Siege of Hojujidono
Encyclopedia
The 1184 siege of the Hōjūjidono was part of Japan's Genpei War
, and was a key element of the conflict between Minamoto no Yoshinaka
and his cousins Yoritomo
and Yoshitsune
for control of the Minamoto clan
.
For some time, Yoshinaka had desired to seize control of the clan from his cousins. Upon returning to Kyoto
from his victories at Shinohara
and Kurikara
, he decided to split from the clan, plotting with Minamoto no Yukiie
to kidnap Emperor Go-Shirakawa
, and establish a government of their own, in the provinces north of Kyoto
. But Yukiie
did not, in the end, aid Yoshinaka
in this scheme.
Yoshinaka
attacked the Hōjūjidono
(also known as the Hōjūji Palace), set it aflame, killed the defenders, and seized Emperor Go-Shirakawa. He was opposed by quite a number of court nobles and warrior monks
from Mount Hiei
and Miidera, but ultimately made it out of the city victorious, with Emperor Go-Shirakawa.
However, at this point, the Minamoto armies, under Yukiie
, Yoritomo
, Yoshitsune
, and Noriyori
were surrounding the capital. Yoshinaka
fled across the Bridge of Uji, where he fought the second Battle of Uji
.
Genpei War
The was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....
, and was a key element of the conflict between Minamoto no Yoshinaka
Minamoto no Yoshinaka
was a general of the late Heian Period of Japanese history. A member of the Minamoto samurai clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira clans....
and his cousins Yoritomo
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. He ruled from 1192 until 1199.-Early life and exile :Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto clan, and his official wife, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, who was a member of the...
and Yoshitsune
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura...
for control of the Minamoto clan
Minamoto clan
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period , although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of...
.
For some time, Yoshinaka had desired to seize control of the clan from his cousins. Upon returning to Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
from his victories at Shinohara
Battle of Shinohara
Following the Battle of Kurikara, Minamoto no Yoshinaka caught up with the retreating Taira no Munemori. An archery duel by champions on both sides preceded general fighting, which included several celebrated instances of single combat. Victory went to the Minamoto.-References:* Sansom, George . 'A...
and Kurikara
Battle of Kurikara
The battle of Kurikara, also known as the battle of Tonamiyama , was a crucial battle of Japan's Genpei War; in this battle the tide of the war turned in the favor of the Minamoto clan.-Background:...
, he decided to split from the clan, plotting with Minamoto no Yukiie
Minamoto no Yukiie
was the brother of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and one of the commanders of the Minamoto forces in the Genpei War at the end of the Heian period of Japanese history....
to kidnap Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession...
, and establish a government of their own, in the provinces north of Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. But Yukiie
Minamoto no Yukiie
was the brother of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and one of the commanders of the Minamoto forces in the Genpei War at the end of the Heian period of Japanese history....
did not, in the end, aid Yoshinaka
Minamoto no Yoshinaka
was a general of the late Heian Period of Japanese history. A member of the Minamoto samurai clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira clans....
in this scheme.
Yoshinaka
Minamoto no Yoshinaka
was a general of the late Heian Period of Japanese history. A member of the Minamoto samurai clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira clans....
attacked the Hōjūjidono
Hojujidono
The ' was a Buddhist temple in Kyoto which was, for a time, the home of the Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa.The temple was originally built and founded, as 'Hōjūji', by Fujiwara Tamemitsu in 988. However, it was destroyed in 1032....
(also known as the Hōjūji Palace), set it aflame, killed the defenders, and seized Emperor Go-Shirakawa. He was opposed by quite a number of court nobles and warrior monks
Sohei
were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power, obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate....
from Mount Hiei
Mount Hiei
is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, Japan.The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tiantai sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei by Saichō in 788. Both Nichiren and Honen studied at the temple before...
and Miidera, but ultimately made it out of the city victorious, with Emperor Go-Shirakawa.
However, at this point, the Minamoto armies, under Yukiie
Minamoto no Yukiie
was the brother of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and one of the commanders of the Minamoto forces in the Genpei War at the end of the Heian period of Japanese history....
, Yoritomo
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. He ruled from 1192 until 1199.-Early life and exile :Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto clan, and his official wife, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, who was a member of the...
, Yoshitsune
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura...
, and Noriyori
Minamoto no Noriyori
was a late Heian period general, who fought alongside his brothers Minamoto no Yoritomo and Minamoto no Yoshitsune at a number of battles of the Genpei War. The sixth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, he was spared along with his brothers in 1160 by Taira no Kiyomori following Yoshitomo's death.He...
were surrounding the capital. Yoshinaka
Minamoto no Yoshinaka
was a general of the late Heian Period of Japanese history. A member of the Minamoto samurai clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira clans....
fled across the Bridge of Uji, where he fought the second Battle of Uji
Battle of Uji (1184)
Minamoto no Yoshinaka tried to wrest power from his cousins Yoritomo and Yoshitsune, seeking to take command of the Clan. To that end, he sacked Kyoto, burning the Hōjūji Palace, kidnapping Emperor Go-Shirakawa and having himself named shogun...
.