源 頼朝
military commander, major general shogun samurai
Yoritomo was of royal lineage, as he was a descendant of Seiwa, the emperor who reigned in the 9th century. He was part of famous Minamoto clan, who was at the time led by his grandfather Tameyoshi. Yoritomo’s father was Yoshitomo, while his mother was a member of Fujiwara, probably the strongest ministerial family in Japan at the time. He was their third son.
Yoritomo grew up at the Imperial Court and he had the first-hand experience and chance of learning military tactics and manoeuvres. His childhood was marked by two great armed conflicts. The first one was the Hogen Rebellion in 1156 when his father and his grandfather were on different sides and the rebellion ended when Yoshitomo, his father, beheaded Tameyoshi, Yoritomo’s grandfather and the head of the Minamoto clan at the time.
The second conflict had far more influence on Yoritomo himself. In 1159, Taira clan rose to arms in the Heiji rebellion, catching Minamoto clan off guard and practically wiping them out. Taira, who were now the strongest ministerial family in entire Japan, spared the lives of Yoritomo and his two brothers, which will later prove to be a great mistake. Yoritomo was exiled to Izu province when he was 13 years old and grew up in a remote village far from Kyoto.
Although he grew up in a remote province, Yoritomo didn’t forget his heritage and origins. He managed to seduce Hojo Masako, the daughter of his jailer and a Taira clan vassal Hojo Tokimasa. It cannot be claimed if Yoritomo did this out of love or because of his interest, but he married Hojo Masako in 1179, becoming affiliated with the Hojo clan.
Meanwhile, Taira clan ruled Kyoto for almost two decades but since they didn’t do anything to improve the life of new warrior class, aristocracy wasn’t very fond of them, and neither were the heads of important shrines and temples. There was a rising disapproval of Taira across Japan, which reached its peak in 1180, when Taira no Kiyomori pronounced his grandson as Emperor Antoku, skipping Prince Mochihito, the first son of the retired Emperor Go – Shirakawa.
Mochihito announced a national call to arms, and he was joined by Yorimasa, another member of the Yoritomo’s clan of Minamoto. Yoritomo himself used this call, in combination with the support of Hojo Tokimasa, who was his jailer until then, and called the eastern provinces to an uprising. Despite the fact that Prince Mochihito and Yorimasa died at the Battle of Uji, Yoritomo continued leading the rebellion throughout Japan, with the help of his cousins from the Minamoto clan.
The war lasted until 1185 and Yoritomo came out as a big winner. In 1184, he regained control of Kyoto, enthroning Emperor Go-Toba as the new emperor. Taira were forced to escape and were finally wiped out in the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. Yoritomo didn’t repeat their mistake and he spared no one, executing all members of Taira clan that didn’t already commit seppuku (ritual suicide). The entire Japan was now under the control of the Minamoto clan, who was led by Yoritomo.
He showed no mercy to his half-brothers, that were thought to be conspiring against him with the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa, and executed both of them. Yoritomo also established placing of shugo (constables) and jito (district stewards) all over Japan. With people loyal to him placed in these positions, Yoritomo had military power in the entire country while limiting the Imperial court power. The Emperor’s permission (probably forcefully gained) to collect commissariat tax in 1185 definitely marked Yoritomo as the leader of the samurai warrior caste and marked the beginning of the feudal age in Japan.
In 1192, Yoritomo was pronounced Seii Taishogun (Great General who destroys Barbarians). It’s not sure if Go-Shirakawa bestowed him the title on his deathbed or Yoritomo simply took it but either way he had become the first Shogun of Japan. He then founded a first feudal state in Japan, called the Kamakura Shogunate, with the capital being set in Kamakura.
Yoritomo ruled the entire country from Kamakura as he had power over all feudal lords across Japan. The system mostly worked and the Kamakura Shogunate survived as the feudal military government of Japan until 1333. As for Yoritomo, he was the Shogun for only seven years, since he died in 1199. Allegedly, his death was caused by falling off a horse but it is far more probable that somebody assassinated him.
Was made the first Shogun of Japan and founded the Kamakura Shogunate;
Destroyed the Taira clan and became an undisputed leader of the samurai warrior caste and lord of all feudal lords across Japan;
Allowed to collect commisssariat tax in 1185, effectively marking the beginning of the Feudal age in Japan;
Yoritomo was one of those who supported Myoan Eisai when he brought Zen Buddhism to Japan and is believed to have been the first sponsor of this faith who significantly helped its spreading.
He was the one that implemented feudal system in Japan. Yoritomo looked for the ways to diminish the Imperial power, mostly because he wanted to have control over the country himself, and he managed to do this by placing feudal lords across the country and pronouncing himself their supreme commander.
Yoritomo grew up at the Imperial Court and was exiled to a rural land where he quickly adapted but never stopped thinking about revenge. When he got the opportunity, he showed himself to be merciless and didn't spare anyone from the Taira clan, who was literally wiped out.
He was a great politician and possessed amazing skills when it comes to military and politics. He knew when to attack, using the excuse of Prince Mochihito’s call to arms to defeat Taira clan but he also knew when to retreat and regroup like when he suffered the defeat in one battle in 1180.
With his great leadership skills and dreams of gaining great power, he managed to propel himself from nothing to the position of the most powerful man in Japan. He proved to be a great administrator and practically devise an entire feudal system by himself. He placed himself as a supreme commander of all shugo and jito scattered over Japan and gained control of the whole country.
He knew that it was a time of turmoil in Japan and he was aware that he couldn’t trust no one. Although his cruelty was evident, it can be partially justified with the wish to implement a system that will provide a stable government for Japan. He did kill numerous opponents, including his half-brothers and cousins but he also cultivated a relationship with other parties, resolved conflict and spread trade and culture.
His failure to relinquish a significant amount of control to anyone else, in the end, proved to be wrong for the Minamoto clan. He only had two young sons to succeed him and they were soon overthrown by the Hojo clan, who, truth to be told, did keep the Kamakura Shogunate running until 1333.
Yoritomo originated from a long line of the military and aristocratic Minamoto family and became the head of the Minamoto clan after his father was killed
Yoritomo was known as a cruel and vicious ruler. He executed many of his opponents and was so reluctant to relinquish control that he is even described as completely paranoid. He enjoyed having great power.
Physical Characteristics: Yoritomo was well-built and his looks brought enabled him to seduce his jailer's daughter while he was exiled.
Quotes from others about the person
"Yoritomo was a truly great man ... his foresight was remarkable, but so was his practical good sense in setting up machinery to match his own expanding power." - Sir George Bailey Sansom, British historian
Yoritomo married into the Hojo clan. He and Hojo Masako married in 1180 and had two sons and one daughter.
The successor of Yoritomo and second shogun of Kamakura shogunate
The third shogun of Kamakura shogunate
The retired emperor of Japan who allowed Yoritomo to collect tax and thus participated in starting the feudal age in Japan
