|
The Hogen Rebellion was a Japanese civil war fought in 1156 over Japanese
imperial succession and control of the Fujiwara clan of regents. However, it
also succeeded in establishing the dominance of the samurai clans and
eventually the first samurai lead government in the history of Japan.
After the death of the cloistered emperor Toba, the emperor Go-Shirakawa
and the retired emperor Sutoku and disputed over succession to the throne
and continuation of the cloistered government. Fujiwara no Tadamichi, first
son of regent Fujiwara no Tadazane, sided with Go-Shirakawa while his
younger brother Fujiwara no Yorinaga sided with Sutoku. Each rival side in
turn beckoned the Minamoto and Taira clans of samurai. Minamoto no
Tameyoshi, head of the Minamoto clan, and Taira no Tadamasa sided with
Sutoku and Yorinaga while on the other hand Minamoto no Yoshitomo, first son
of Minamoto no Tameyoshi, and Taira no Kiyomori, head of the Taira clan and
nephew of Taira no Tadamasa, sided with Go-Shirakawa and Tadamichi.
The forces of Go-Shirakawa defeated the retired emperor Sutoku making the
way for emperor Nijo to be appointed to the throne and Go-Shirakawa becoming
the new cloistered emperor in 1158. Sutoku was banished to Sanuki province
of Shikoku, Fujiwara no Yorinaga was killed in battle, and Minamoto no
Tameyoshi and Taira no Tadamasa were executed. Minamoto no Yoshitomo became
head of the Minamoto after the death of his father and together with Taira
no Kiyomori, succeeded in establishing the two samurai clans as new
political powers in Kyoto.
The outcome of the Hogen Rebellion and the rivalry established between
the Minamoto and Taira clans led to the Heiji Rebellion in 1159.
The Kamakura period epic Tale of Hogen is about the exploits of the
samurai that participated in the Hogen Rebellion. Together with the Tale of
Heiji and the Tale of Heike, they describe the rise and fall of the Minamoto
and Taira samurai clans.
|
