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44-499: He is mostly known for his early death at the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani and his appearance in the epic The Tale of the Heike , in which he was killed by the remorseful warrior Kumagai Naozane . He is also the subject of the famous Noh play Atsumori . Atsumori was a son of Taira no Tsunemori , a younger half-brother of the powerful lord and regent Taira no Kiyomori . Atsumori fought as

88-586: A considerable force, driving Yoshinaka from the city. After fighting his cousins at the bridge over the Uji , Yoshinaka made his final stand at Awazu , in Ōmi Province . He was defeated by Yoshitsune, and killed while attempting to flee. As the united Minamoto forces left Kyoto, the Taira began consolidating their position at a number of sites in and around the Inland Sea, which was their ancestral home territory. They received

132-506: A duty to the Taira clan. Although the various Minamoto clans rose up simultaneously, not all of them were under the command of Minamoto no Yoritomo from the beginning. In fact, the actual Kawachi Genji had no single legitimate lineage, and even if we were to limit ourselves to the succession of Minamoto no Yoshiie , who was the representative samurai of the Kawachi Genji, it was not only Yoritomo who could have claimed that position. Yoritomo

176-650: A mandate for Yoshinaka to "join with Yukiie in destroying Munemori and his army". In 1183, Yoshinaka once again sought to gain control of the Minamoto clan by planning an attack on Yoritomo, while simultaneously pursuing the Taira westward. The Taira set up a temporary Court at Dazaifu in Kyūshū , the southernmost of Japan's main islands. They were forced out soon afterwards by local revolts instigated by Go-Shirakawa, and moved their Court to Yashima . The Taira were successful in beating off an attack by Yoshinaka's pursuing forces at

220-611: A number of missives from the Emperor offering that if they surrendered by the seventh day of the second month, the Minamoto could be persuaded to agree to a truce. This was a farce, as neither the Minamoto nor the Emperor had any intentions of waiting until the eighth day to attack. Nevertheless, this tactic offered the Emperor a chance to regain the Regalia and to distract the Taira leadership. The Minamoto army, led by Yoshitsune and Noriyori, made their first major assault at Ichi-no-Tani , one of

264-611: A somewhat fictionalized account of the wars, as seen from the perspectives of his two main characters, the Zinja Monk Jebu, and the Noblewoman Lady Shima Taniko. The names of the two rival clans have been changed, "Minamoto" to "Muratomo" and "Taira" to "Takashi". Another fictionalized account of the conflict forms the central plot of "Civil War" (also known as "Turbulent Times"), the ninth volume of Osamu Tezuka 's celebrated Phoenix series of comics. The Genpei War

308-610: A warrior during the Genpei War . At the age of either 15 or 16, he was killed in the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani . During the battle, Atsumori engaged Kumagai Naozane , a retainer of the Minamoto , and was killed. Kumagai had a son the same age as Atsumori. Kumagai's great remorse as told in The Tale of Heike , coupled with his taking of a monk's vows, caused this otherwise obscure event to become well known for its tragedy. According to The Tale of

352-427: Is not appropriate to use the term "Genpei" for this war, as it does not accurately represent the belligerents of the war. In fact, the head of the Minamoto clan at the time was not a samurai but a court noble, and the first samurai to be the head of the clan was Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in the 14th century. In reality, it was not exclusively a war between the Minamoto clan and the Taira clan, and there were many members of

396-489: Is often portrayed as performing the noh at his own death ( ningen goju nen geten no uchi wo kurabureba, yumemaboroshi no gotoku nari ) in Honnō-ji Incident . The death of Atsumori is arguably among the most celebrated acts of single combat in all of Japanese history . Genpei War [REDACTED]   Minamoto clan (Yoritomo) The Genpei War ( 源平合戦 , Genpei Kassen , Genpei-Gassen , 1180–1185)

440-627: Is sometimes used in Japan, but it has been argued that it is not appropriate to use the term "Genpei" for this war. The Genpei War was the culmination of a decades-long conflict between the two aforementioned clans over dominance of the Imperial court and, by extension, control of Japan. In the Hōgen Rebellion and in the Heiji Rebellion of earlier decades, the Minamoto attempted to regain control from

484-623: Is what led Kumagai to take priestly vows and become a Buddhist monk. The Atsumori narrative became the subject of many subsequent works, including: Oda Nobunaga , the 16th-century warlord often quoted from the Kōwakamai version of "Atsumori", which gave Atsumori a death poem 人間五十年、下天のうちをくらぶれば、夢幻の如くなり。一度生を享け滅せぬもののあるべきか [Man's life of fifty years, against Heaven's span, Like a dream, a phantom. Once granted breath, what being escapes its final fade?"]. Battle of Ichi-no-Tani The Battle of Ichi-no-Tani ( 一ノ谷の戦い , Ichi-no-Tani no tatakai )

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528-521: The Battle of Mizushima . Yoshinaka conspired with Yukiie to seize the capital and the Emperor, possibly even establishing a new Court in the north. However, Yukiie revealed these plans to the Emperor, who communicated them to Yoritomo. Betrayed by Yukiie, Yoshinaka took command of Kyoto and, at the beginning of 1184, set fire to the Hōjūjidono , taking the Emperor into custody. Minamoto no Yoshitsune arrived soon afterwards with his brother Noriyori and

572-560: The Northern Fujiwara in 1189 was in fact the last battle during this period of civil war, as it completed Yoritomo's nationwide domination through the annexation of Dewa and Mutsu Province , and that its end marked the establishment of the first military government, the Kamakura shogunate. The terms Genpei Kassen (源平合戦), Genpei Sōran (源平争乱) and Genpei no Tatakai (源平の戦い) are sometimes used in Japan, but it has been argued that it

616-500: The battle of Dan-no-ura , one of the most famous and significant battles in Japanese history. The Minamoto engaged the Taira fleet in the Straits of Shimonoseki , a tiny body of water separating the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū. The tides played a powerful role in the development of the battle, granting the advantage first to the Taira, who were more experienced and abler sailors, and later to

660-480: The 1330s, the Kenmu Restoration . In addition, this war and its aftermath established red and white, the colors of the Taira and Minamoto standards, respectively, as Japan's national colors. Today, these colors can be seen on the flag of Japan , and also in banners and flags in sumo and other traditional activities. It has been pointed out that the Battle of Ōshū fought between the Kamakura government and

704-511: The Heian period (794–1185). They were, however, decimated by the Taira in the Heiji Rebellion of 1160. Minamoto no Yoshitomo had been the head of the clan at this time; upon his defeat at the hands of Taira no Kiyomori, two of his sons were killed and the third, Minamoto no Yoritomo, was banished. Following the call to arms of Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa in 1180, the clan would gather together and rise to power again. The Genpei war would see

748-497: The Heike, the Taira were scattered by Yoshitsune 's attack from the Ichi-no-Tani cliff. Kumagai no Jirō Naozane, while scanning the beach for fleeing soldiers, spotted the young Atsumori swimming towards the fleeing vessels. Kumagai beckoned Atsumori with his fan, taunting Atsumori by saying, “I see that you are a commander-in-chief. It is dishonorable to show your back to an enemy. Return!” Atsumori returned and they grappled on

792-469: The Kamakura shogunate marked the rise to power of the warrior class ( samurai ) and the gradual suppression of the power of the emperor, who was compelled to govern without effective political or military power, being effectively reduced to a purely symbolical and ceremonial head of state, until the Meiji Restoration over 650 years later, though there was a short-lived attempt to restore imperial rule in

836-514: The Minamoto clan defeat the Taira and take command of the entire country. The Taira clan was one of the four great clans which dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period (794–1185). As a result of the near-total destruction of their rival clan, the Minamoto, in the Heiji Rebellion of 1160, Taira no Kiyomori, head of the clan, initiated the Genpei War at the height of his power. The end of

880-401: The Minamoto. The Minamoto advantage was considerably enhanced by the defection of Taguchi, a Shikoku warrior who went over to the Minamoto side in the middle of the action. Many of the Taira nobles perished, along with Emperor Antoku and the widow of Kiyomori. The defeat of the Taira armies meant the end of Taira "dominance at the capital". In December 1185, Go-Shirakawa granted to Yoritomo

924-474: The Taira and failed. In 1180, Taira no Kiyomori put his grandson Antoku (then only 2 years of age) on the throne after the abdication of Emperor Takakura . Emperor Go-Shirakawa 's son Mochihito felt that he was being denied his rightful place on the throne and, with the help of Minamoto no Yorimasa , sent out a call to arms to the Minamoto clan and Buddhist monasteries in May. However, this plot ended with

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968-456: The Taira army. Meanwhile, Kiyomori, seeking vengeance against the Mii-dera monks and others, besieged Nara and burnt much of the city to the ground. Fighting continued the following year, 1181. Minamoto no Yukiie was defeated by a force led by Taira no Shigehira at the Battle of Sunomatagawa . However, the "Taira could not follow up their victory." Taira no Kiyomori died from illness in

1012-405: The Taira clan at Ikuta Shrine , in the woods a short distance to the east. A second detachment, no more than a hundred horsemen under Yoshitsune himself, attacked the Taira at Ichi-no-Tani from the mountain ridge to the north. At the chosen hour, the Minamoto forces attacked causing confusion among the Taira who neither deployed nor retreated. Only about 3,000 Taira escaped to Yashima, while Tadanori

1056-522: The Taira clan fighting on Minamoto clan's side, as well as members of these two clans serving as court nobles at the Imperial Court that were not samurai and had nothing to do with the war. There is no record of any direct or indirect complicity or assistance by the non-samurai Minamoto and Taira clan members to the war, and no record of any motive for their involvement exists. Furthermore, the Battle of Ōshū

1100-461: The Taira's most important and powerful warriors were present as well. Ichi-no-Tani is the last recorded instance in which crossbows were used in a Japanese siege. The death of Taira no Atsumori at the hand of Kumagai no Naozane during the battle is a particularly famous passage in the Heike Monogatari . It has been dramatized in noh and kabuki , and in popular fiction, Oda Nobunaga

1144-497: The annexation of Northeast Japan . The name "Genpei" (sometimes romanized as Gempei ) comes from alternate readings of the kanji "Minamoto" (源 Gen ) and "Taira" (平 Hei , pronounced as the second element in some compounds as -pei ). The conflict is also known in Japanese as the Jishō–Juei War ( 治承・寿永の乱 , Jishō – Juei no Ran ) , after the two Imperial eras between which it took place. The term Genpei Kassen

1188-681: The arrest of Mochihito, who sought protection at the temple of Mii-dera . The Mii-dera monks were unable to ensure him sufficient protection, so he was forced to move along. He was then chased by Taira forces to the Byōdō-in , just outside Kyoto. The war began thus, with a dramatic encounter on and around the bridge over the River Uji . This battle ended in Yorimasa's ritual suicide inside the Byōdō-in and Mochihito's capture and execution shortly afterwards. It

1232-411: The beach. Kumagai was stronger. He knocked off Atsumori's helmet to deliver the finishing blow, only to be struck by the beauty of the young noble. Atsumori was “sixteen or seventeen years old, with a lightly powdered face and blackened teeth —a boy just the age of Naozane's own son...” Kumagai, wishing to spare the life of the boy, asked for Atsumori's name, but the youth refused. He simply said that he

1276-475: The city from the north and Yukiie from the east. Both Minamoto leaders had seen little or no opposition in marching to the capital and now forced the Taira to flee the city. Taira no Munemori , head of the clan since his father Kiyomori's death, led his army, along with the young Emperor Antoku and the Imperial regalia , to the west. The cloistered emperor Go-Shirakawa defected to Yoshinaka. Go-Shirakawa then issued

1320-430: The deaths of Yorimasa and Mochihito. In June 1180, Kiyomori moved the seat of imperial power to Fukuhara-kyō , "his immediate objective seems to have been to get the royal family under his close charge." The actions of Taira no Kiyomori having deepened Minamoto hatred for the Taira clan, a call for arms was sent up by Minamoto no Yorimasa and Prince Mochihito. Not knowing who was behind this rally, Kiyomori called for

1364-475: The power to collect taxes, and "appoint stewards and constables in all provinces". Finally, in 1192, after Go-Shirakawa's death, Yoritomo was granted the imperial commission Sei-i Tai Shōgun . This was the beginning of a feudal state in Japan, with real power now in Kamakura . However, Kyoto remained the "seat of national ceremony and ritual" and the de jure capital. The end of the Genpei War and beginning of

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1408-479: The primary Taira camps on Honshū. The camp was attacked from two directions by Yoshitsune and Noriyori, and the Taira not killed or captured retreated to Yashima. However, the Minamoto were not prepared to assault Shikoku ; a six-month pause thus ensued during which the Minamoto took the proper steps. Though on the retreat, the Taira enjoyed the distinct advantages of being in friendly, home territories, and of being far more adept at naval combat than their rivals. It

1452-498: The removal of rivals from all government posts, and subsequently banishing them, and a call to arms against the Taira, led by the Minamoto in 1180. The ensuing Battle of Uji took place just outside Kyoto , starting a five-year-long war, concluding with a decisive Minamoto victory in the naval Battle of Dan-no-ura . However, it has been pointed out that the Battle of Ōshū in 1189 was the last battle during this period of civil war, as it completed Yoritomo's nationwide domination through

1496-547: The spring of 1181, and around the same time Japan began to suffer from a famine which was to last through the following year. The Taira moved to attack Minamoto no Yoshinaka , a cousin of Yoritomo who had raised forces in the north, but were unsuccessful. For nearly two years, the war ceased, only to resume in the spring of 1183. In 1183, the Taira loss at the Battle of Kurikara was so severe that they found themselves several months later under siege in Kyoto with Yoshinaka approaching

1540-451: The war, however, brought destruction to the Taira clan. Many stories and works of art depict this conflict. The Tale of the Heike ( 平家物語 , Heike Monogatari ) is the most famous, although many kabuki and bunraku plays reproduce events of the war as well. Ichinotani Futaba Gunki ('Chronicle of the battle of Ichi-no-Tani') by Namiki Sōsuke may be one of the more famous of these. The novel Shike by Robert Shea features

1584-421: The youth. Searching the body for something to wrap the head in, he came across a bag containing a flute. He realized that Atsumori must have been one of the soldiers playing music before the battle and thought, “there are tens of thousands of riders in our eastern armies, but I am sure none of them has brought a flute to the battlefield. Those court nobles are refined men!” It is said that the beheading of Atsumori

1628-456: Was a national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo , who appointed himself as Shōgun in 1192, governing Japan as a military dictator from the eastern city of Kamakura . It followed a coup d'état by the Taira in 1179 with

1672-509: Was at this point that Minamoto no Yoritomo took over leadership of the Minamoto clan and began traveling the country seeking to rendezvous with allies. Leaving Izu Province and heading for the Hakone Pass , he was defeated by the Taira in the battle of Ishibashiyama . However, he successfully made it to the provinces of Kai and Kōzuke , where the Takeda and other friendly families helped repel

1716-404: Was famous enough that Kumagai's superiors would recognize his head when it was time to assign rewards. At that moment, other Minamoto warriors arrived, and Kumagai knew that if he did not kill Atsumori, the other warriors surely would. Kumagai reasoned that it was better if he was the one to kill Atsumori, because he could offer prayers on his behalf for the afterlife. Kumagai while crying beheaded

1760-463: Was fought between Minamoto no Yoritomo and his last strong enemy, the Northern Fujiwara, years after the Taira clan had been destroyed. It is true that many members of the Minamoto clan, such as Takeda Nobuyoshi and Minamoto no Yoshinaka , rose to arms against the Taira clan. There were also many who belonged to the Minamoto clan, but who fought for the Taira clan because they had a kinship or

1804-544: Was fought between the offensive Minamoto clan and the defensive Taira clan at Suma , to the west of present-day Kobe , Japan , on 20 March 1184. It sat on a very narrow strip of shore, between mountains on the north, and the sea to the south. This made it quite defensible, but also made it difficult to maneuver troops inside the fortress. The Taira suffered a crucial defeat to the forces of Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Minamoto no Noriyori . Minamoto no Yoshitsune split his forces in two. Minamoto no Noriyori's forces attacked

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1848-420: Was killed and Shigehira captured. Also killed from the Taira clan were Lord Michimori, Tsunemasa, Atsumori, Moromori, Tomoakira, Tsunetoshi, and Moritoshi. Ichi-no-Tani is one of the most famous battles of the Genpei War , in large part due to the individual combats that occurred here. Benkei , probably the most famous of all warrior monks , fought alongside his lord Minamoto no Yoshitsune here, and many of

1892-535: Was not until nearly a year after the battle of Ichi-no-Tani that the main Taira force at Yashima came under assault . Seeing Yoshitsune's bonfires in their rear, the Taira had not expected a land-based attack and took to their ships. This was a deceptive ploy on the part of the Minamoto, however. The Taira improvised imperial palace fell, and many escaped along with the Imperial regalia and the Emperor Antoku. The Genpei War came to an end one month later, following

1936-400: Was the heir of Yoshitomo, who had risen to that position by killing his father and younger brother during the Battle of Ōkura in 1155. However, Minamoto no Yoshinaka , the heir of Minamoto no Yoshikata , and Yukiie , the younger brother of Yoshitomo and Yoshikata, could have claimed the position as well. The Minamoto were one of the four great clans that dominated Japanese politics during

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