Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159–1189)
Born 1159 CE, died 1189 CE.
Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源 義経; Japanese pronunciation: [mʲi.na.mo.to no (|) jo.ɕi̥.tsɯꜜ.ne], c. 1159 – June 15, 1189) was a Japanese samurai commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. His older half-brother was Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. His common name was Kurō (九郎; lit. 'ninth son'), and his formal name was Yoshitsune. Born as the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo of the Kawachi Genji clan, his childhood name was Ushiwakamaru. Due to his father's defeat and death in the Heiji Rebellion, he was entrusted to Kurama-dera temple. He later traveled down to Hiraizumi, where he received the protection of Fujiwara no Hidehira, the head of the Ōshū Fujiwara clan. When his half-brother Yoritomo raised an army to overthrow the Taira clan (the Jishō-Juei War), Yoshitsune rushed to join him. He became the greatest contributor to the Minamoto victory, destroying the Taira clan through the battles of Ichi-no-Tani, Yashima, and Dan-no-ura.
Text from the Wikipedia article Minamoto_no_Yoshitsune, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.