TheTaira (平) was one of the four most importantclans that dominated Japanese politics during theHeian period ofJapanese history – the others being theMinamoto, theFujiwara, and theTachibana.[1] The clan is divided into four major groups, named after theemperors they descended from:Kanmu Heishi,Ninmyō Heishi,Montoku Heishi, andKōkō Heishi,[2] the most influential of which was the Kanmu Heishi line.
| Taira 平氏 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Home province | Hitachi Province,Ise Province |
| Parent house | Imperial House of Japan (Emperor Kanmu) |
| Titles | Various |
| Founder | Taira no Takamochi |
| Final ruler | Taira no Munemori |
| Founding year | c. 825 |
| Cadet branches | Hōjō Chiba Miura Nagao Uchima Tajiri Hatakeyama Oda Tanegashima others |
In the twilight of the Heian period, the Taira controlled the boy emperorAntoku (himself the grandson of the powerfulKugyōTaira no Kiyomori) and had effectively dominated the Imperial capital ofHeian. However, they were opposed by their rivals theMinamoto clan (the Genji), which culminated in theGenpei War (1180–1185 AD). The five-year-long war concluded with a decisive Taira defeat in the navalBattle of Dan-no-Ura, which resulted in the deaths of Antoku and Taira leaders. Following the war, the victorious Minamoto established Japan'sfirst shogunate inKamakura. The name "Genpei" comes fromalternate readings of thekanji "Minamoto" (源Gen) and "Taira" (平Hei).
The clan is commonly referred to asHeishi (平氏, "Taira clan") orHeike (平家, "House of Taira"), using the character'sOn'yomihei (平) forTaira, whileshi (氏) means "clan", andke (家) is used as a suffix for "extended family".[3] The clan is the namesake ofThe Tale of the Heike, an epic account of the Genpei War.
History
edit
Along with theMinamoto, Taira was one of the honorary surnames given by the emperors of theHeian period (794–1185) to their children and grandchildren who were not considered eligible for the throne.[4]
The clan was founded when theImperial Court grew too large, and the emperor ordered that the descendants of previous emperors from several generations ago would no longer be princes but would instead be given noble surnames and ranks. The decision became applicable during the reign ofEmperor Kanmu (782–805) and thus, together with the Minamoto clan, the Taira clan was born.[5]
Some grandchildren ofEmperor Kanmu were the first to bear the name of Taira, after825. Later, descendants ofEmperor Nimmyo,Emperor Montoku andEmperor Koko also received the surname. The specific hereditary lines of these emperors are referred to by the posthumous name of the emperor followed by Heishi, for exampleKanmu Heishi.[4]
The Kanmu Heishi line has two major branches. One was founded in889 byTaira no Takamochi (great-grandson of the 50thEmperor Kanmu, who reigned from781 to806) proved to be the strongest and most dominant line during theHeian period.[6] A great-grandson of Takamochi,Taira no Korehira, moved toIse Province (currently part ofMie Prefecture) and established an importantDaimyo dynasty.[7]Masamori, his grandson; andTadamori, his great-grandson, became loyal supporters ofEmperor Shirakawa andEmperor Toba, respectively. Later, Tadamori's son,Taira no Kiyomori, created what was considered the firstsamurai government in the history of Japan.[8]
Taira no Kiyomori, son and heir of Tadamori, rose to the position ofDaijō Daijin (great Minister of State), after his victories in theHōgen Rebellion (1156) and theHeiji Rebellion (1160).[8] Kiyomori succeeded in enthroning his youngest grandson asEmperor Antoku in 1180, an act that led to theGenpei War (Genpei no Sōran, 1180–1185). The last leader of the Kanmu Heishi bloodline, was eventually destroyed byMinamoto no Yoritomo's armies at theBattle of Dan-no-ura, the last battle of the Genpei War. This story is told in theHeike Monogatari.[9]
This branch of the Kanmu Heishi had many collateral branches, includingHōjō,Chiba,Miura andHatakeyama.[10][7]
The other major branch of Kanmu Heishi was founded by Takamune-ō (804–867), the eldest son of Prince Imperial Kazurahara and grandson of Emperor Kanmu, who received the title of Taira noAson in the year 825.[11][7] Members of this branch served as middle-classkuge in the Imperial Court of Kyoto.
TheOda clan at the time ofOda Nobunaga (1534–1582) also claimed Taira descent, they were descendants ofTaira no Chikazane, grandson ofTaira no Shigemori (1138–1179).[12]
Genpei War
editDuring theHeiji Rebellion (1160), theSeiwa Genji leader,Minamoto no Yoshitomo, died in battle. Taira no Kiyomori gained power inKyoto forging alliances with retired emperorsShirakawa andToba. Kiyomori sentMinamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the third son of Yoshitomo, into exile. In1180, Yoritomo organized a large-scale rebellion against the rule of the Taira (theGenpei War orTaira-Minamoto), culminated with the destruction of the Taira by theMinamoto clan[13] and the subjugation of eastern Japan in five years. In1192,Minamoto no Yoritomo received the titleshogun and created the firstbakufu based inKamakura (Kanagawa Prefecture).[14]
Branches
editThe Taira clan had four main branches:[15]
- Taira Kanmu (Kanmu Heishi, 桓武平氏) – descended from the princes, children of 50thEmperor Kanmu.[15]
- Taira Nimmyō (Nimmyō Heishi, 仁明平氏) – descended from the princes, grandchildren of the 54thEmperor Nimmyō's lineage.[15]
- Taira Montoku (Montoku Heishi, 文徳平氏) – descended from princes, children of 55thEmperor Montoku.[15]
- Taira Kōkō (Kōkō Heishi, 光孝平氏) – descended from the princes, grandchildren of the 58thEmperor Kōkō's lineage.[15]
Clan members
editThese were important members of the Taira clan.
- Taira no Masakado (903–940)
- Taira no Kiyomori (1118–1181)
- Taira no Shigemori (1138–1179)
- Taira no Tadanori (1144–1184)
- Taira no Munemori (1147–1185)
- Taira no Tomomori (1152–1185)
- Taira no Shigehira (1158–1185)
- Taira no Takakiyo (1173–1199)
Mon of the Taira
editThemon (crest, emblem) of the Taira clan is an Agehanochō (揚羽蝶,Swallowtail butterfly) with raised wings.
Gallery
edit
Yoshitsune andBenkei defending themselves in their boat during a storm created by the ghosts of conquered Taira warriors (byUtagawa Kuniyoshi)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Gibney, Frank (1984).Britannica International Encyclopedia. TBS-Britannica. Shisei: "Heishi".OCLC 47462068.
- ^Sekai Daihyakka Jiten. Japan: Heibonsha. 1972. Heishi.OCLC 38097358.
- ^Lebra, Takie Sugiyama (1995).Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility. University of California Press, p. 72.ISBN 9780520076020.
- ^abPlutschow, Herbert E. (1995).Japan's Name Culture: The Significance of Names in a Religious, Political and Social Context. Psychology Press. pp. 112–113.ISBN 9781873410424.
- ^Samurai Archives
- ^Varley, H. Paul (1994).Warriors of Japan: As Portrayed in the War Tales. University of Hawaii Press. p. 9.ISBN 9780824816018.
- ^abcZumbo, Daniele (2013).Un vassallo che cercò di espugnare la Dinastia (in Italian). Youcanprint. p. 7.ISBN 9788891113221.
- ^abWatson, Burton; Shirane, Haruo (2006).The Tales of the Heike. Columbia University Press. p. 176.ISBN 9780231510837.
- ^Genji & Heike: Selections from The Tale of Genji and The Tale of the Heike. Stanford University Press. 1994. p. 250.ISBN 9780804766463.
- ^Hiraizumi, Kiyoshi (1997).The Story of Japan: History from the founding of the nation to the height of Fujiwara prosperity. Seisei Kikaku p 5.ISBN 9784916079046.
- ^Transactions and Proceedings of the Japan Society, London. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner and Company, p. 105. 1932.
- ^Plutschow (1995).Japan's Name Culture. Psychology Press. p. 156.ISBN 9781873410424.
- ^Sansom, George (1958).A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford University Press. pp. 255–257, 275,289–305.ISBN 0804705232.
- ^"shogun | Japanese title".Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved2017-08-21.
- ^abcdeThe Samurai Crab