Japanese emperor surrounded by servants.
The Heian period (794-1185) was an era of Japanese history when the capital of the Emperor of Japan was set at Heian. The emperors were strong and there was a period of 400 years where not a blade was lifted. But in 1180 this was shattered by the Gempei Wars, when the Taira overthrew the regency of the Fujiwara clan. The Minamoto joined in, hoping to fight their Taira enemies, and the Taira regency was shattered in 1186, leaving the Minamoto as the victors. In 1192 the Kamakura Shogunate was founded, ending the emperor's free will.
Gallery[]
Japan in the Gempei Wars: scarlet is Yashima Taira, dark red is Fukuhara Taira, light blue is Kiso Minamoto, dark blue is Kamakura Minamoto, light green is Hiraizumi Fujiwara, and dark green is Kubota Fujiwara.
Taira clan
Minamoto clan
Emperor Antoku and the Taira regent
Fujiwara clan
