Taira no Munemori

Taira no Munemori (平 宗盛, 1147 – June 19, 1185) was heir to Taira no Kiyomori, and one of the Taira clan's chief commanders in the Genpei War.

Taira no Munemori
In this Japanese name, the surname is Taira.

As his father Taira no Kiyomori lay on his deathbed, Kiyomori declared, among his last wishes, that all affairs of the clan be placed in Munemori's hands. His eldest son, Shigemori, had already died two years earlier, so Munemori became next in line. [1]

In 1183, the rival Minamoto clan gained power, with Minamoto no Yoshinaka and Minamoto no Yukiie besieging the capital city. Following the defection of Emperor Go-Shirakawa to the Minamoto side, Munemori led his forces in escaping the capital city to the west, along with the young Emperor Antoku.[1]:293–294 In September that same year, the Taira established a temporary Court in Kyūshū, and then Yashima.[1]

Munemori took part in nearly every battle of the war,[2] including the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185, where he was captured and later executed a few days later. [1]:303,314

References
  1. Sansom, George (1958). A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford University Press. p. 287. ISBN 0804705232.
  2. The Tales of the Heike. Translated by Burton Watson. Columbia University Press. 2006. p. 122-123. ISBN 9780231138031.
  • Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
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