Early Nine Years' War

Early Nine Years' War
Next	Later Three Years' War
Date	1051-1063
Place	Mutsu Province, northern Japan
Outcome	Minamoto victory
Major battles	Battle of Kawasaki Siege of Kuriyagawa
Combatants
Minamoto
Abe
Commanders
Minamoto Yoriyoshi Minamoto Yoshiie
Abe Sadato †

The Early Nine Years' War, also called the Zenkunen War or Former Nine Years War was a struggle for power within the samurai clans, fought between the Minamoto and Abe clans. When Abe Sadato levied taxes and confiscated properties without the permission of the Governor, the Governor of Mutsu Province appealed to the Minamoto daimyo Minamoto Yoriyoshi for help. For nine years the Minamoto and Abe clans fought over Mutsu province in a war that saw the rise of Minamoto Yoshiie to power after the 1057 Battle of Kawasaki, and in 1063 the Abe were destroyed with the fall of Kuriyagawa and the beheading of Abe Sadato.