Misplaced Pages

#152847

50-469: Following the Hōgen rebellion, in which retired Emperor Sutoku attempted to seize power and enthrone his son, Emperor Go-Shirakawa reigned for only three years before abdicating on September 5, 1158. ( Hōgen 3, 11th day of the 8th month ) Shortly thereafter, Emperor Nijō is said to have acceded to the throne ( sokui ). After Nijō was formally enthroned, the management of all affairs continued to rest entirely in

100-512: A military dictator from the eastern city of Kamakura . It followed a coup d'état by the Taira in 1179 with 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

150-547: 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

200-654: 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 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

250-639: 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 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

300-513: 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

350-621: 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

400-630: 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

450-726: Is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre- Meiji eras. In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Sutoku's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included: The years of Sutoku's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō . After Sutoku's abdication and exile, he devoted himself to monastic life. He copied numerous scriptures and offered them to

500-468: Is also associated with the god of football, worshipped by Kuge clan Asukai in times of yore, while the latter enshrined Ō-mono-nushi-no-mikoto, a god known to have restored harmony in Yamato (or blackmailed Emperor Sujin ... ) in exchange for worship and nepotism. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Sutoku's mausoleum . It is formally named Shiramine no misasagi . Kugyō (公卿)

550-427: 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

SECTION 10

#1732765592153

600-585: Is not traditionally listed. Genpei War [REDACTED]   Minamoto clan (Yoritomo) The Genpei War ( 源平合戦 , Genpei Kassen , Genpei-Gassen , 1180–1185) 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

650-641: Is often called one of the “ Three Great Onryō of Japan  [ ja ] ”. Literary works from the Edo period such as Ugetsu Monogatari and Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki ( 椿説弓張月 ) and ukiyo-e paintings by Utagawa Yoshitsuya depict Emperor Sutoku as an onryō . In 2023, the heavy metal band Onmyo-Za produced the song Shiramine ( 白峯 ) , about Emperor Sutoku as a onryō . Unless otherwise noted (as BC), years are in CE  / AD   Imperial Consort and Regent Empress Jingū

700-648: The Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. The Kamakura period epic Tale of Heiji describes the exploits of the samurai who participated in the Heiji Rebellion. Together with the Tale of Hōgen and the Tale of Heike , these war stories ( gunki monogatari ) describe the rise and fall of the Minamoto and Taira samurai clans. The scroll below, Illustrated Tale of the Heiji Civil War: Scroll of

750-521: 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

800-526: The Chrysanthemum Throne , his personal name (his imina ) was Akihito (顕仁). Sutoku was the eldest son of Emperor Toba . Some old texts say he was instead the son of Toba's grandfather, Emperor Shirakawa . In 1151, Sutoku ordered Waka imperial anthology Shika Wakashū . In 1156, after being defeated by forces loyal to Emperor Go-Shirakawa in the Hōgen Rebellion , he was exiled to Sanuki Province (modern-day Kagawa prefecture on

850-625: 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

900-510: 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

950-488: 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

1000-515: 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

1050-535: The Imperial Visit to Rokuhara , housed at the Tokyo National Museum , illustrates some events of the Heiji Rebellion. Sutoku Emperor Sutoku ( 崇徳天皇 , Sutoku- tennō , July 7, 1119 – September 14, 1164) was the 75th emperor of Japan , according to the traditional order of succession . Sutoku's reign spanned the years from 1123 through 1142 . Before his ascension to

SECTION 20

#1732765592153

1100-477: 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

1150-456: 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

1200-462: 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

1250-478: The Minamoto force left the Imperial Palace in pursuit. This was a feint by Kiyomori. A detached Taira force occupied the Imperial Palace. The Minamoto force was cut off from any way of retreat. The Minamoto force charged at Rokuhara at a base of Kiyomori's. It became a fierce battle, but finally the Minamoto force fled in disorderly retreat. Ultimately, Taira no Kiyomori defeated Yoshitomo. Yoshitomo

1300-401: 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

1350-533: 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

1400-473: 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 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

1450-476: 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 a mandate for Yoshinaka to "join with Yukiie in destroying Munemori and his army". In 1183, Yoshinaka once again sought to gain control of

1500-503: The court, under Shinzei's influence, and chafed at the ordered executions of those parts of the clan who were loyal to Sutoku (especially Minamoto no Tameyoshi ). In late 1159, Taira no Kiyomori , head of the Taira clan, left Kyōto with his family, on a personal pilgrimage. This left the ambitious Fujiwara no Nobuyori , with allies from the Minamoto clan, a perfect opportunity to effect an uprising. In an attack on Sanjō Palace ,

1550-439: The court. Fearing that the scriptures were cursed, the court refused to accept them. Snubbed, Sutoku was said to have resented the court and, upon his death, became an onryō ( 怨霊 , vengeful spirit ) . Everything from the subsequent fall in fortune of the Imperial court, the rise of the samurai powers, droughts and internal unrests were blamed on his haunting. Along with Sugawara no Michizane and Taira no Masakado , he

Heiji rebellion - Misplaced Pages Continue

1600-425: The emperor for attacking Yoshitomo and Nobuyori. Taira no Shigemori (the eldest son of Kiyomori) led 3,000 cavalry and attacked the Imperial Palace where Yoshitomo and Nobuyori were staying. Nobuyori ran away immediately, but Minamoto no Yoshihira (the eldest son of Yoshitomo) fought back and a fierce battle ensued. Yoshihira fought hard and chased Shigemori within the Imperial Palace. The Taira force retreated and

1650-458: The first of four samurai -dominated governments during the feudal history of Japan . The Heiji rebellion further weakened Imperial authority, placing power in the hands of the Taira samurai clan. It led to outright enmity between the Minamoto and Taira. The combination of this enmity and Go-Shirakawa's resentment of Taira power led to the Genpei War , ending with the decisive Taira defeat at

1700-402: The hands of Go-Shirakawa, as per the system of Cloistered Emperor ( insei ). Fujiwara no Nobuyori and Fujiwara no Michinori (Shinzei) emerged as leading and rival advisors in this period, with Shinzei in a pre-eminent role. Further, while both the Taira and the surviving elements of Minamoto had helped Go-Shirakawa retain power, the Minamoto felt that the Taira were more greatly favoured by

1750-920: The island of Shikoku ). Emperor Sutoku's reign lasted for 19 years: 2 years in the nengō Tenji , 5 years in Daiji , 1 year in ' Tenshō , 3 years in Chōshō , 6 years in Hōen, and 1 year in Eiji . The site of Sutoku's grave is settled. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine ( misasagi ) in Sakaide, Kagawa . He was also enshrined (or sealed away ... ) in Shiramine Shrine in Kyoto and Kotohira-gū in Kagawa Prefecture. The former

1800-410: 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 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

1850-474: 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 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

1900-425: 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

1950-479: 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

2000-600: The residence of the retired Emperor, Nobuyori and his Minamoto allies abducted the former emperor Go-Shirakawa and set fire to the Palace. After a pursuit, this also resulted in Shinzei's death. Minamoto no Yoshitomo and Fujiwara no Nobuyori moved the abducted Go-Shirakawa to the Imperial palace with Emperor Nijo, placing both under house arrest. Nobuyori had himself declared imperial chancellor, and began to see his plans for political power fall into place. However, Kiyomori

2050-455: 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 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

Heiji rebellion - Misplaced Pages Continue

2100-503: 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

2150-539: 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 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

2200-408: 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 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

2250-522: 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 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

2300-617: Was eventually betrayed and killed by a retainer while escaping from Kyōto in Owari . Yoshitomo's two sons, Minamoto no Tomonaga and Minamoto no Yoshihira were also casualties. However three of his other sons, Yoritomo (then only 13 years old, and future founding Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate 25 years later), Noriyori and Yoshitsune were spared. Afterwards, Taira no Kiyomori banished Yoshitomo's son Minamoto no Yoritomo , seized Minamoto wealth and land, and eventually formed

2350-471: 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

2400-511: Was informed and made haste to return. The Minamoto did not plan well enough militarily, and were unprepared to defend the city against Kiyomori's return. Upon his return, the Minamoto made no decisive moves and hesitated. Kiyomori made some peace proposals to Nobuyori. However, this was a plot. While Nobuyori was careless, the Emperor Nijō and the former emperor Go-shirakawa escaped to Kiyomori's side. Kiyomori received an imperial grant from

2450-542: 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

2500-400: 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

#152847