Miura clan
The Miura of Sagami Province were descended from Miura Yoshiaki (d. 1181), who was himself descended from Miura Takemichi (who claimed Taira ancestry). The Miura, while vice-governors of Sagami Province for the Taira, supported Minamoto no Yoritomo in the 1180-1185 Gempei War and afterwards enjoyed considerable influence. Perhaps for fear of their strong position, the Hôjô regent Tokiyori almost wiped out the line when Miura Yasumura, along with roughly 500 other members of the clan, committed suicide following their defeat at Tokiyori's hands in 1246. A yagura, or gravesite, for these fallen members of the clan can be found in Kamakura, a few hundred yards from the grave of Yoritomo.
A minor branch existed into the early Sengoku Period, only to fall to the Go-Hôjô in 1516.
References
- Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005
