Battle of Koromogawa

The battles of Koromogawa the June 15th 1189, is that which sees the death of the one of the most popular heroes of the Histoire of Japan, the Samurai Minamoto No Yoshitsune.

Causes

After the War of Gempei, in 1185, Minamoto No Yoshitsune comes to settle with Kyōto where one gives him a place near the emperor withdrawn Go-Shirakawa.

The new one directing Japan, Minamoto No Yoritomo, brother of Yoshitsune, jealous of its fame, anxious of the influence of the Hō-ō on his/her brother, and regarding as a violation of its privileges the fact that it had allotted grounds to its vassal to reward them for their efforts of war, then recall his/her brother to Kamakura to hold it with the eye.

Yoshitsune, whose behavior during the war had deprived of many supports (its daring tactics, inspired by those of the monks and the mountain dwellers among which it had grown, seemed almost sacrilege with the eyes of samurais attached to the traditional uses warlike), was found insulated. It ends up asking of the assistance to Go-Shirakawa, and this one coming too late, it escapes then and is seen constrained to flee again in the Province of Mutsu at Fujiwara No Hidehira, but this one dies in 1187, leaving by will the place of governor with Yoshitsune rather than with his/her son Fujiwara No Yasuhira. This one refuses to see évincer, which causes disorders within the Ōshū Fujiwara and makes it possible Yoritomo to learn where his/her brother hides.

Unfolding

The June 15th 1189, on order of Yoritomo (or perhaps simply by fear of its reaction), Yasuhira attacks Yoshitsune which resided then at Fujiwara No Motonari. Benkei and the last partisans of Yoshitsune organize a defense despaired to give to this last time to give death by Seppuku after having killed his young wife. One is unaware of if it had time to give itself death or if it were killed by its enemies before to have succeeded there.

The head of Yoshitsune then transported to Kamakura, where it caused a sharp agitation.

Consequences

A few months later, Yoritomo makes carry out Yasuhira under pretext that it lodged Yoshitsune. It thus makes stone two blows: by eliminating his too heroic brother, it is released from a potential threat, and by eliminating Yasuhira it gets rid of the powerful family Ōshū Fujiwara, thus seizing the Région of Tōhoku and its gold mines.

References

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