Rebellion of Hōgen

The rebellion of Hōgen (保元の乱, Hōgen-No-ran ) is short a Civil war which has occurred in the Japan of the era Heian, in the year 1156 of our era. It owes its name with the fact that it took place during the era Hōgen (1156 - 1159), and implied the three more powerful clans of the time, the Minamoto, the Taira and the Fujiwara, in a fight for the domination of the imperial Cour of Kyōto.

Causes

At the end of the Heian time, the emperor does not have reality capacity, the administration being cored by the Régents Fujiwara, and certain emperors had tried to escape this seizure by withdrawing throne officially, but while continuing to exert the power since their retirement instead of the emperor in title, according to the systems of the '' insei ''. Such “withdrawn emperors” carried the title of In , or Jōkō . If there were more than one emperor withdrawn at the same time, it was oldest (called Hon' in ) which reigned.

In 1156, after the death of the hon' in Toba, a power struggle starts between the jōkō Sutoku and the emperor Go-Shirakawa, who, supported by Fujiwara No Tadamichi, the oldest son of the regent Fujiwara No Tadazane, tries to put at bottom the system insei .

Knowing that Sutoku prepared a coup d'etat to take again the capacity, Go-Shirakawa decides to strike the first and launches the attack on the palate of Sutoku.

Partisans

In the camp of the jōkō Sutoku, one finds the brother of Tadamichi, Fujiwara No Yorinaga, like Minamoto No Tameyoshi and his son Minamoto No Tametomo, archer famous, just as Taira No Tadamasa.

The other wire of Tameyoshi, its heir Yoshitomo, is as for him in the camp of the emperor in title, just as Taira No Kiyomori, chief of the clan Taira and nephew of Tadamasa.

Unfolding

The July 10th 1156, the two camps deal with Kyōto. Side of Sutoku, Minamoto No Tametomo suggests a night attack of the enemy palate, but Fujiwara No Yorinaga rejects this strategy. In the other camp, Minamoto No Yoshitomo advises to him also a night attack, which as for it is approved.

The seat of the palate of Shirakawa, a palate pertaining to Sutoku, constitutes the principal confrontation of the rebellion of Hōgen. During the night of the July 11th, Kiyomori and Yoshitomo lead their troops to the attack of the palate and reduce it in ashes.

Consequences

Fujiwara No Yorinaga dies during the battle, and at the conclusion of this one, the palate is entirely burned and the jōkō sent in exile in the Province of Sanuki on the island of Shikoku. Taira No Tadamasa is carried out, just as Minamoto No Tameyoshi are carried out, Minamoto No Yoshitomo becoming the new chief of the clan after the death of his father.

The domination of the Fujiwara on the court is finished, but Yoshitomo and Taira No Kiyomori establish their respective clans as new political powers with Kyōto bringing for the first time the Samurai S in the highest levels of power. If the agreement is cordial at the beginning, the Taira, anxious to see the power of the Minamoto increasing, approach in 1158 Go-Shirakawa, now withdrawn and replaced by his/her son the Empereur Nijō, which leads to the Rébellion of Heiji in 1159.

The rebellion of Hōgen in the literature

The events of the rebellion of Hōgen are described in the Hōgen Monogatari , Romance warrior made up at the beginning of the 14th century.

References

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