The Gukanshō records that Kōrei ruled from the palace of Ihoto-no-miya at Kuroda in what will come to be known as Yamato province.[6]
Traditional history
Kōrei is almost certainly a legend. The Kojiki records only his name and genealogy. The Nihonshoki includes Kōrei as the sixth of "eight undocumented monarchs" (欠史八代,, Kesshi-hachidai).[7]
Kōrei was the eldest son of Emperor Kōan.[6]Jinnō Shōtōki records that his mother was Oshihime, who was the daughter of Ametarashihiko-Kunio-shihito-no-mikoto.[8]
Some scholars question the existence of the first nine emperors. These critics consider Kōrei's great-grandson (Emperor Sujin) to be the earliest to have actually existed.[9]
Events of Kōrei's life
The absence of information about Kōrei does not imply that no such person ever existed. Very little information is available for study prior to the reign of the 29th monarch, Emperor Kimmei.[10]
The Kojiki notes that it was during Kōrei's reign that Kibi Province was conquered.[11]
After his death
This emperor's official name after his death (his posthumous name) was regularized many centuries after the lifetime which was ascribed to Kōrei.[7]