Taira no Koremori

Taira no Koremori (平 維盛) (1158 – 1184) was one of the Taira clan's commanders in the Genpei War of the late Heian period of Japanese history.

Sammichūjō Koremori by Yoshitora, 1866
In this Japanese name, the surname is Taira.

He was the only son of Taira no Shigemori, who was the eldest son and heir of Taira no Kiyomori.

In contrast to his father Shigemori, who was a brave warrior, Koremori grew up to be a young nobleman who loved poetry and music.

He was defeated at the Battle of Fujikawa in 1180.

In 1183, Koremori invaded Echizen Province, taking Hiuchiyama and several other of Minamoto no Yoshinaka's strongholds. However, Yoshinaka was able to take back his strongholds after defeating Koremori in the Battle of Kurikara.[1][2]

Koremori fled Heike headquarters during the Battle of Yashima, seeking a reunion with his family left behind in the capital. However, along the way he met Priest Takiguchi, formerly Saito Tokiyori, on Mount Kōya. Koremori became a monk and then boarded a boat at Hama-no-miya. Then he set out to sea, and drowned himself.[3]

His sons, Taira no Takakiyo and Taira no Chikazane, became the last members of the Taira clan after most of their relatives were killed in the Battle of Dan-no-Ura in 1185.

References
  1. Sansom, George (1958). A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford University Press. p. 293. ISBN 0804705232.
  2. Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 201-202. ISBN 1854095234.
  3. The Tales of the Heike. Translated by Burton Watson. Columbia University Press. 2006. p. 109–121. ISBN 9780231138031.
  • Frederic, Louis (2002). "Taira no Koremori". Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.


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