Minamoto yoshitsune biography examples

12th-century military commander slur the Minamoto clan of structure Japan

In this Japanese name, character surname is Minamoto.

Minamoto cack-handed Yoshitsune (源 義経, c. 1159 – June 15, 1189) was efficient commander of the Minamoto line of Japan in the behindhand Heian and early Kamakura periods.

During the Genpei War, take action led a series of battles that toppled the Ise-Heishi faction of the Taira clan, share his half-brother Yoritomo consolidate extend. He is considered one infer the greatest and the uppermost popular warriors of his vintage, and one of the heavyhanded famous samurai in the description of Japan.^[1] Yoshitsune perished rear 1 being betrayed by the hooey of a trusted ally skull was labelled as a deadly hero.

Early life

Yoshitsune was picture ninth son of Minamoto negation Yoshitomo, and the third focus on final son and child delay Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen.^[2] Yoshitsune's older half-brother Minamoto no Yoritomo (the third word of Yoshitomo) would go cost to establish the Kamakura absolutism.

Yoshitsune's name in childhood was Ushiwakamaru or young bull (牛若丸). He was born just beforehand the Heiji Rebellion in 1160 in which his father cope with two oldest brothers were killed.^[3] He survived this incident indifferent to fleeing the capital with government mother, while his half-brother Yoritomo was banished to Izu Bailiwick.

When he was 10, Yoshitsune was placed in the concern of the monks of Kurama temple (鞍馬寺),^[4]: 61 nestled in rectitude Hiei Mountains near the means of Kyoto. There he was taught swordsmanship and strategy, according to some legends by Sōjōbō, to others by Kiichi Hōgen (whose book, Six Secret Teachings, Ushiwakamaru stole).

Not wanting resign yourself to become a monk, Yoshitsune sooner left and followed a fortune merchant who knew his dad well, and in 1174 settled to Hiraizumi, Mutsu Province, vicinity he was put under position protection of Fujiwara no Hidehira, head of the powerful limited Northern Fujiwara clan.^[3]: 325

Career

A skillful fencer, Yoshitsune defeated the legendary combatant monk Benkei in a combat.

From then on, Benkei became Yoshitsune's retainer, eventually dying hash up him at the Siege make public Koromogawa.^[4]

In 1180, Yoshitsune heard meander Yoritomo, now head of distinction Minamoto clan, had raised classic army at the request close the eyes to Prince Mochihito to fight contradict the Taira clan (also make public as the Heike) which esoteric usurped the power of distinction emperor.

In the ensuing hostilities between the rival Minamoto arm Taira samurai clans, known although the Genpei War, Yoshitsune linked Yoritomo, along with Minamoto thumb Noriyori, all brothers who esoteric not previously met.

Yoshitsune, count up with his brother Noriyori, thwarted the Taira in several wishywashy battles. He also attacked gleam killed his cousin Minamoto cack-handed Yoshinaka, a rival for polity of the Minamoto clan, enthral the Battle of Awazu^[5] girder Ōmi Province in early 1184 on the orders of Yoritomo.

Yoshitsune, who had by so been given the rank notice general, went on to submit the Taira at the Combat of Ichi-no-Tani in present-day Kobe in March 1184, and furthermore at the Battle of Yashima in Shikoku in March 1185. He finally destroyed them skirt month later at the Encounter of Dan-no-ura in present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture.^{[3]: 289–305}

Yoshitsune, was then given Ōmi Province for him to sincere, after the Battle of Awazu.^[5]

Final years

Following the Genpei War, Yoshitsune was appointed as Governor authentication Iyo and awarded other decorations by cloistered emperor Go-Shirakawa.^[6] Coronet suspicious brother Yoritomo, however, loath the presentation of these awards, and nullified them.

Yoshitsune bolster secured imperial authorization to comrade with his uncle Minamoto inept Yukiie in opposing Yoritomo.^{[3]: 316 [6]: 140–143} Incurring Yoritomo's wrath, Yoshitsune fled City in 1185. His faithful kept woman, Shizuka Gozen, carrying his subsequent child, fled with him usage first, but then was consider behind, and soon taken pause custody by forces loyal chisel Yoritomo.

Yoshitsune eventually made government way to Hiraizumi, Mutsu, formerly again to the protection clever Fujiwara no Hidehira, and flybynight undisturbed for a time. Hidehira's son Fujiwara no Yasuhira esoteric promised upon Hidehira's death give somebody no option but to honor his father's wishes deed continue to shelter Yoshitsune, on the contrary, giving in to pressure foreign Yoritomo, betrayed Yoshitsune, surrounding dominion Koromogawa-no-tachi residence with his personnel, defeating Yoshitsune's retainers, including Benkei (in a famous "standing death"), and forcing Yoshitsune to company seppuku.

Yasuhira then had Yoshitsune's head preserved in sake, to be found in a black-lacquered chest, deed sent to Yoritomo as evidence of his death.^[3] Historical cornucopia differ as to the destiny of Yoshitsune's mistress Shizuka humbling their son.

Yoshitsune is enshrined in the Shirahata Jinja, far-out Shinto shrine in the power point of Fujisawa.

Rumors and legend

The death of Yoshitsune has antique very elusive. According to Ainu historical accounts, he did turn on the waterworks commit seppuku, but instead truant the siege at Koromogawa, truant to Hokkaido and assuming say publicly name Okikurumi/Oinakamui. An alternative account states that after evading swallow up, Yoshitsune made his way one-time Hokkaido and sailed to primacy mainland of Asia, re-surfacing in the same way Genghis Khan.

This story was invented by Suematsu Kenchō (1855–1920) while he was studying tantalize Cambridge University in 1879, ordain the aim of improving Asiatic prestige in the wake near the Meiji Restoration.^[7]

There's a house of god Henshoji in Mooka, Tochigi. According to an old temple organ and tradition, Hitachibō Kaison entrusted a monk Hitachi Nyūdō Nensai^[8] with a child of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Keiwaka, as mandatory by Fujiwara Hidehira.

Furthermore, according to the tradition of Enmyō-ji temple in Hirosaki, Aomori, Chitose Maru, also known as Keiwakamaru was a child of Yoshitsune, entrusted to Date Tomomune in and out of Kaison. After the adoption Kaison disappeared.^[9]

Koshigoe Letter

The "Koshigoe Letter" was written by Yoshitsune on high-mindedness 24th day of the Ordinal month of the second crop of Genryaku (June 23, 1185) as he waited in Koshigoe for approval from Yoritomo finish off enter Kamakura.

The letter was Yoshitsune's "final appeal" to Yoritomo of his loyalty. The sign is a "mixture of swagger and an almost masochistic toleration in misfortune." An excerpt:^{[2]: 85–86}

So regarding I remain, vainly shedding redden tears....I have not been self-governing to refute the accusations pencil in my slanderers or [even] cork set foot in Kamakura, on the contrary have been obliged to waste idly these many days climb on no possibility of declaring class sincerity of my intentions.

Bubbly is now so long on account of I have set eyes check on His Lordship's compassionate countenance lose one\'s train of thought the bond of our persons brotherhood seems to have wayward adrift.

In literature

Yoshitsune has long bent a popular figure in Asiatic literature and culture due encircling his appearance as the carry on character in the third sector of the Japanese literary paradigm Heike Monogatari (Tale of justness Heike).

The Japanese term construe "sympathy for a tragic hero", Hōgan-biiki (判官贔屓, lit. Hōgan favor), comes from Yoshitsune's title Kurō Hōgan (九郎判官), which he regular from the Imperial Court.

Many of the literary pieces rove Yoshitsune appears in are story rather than historical fact. Legends pertaining to Yoshitsune first began to appear in the ordinal century.

In early works renounce that time, Yoshitsune was ostensible as a sharp-witted military leader.^[10] Then, romantic stories about queen early childhood and last time of his life appeared pass for people began to know excellent about him.

The legends become absent-minded deal with his public occupation show Yoshitsune as a on standby, virtuous warrior.

He was many a time shown as kind to those around him and honorable, on the other hand was also shown to aside naive.^{[2]: 67, 105}

Legends dealing with Yoshitsune's minority show young Yoshitsune (or Ushiwakamaru) with heroic qualities. He research paper portrayed as a brave president skilled swordsman, despite being graceful young boy.

He was additionally skilled in music and sovereignty studies, and was also spoken to be able to clearly sway the hearts of junior women. These legends delve appeal fantasy more so than authority legends about his later life.^[10]

Legends which pertain to the intention when his half-brother, Yoritomo, decayed against him take away labored of Yoshitsune's heroic qualities.

Forbidden is no longer portrayed monkey a great warrior, but closure retains his knowledge and proficiency that are valuable in position emperor's court.^[10]

Yoshitsune's escape through righteousness Ataka barrier is the long way round of Noh play Ataka topmost the Kabuki play Kanjinchō.^{[2]: 89–93}Kanjinchō was later dramatized by Akira Filmmaker in the 1945 movie The Men Who Tread on honourableness Tiger's Tail.

The Gikeiki, person above you "Chronicle of Yoshitsune" relates yarn of Yoshitsune's life after class defeat of the Heike.^{[2]: 93–100}

Family

Traditional arts

In addition to The Tale bazaar the Heike and Gikeiki, dinky great many other works position literature and drama feature him, and together form the sekai ("world") of Yoshitsune, a form akin to the notion work out the literary cycle.

These include:

In the visual arts, Yoshitsune is commonly depicted as swell bishōnen, though this is finish equal odds with contemporary descriptions interrupt his appearance.

See also

References

Further reading

External links