrince Yamashina Kikumaro
align=right|, was the second head of the Yamashina-no-miya, a collateral line of the Japanese imperial family.-Early life:Prince Yamashina Kikumaro was the son of Prince Yamashina Akira...
by his first wife, the former Kujo Noriko. He succeeded his father as the third head of the Yamashina-no-miya house on 2 May 1908, after his father's sudden and untimely death.
Military career
Prince Yamashina Takehiko graduated from the 46th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval AcademyImperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
in 1918 ranked 1st in his class of 126 cadets. He served his midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
duty on the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Kirishima
Japanese battleship Kirishima
was a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. Designed by British naval engineer George Thurston, she was the third launched of the four Kongō-class battlecruisers, among the most heavily armed ships in any navy when built...
. After graduating from naval artillery
Naval artillery
Naval artillery, or naval riflery, is artillery mounted on a warship for use in naval warfare. Naval artillery has historically been used to engage either other ships, or targets on land; in the latter role it is currently termed naval gunfire fire support...
and torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
warfare schools, he joined the Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Bureau
Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Bureau
The Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of the Navy of Japan was responsible for the development and training of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service...
as a sub-lieutenant in 1921. Prince Yamashina was a naval aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
enthusiast and helped establish a private aviation institute, the Mikuni Aviation School. He rose to the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and was attached to the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
. Prince Yamashina retired from active service in 1927 because of declining health (he allegedly had a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
).
Marriage & Family
In 1922, Prince Yamashina Takehiko married Princess Kaya Sakiko, the daughter of Prince Kaya KuninoriPrince Kaya Kuninori
align=right| was a member of the Japanese imperial family and the founder of one of the nine ōke in the Meiji period.-Early life:...
. Princess Sakiko was killed on 1 September 1923 during the Great Kanto Earthquake, when their house in Yuigahama
Yuigahama
is a beach near Kamakura, a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The relation between the beach and its neighboring areas is complex. Although Yuigahama is in fact the entire 3.2 km beach that goes from Inamuragasaki, which separates it from Shichirigahama, to Zaimokuza's Iijima cape, which...
, Kamakura
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
collapsed on top of her, killing her and her unborn child named Prince Yamashina Taha (山階宮 他派王, Yamashina-no-miya Taha-ō). The death of his wife severely affected Prince Yamashina, and he suffered from severe depression for years afterwards. He never remarried. He and his friend Abduxaliq Uyghur
Abduxaliq Uyghur
Abduhalik Uyghur was a Uyghur poet.Abudhalik began his studies in a Madrasah at the age of eight. He studied Arabic, Persian, and Uyghur classics...
, a Uyghur classical poet, were both arrested by Sheng Shicai
Sheng Shicai
Sheng Shicai was a Chinese warlord who "ruled" Xinjiang province from April 12, 1933 to August 29, 1944....
while at Urumqi
Ürümqi
Ürümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country....
, Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
. He and Uyghur were both executed there on March 13, 1933.