On November 14, 1179, Taira no Kiyomori entered Kyoto from Fukuhara.
The “Sankai-ki” records that his forces numbered in the thousands.
On the following day, the 15th, the regent Matsudono Motofusa and his son Morouji were removed from political power, and the 20-year-old Konoe Motomichi was appointed as regent. On the 17th, numerous officials, including the Chancellor Fujiwara no Moronaga, courtiers, palace guards, provincial governors, and police commissioners, were stripped of their positions.
Then, on the 20th, Emperor Go-Shirakawa was moved to the Toba Palace in the southern outskirts of Kyoto, effectively ending his cloistered rule.
In just about a week, there was a significant reshuffling of both the leadership of the Fujiwara regency and the personnel of the imperial court.
This was the political upheaval of the third year of the Jisho era.
Since the Heiji Rebellion nearly 20 years earlier, Kiyomori and Emperor Go-Shirakawa had alternated between cooperation and conflict.
Kiyomori’s rise to power was deeply intertwined with the cloistered government, and for a long time, they were mutually dependent.
In November 1179, this relationship finally culminated in a coup d’état involving military force.
It is difficult to pinpoint a single cause.
There was the Shishigatani Incident two years prior, the dispute over the Fujiwara regency’s estates following the death of Kiyomori’s daughter Moriko, the death of his eldest son Shigemori, the confiscation of Shigemori’s family’s holdings in Echizen, and the personnel decisions regarding the succession of the Fujiwara regency.
From summer to autumn of 1179, a series of issues arose that Kiyomori could not ignore.
Even after the Shishigatani Incident, Kiyomori and Emperor Go-Shirakawa cooperated
In June 1177, close associates of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, including Fujiwara no Narichika, Saiko, and Shunkan, were exposed one after another.
The “Heike Monogatari” later depicted a secret meeting at a mountain villa in Shishigatani to overthrow the Taira clan, which was discovered through the betrayal of Tada Yukitsuna.
However, current research suggests caution in viewing Narichika and Saiko as a single “anti-Taira group” from the start. Their political positions differed, and the circumstances of their punishments were not uniform.
The detailed course of the Shishigatani Incident is covered in a separate article.
It is certain that Kiyomori used this incident to severely punish the emperor’s close associates; Saiko was executed, Narichika was exiled to Bizen and later died, and Shunkan, Taira no Yasuyori, and Fujiwara no Naritsune were exiled to Kikaigashima.
Yet, in 1177, Kiyomori and Emperor Go-Shirakawa had not completely severed ties.
In November of the following year, 1178, when Empress Tokuko, the consort of Emperor Takakura, gave birth to Prince Tokihito, he was quickly appointed Crown Prince by December. Tokuko was Kiyomori’s daughter, and Prince Tokihito was his grandson.
For Emperor Go-Shirakawa, Prince Tokihito was also a grandson. Under the political system centered on Emperor Takakura, there remained areas where the interests of the cloistered government and the Taira clan overlapped.
June 17: The death of Taira no Moriko—Who will inherit the Fujiwara regency’s estates?
On June 17, 1179, Taira no Moriko, Kiyomori’s daughter, passed away at the age of 24.
Moriko was the wife of the regent Konoe Motozane.
Motozane had died young in 1166, and afterward, much of the Fujiwara regency’s estates that Motozane controlled were inherited and managed by Moriko. Through his daughter, Kiyomori was able to exert significant influence over the Fujiwara regency’s assets and administration.
It is confusing to think of Moriko as having owned the Fujiwara estates as her personal property.
Kujō Kanezane, in his “Gyokuyō,” also regarded Moriko as merely a temporary holder, with the rightful heir being Motozane’s son, Konoe Motomichi.
The death of Moriko raised a significant issue: who would control the vast estates and administrative apparatus of the Sekkan family moving forward?
At that time, the regent was Matsudono Motofusa, the younger brother of Motomichi.
On the other hand, Kiyomori supported Motomichi’s son, Konoe Motomichi. Motomichi was not only Moriko’s adopted son but also married to Kiyomori’s daughter, Kaneko, which established deep ties with the Taira clan.
After Moriko’s passing, the Goshirakawa-in faction began to involve itself in the management of her household and estates.
There was a growing movement to shift the leadership of the Sekkan family towards the house of Motofusa and Shigeie, which destabilized the position of Motomichi, whom Kiyomori had supported.
The issue of the Sekkan family’s estates was not merely a matter of wealth. It was directly linked to who would inherit the main line of the Fujiwara clan and become the next regent or chief advisor to the emperor.
July 29: Shigemori’s Death—The Taira Clan Loses a Successor
About a month and a half after Moriko’s death, on July 29, Kiyomori’s eldest son, Taira no Shigemori, also passed away at the age of 42.
Shigemori had experienced the Hogen and Heiji Rebellions and had risen to the positions of Provisional Major Counselor, Captain of the Left Imperial Guards, and Minister of the Interior, marking him as Kiyomori’s successor.
As noted in the article on Shigemori, he was deeply connected to Fujiwara Narichika, a close associate of the Goshirakawa-in, through marriage, and even Emperor Goshirakawa himself visited him during his illness.
The ‘Tale of the Heike’ recounts that Shigemori stopped Kiyomori from imprisoning the emperor during the Shishigatani Incident, though this scene cannot be taken as historical fact. However, it is true that Shigemori, who had ties with the Goshirakawa-in, was part of the Taira clan as Kiyomori’s eldest son, and his death likely altered the internal dynamics of the Taira family.
A more direct issue was the provinces under Shigemori’s control.
October 9: Losing Echizen, Eight-Year-Old Shigeie Becomes Provisional Middle Counselor
The province of Echizen had been a crucial fief of the Shigemori family since the first year of Nin’an (1166).
After Shigemori’s death, it is believed that his eldest son, Koremori, assumed his position.
However, on October 9, Goshirakawa-in designated Echizen as an imperial province and appointed Fujiwara Toshimori and his son Tokinaga, close associates of the court, as the provincial governors. Records from the ‘Gyokuyo’ and ‘Sankaiki’ cited in the Fukui Prefecture History confirm that Echizen, long held by the Shigemori family, shifted to the imperial side.
For Kiyomori, this meant that shortly after losing his heir, the economic foundation of his family was also transferred to the imperial side. The ‘Sankaiki’ notes that Kiyomori’s reason for traveling to the capital in November was his anger over Emperor Goshirakawa’s seizure of Echizen, which had been granted to the late Shigemori.
Further personnel changes in October also provoked Kiyomori.
Matsudono Motofusa’s son, Shigeie, was promoted to Provisional Middle Counselor at the tender age of eight.
Shigeie had only become a Fifth Rank Middle Captain the previous year, yet he advanced past the 20-year-old Konoe Motomichi to become Provisional Middle Counselor. For the children of the Sekkan family, the progression of their ranks was not unrelated to who would inherit the family.
Motofusa’s rapid promotion of the young Shigeie seemed to be an attempt to solidify the Matsudono family as the main line of the Sekkan family.
Kiyomori had supported Motomichi. The issues surrounding the Sekkan family estates after Moriko’s death, the confiscation of Echizen, and Shigeie’s extraordinary promotion were separate matters, yet from Kiyomori’s perspective, they likely appeared as a series of moves by the Goshirakawa-in and Motofusa factions to gradually erode his and the Taira clan’s influence.
November 14th — Kiyomori Leads Thousands of Troops from Fukuhara to Kyoto
On November 14th, Kiyomori departed from Fukuhara, heading towards Kyoto.
The Yama no Ki records that he led several thousand troops to the capital.
At that time, Fukuhara was located around what is now Hyogo Ward in Kobe City, close to the Owadano Tomari, which Kiyomori had developed as a hub for trade with the Song Dynasty.
Kiyomori had been spending more time in Fukuhara, distancing himself from political affairs in Kyoto, but on this day, he returned with his forces.
This move caused significant unrest in Kyoto.
Uncertain of Kiyomori’s intentions, some people, fearing conflict, began moving their belongings out of the city.
Although the court had its own military forces, such as the police and Kyoto warriors, they were not prepared to confront the Taira army head-on. In reality, no large-scale battles occurred within the city.
The day after leading his troops into Kyoto, Kiyomori began making personnel changes.
November 15th — The Dismissal of the Regent Motofusa and the Appointment of the 20-Year-Old Konoe Motomichi
The first to fall from power were the Regent Matsudono Motofusa and the eight-year-old Shike.
Replacing Motofusa as the head of the Fujiwara clan and regent was Konoe Motomichi. Motomichi, the legitimate son of Motomichi and Kiyomori’s son-in-law, was a figure Kiyomori had long supported, and he finally took his place at the forefront of the regency.
Simply swapping one official for another was not enough. This change signified a shift in the succession of the regency, which had been leaning towards the Motofusa-Shike line, back to the Konoe line of Motomichi and Motomichi. It was also closely tied to the handling of the regency’s estates, which had been unsettled since the death of Moriko.
On the 16th, Myoun, who had been dismissed as the head of the Tendai sect by Emperor Go-Shirakawa just before the Shishigatani Incident, was reinstated.
This political upheaval affected not only court positions but also personnel matters concerning Enryakuji, which had been in conflict with the court.
November 17th — The Mass Dismissal of Officials, Including the Chancellor of the Realm
On the 17th, an even larger reshuffle took place. It is said that 39 officials, including Chancellor Fujiwara no Moronaga, eight court nobles, and various other officials such as palace guards and police, were dismissed.
Among those affected were influential figures who had supported Emperor Go-Shirakawa’s administration, such as Gon Dainagon Minamoto no Sukekata, Fujiwara no Mitsuyoshi, Takashina no Yasutsune, and Fujiwara no Sukeyoshi.
Being part of the Taira clan did not guarantee safety either, as Kiyomori’s half-brother Taira no Yorimori was also relieved of his position as Right Gate Guard. Yorimori had close ties with Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Empress Dowager Hachijo, making him a significant figure even though he was Kiyomori’s brother.
For some, dismissal was not the end. Fujiwara no Moronaga was later exiled to Owari, and Matsudono Motofusa was also forced to leave Kyoto. Taira no Nariyasu, a close associate of the court, escaped during his exile but was eventually captured and executed.
Kiyomori’s target was not simply “noble families other than the Taira.”
His aim was to dismantle the network of people that Emperor Go-Shirakawa had used to influence personnel and administration, replacing them with individuals more amenable to cooperation with the Taira.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa Offered Concessions, but Kiyomori Was Unyielding
After Motofusa and Shike were ousted, Emperor Go-Shirakawa reportedly sent Shinzei’s son, Joken, as an envoy to Kiyomori, conveying his intention to refrain from interfering in political affairs.
Yet, the reshuffling continued. For Kiyomori, merely toppling the regent and his son left room for the court to regain influence over personnel matters. Even after the Shishigatani Incident, Emperor Go-Shirakawa remained central to politics, significantly impacting the regency’s estates and the October appointments following Moriko’s death.
Thus, Kiyomori went beyond removing the court’s close associates, ultimately isolating Emperor Go-Shirakawa himself from political affairs.
November 20th — Emperor Go-Shirakawa Confined to Toba Palace
On November 20th, Emperor Go-Shirakawa was moved to the Toba Palace. This palace complex, located in what is now the Fushimi Ward of Kyoto City, served as a political center during the eras of the Shirakawa and Toba cloistered governments.
This relocation was not a typical imperial visit. Warriors were stationed around the emperor, and access was strictly limited. Since abdicating in favor of Emperor Nijō in 1158, Emperor Go-Shirakawa had been involved in politics for over 20 years, but his cloistered rule came to a halt here.
Taira no Kiyomori had allied with Emperor Go-Shirakawa through the Heiji Rebellion and expanded his influence under the emperor’s rule. They were not adversaries from the start; in fact, they cooperated for a longer period.
It was on November 20th of the third year of the Jishō era that Kiyomori himself ended this relationship through military force.
What Changed in the Political Shift: From Emperor Go-Shirakawa’s Rule to Emperor Takakura’s Governance
Even though Emperor Go-Shirakawa was confined, Kiyomori did not abolish the court and take over the government himself.
The emperor, regents, and the Daijō-kan remained unchanged.
What changed were the people who actually wielded political power. Many courtiers and close associates of Emperor Go-Shirakawa were removed, and Konoe Motomichi was appointed as regent.
In the appointments of provincial governors, the number of Taira clan members and their affiliates increased significantly, creating a system that facilitated Kiyomori’s influence.
Some scholars view this political shift as the establishment of “Emperor Takakura’s personal rule.”
Emperor Takakura was 19 years old at the time. Kiyomori’s daughter, Tokuko, was the empress, and their son, Prince Tokihito, was the crown prince.
After removing Emperor Go-Shirakawa from political affairs, Emperor Takakura formally took charge of court procedures, surrounded by courtiers loyal to the Taira clan.
Thus, to simply label the political shift of the third year of Jishō as “the beginning of Kiyomori’s dictatorship” would miss the reality.
Kiyomori did not dismantle the existing court; instead, he reshuffled personnel significantly under the threat of military power, blocking the political channels that Emperor Go-Shirakawa had utilized.
Why Did Kiyomori Confine Emperor Go-Shirakawa?
In the narrative of “The Tale of the Heike,” it appears that Kiyomori, harboring anger since the Shishigatani Incident, finally acted against the emperor after the death of his son Shigemori.
While this makes for an understandable story, the actual political shift stemmed from more specific political issues.
After the death of Moriko, the inheritance of the regent family’s estates was in question, and the Matsudono faction, led by Motofusa and Shigeie, gained an advantage over Konoe Motomichi, whom Kiyomori supported.
After Shigemori’s death, Emperor Go-Shirakawa designated Echizen, long held by Shigemori’s family, as an imperial province.
In the same October, eight-year-old Shigeie surpassed Motomichi to become Acting Middle Counselor.
By examining Kiyomori’s actions in November, one can discern the direction of his dissatisfaction.
He dismissed Motofusa and Shigeie, appointed Motomichi as regent, removed Fujiwara no Tokiie from the governorship of Echizen, reinstated Taira no Tomomori, and collectively removed the emperor’s close associates from office. He then relocated Emperor Go-Shirakawa to the Toba Palace.
Before the political shift, Kiyomori systematically overturned the personnel and provincial appointments he had identified as problematic.
The conflict between Kiyomori and Emperor Go-Shirakawa included distrust since the Shishigatani Incident and disputes over temples and shrines.
With the deaths of Moriko and Shigemori in 1179, the imperial side moved concerning the regent family’s estates, Echizen, and the succession of the regent family.
Kiyomori likely judged that leaving personnel and estate decisions to Emperor Go-Shirakawa any longer would endanger the Taira clan’s position.
Four Months After Halting the Cloistered Rule, the Three-Year-Old Emperor Antoku Ascends the Throne
About three months after the political upheaval, in February of the fourth year of Jisho (1180), Emperor Takakura abdicated in favor of Prince Tokihito.
This was Emperor Antoku. He was a young emperor, just two years old by Western age reckoning, and three by the traditional Japanese count.
Taira no Kiyomori became the emperor’s maternal grandfather, further strengthening the ties between the Taira clan and the imperial family.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa was confined to the Toba Palace, while Konoe Motomichi held the position of regent.
The political structure that Kiyomori aimed for with the coup in November 1179 was now taking shape.
However, by that spring, Prince Mochihito, a son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, and Minamoto no Yorimasa began to make their move.
In April, a call to arms was issued to the Minamoto clan across various provinces to overthrow the Taira, and by May, fighting had broken out in Uji.
During the political upheaval of the third year of Jisho, no one in Kyoto openly resisted Kiyomori with military force.
However, the year after reshaping Kyoto’s politics by force, the conflict could no longer be contained to court appointments alone.
With Prince Mochihito’s uprising, the battles involving the Taira clan began to spread nationwide.
Learn more 📖↓
Taira no Kiyomori and The Tale of the Heike [ Yoko Sakurai ]
