Changes

* ''Born: [[1156]]''

* ''Born: [[1156]]''

* ''Died: [[1193]]''

* ''Died: [[1193]]''

[[Minamoto Yoshitomo]]’s fourth son, Noriyori was spared by [[Taira Kiyomori]] in 1160 along with Yoritomo and Yoshitsune after the murder of their father. Noriyori all but vanishes from history until [[1180]], when he appears in the service of Yoritomo, who declared war on the Taira from his lands in the Kanto.

 

[[Minamoto Yoshitomo|Minamoto Yoshitomo's]] fourth son, Noriyori was spared by [[Taira Kiyomori]] in 1160 along with Yoritomo and Yoshitsune after the murder of their father. Noriyori all but vanishes from history until [[1180]], when he appears in the service of Yoritomo, who declared war on the Taira from his lands in the Kanto.

In February [[1184]] Noriyori and Yoshitsune led an army of 50,000 against [[Minamoto Yoshinaka]] and easily defeated his forces at the Uji River. After securing the capital, the two brothers received permission to press on against the Taira and marched into Settsu. The objectives there were a number of Taira strongholds located on the western side of the province, including Fukuhara, Ichi-no-Tani, and Ikuta no Mori. [[Taira Munemori]]’s headquarters was at Fukuhara, the approaches to which were screened by the other two forts. In this action, Noriyori, with perhaps 50,000 men under his command, was to take Fukuhara’s ‘front door’, Ikuta no Mori, while Yoshitsune circled around and attacked Ichi-no-Tani with 10,000 men.1 [[The Battle of Ichi-no-Tani]] (as it came to be known) went flawlessly, and the Taira command was forced to flee for Shikoku.  

In February [[1184]] Noriyori and Yoshitsune led an army of 50,000 against [[Minamoto Yoshinaka]] and easily defeated his forces at the Uji River. After securing the capital, the two brothers received permission to press on against the Taira and marched into Settsu. The objectives there were a number of Taira strongholds located on the western side of the province, including Fukuhara, Ichi-no-Tani, and Ikuta no Mori. [[Taira Munemori]]’s headquarters was at Fukuhara, the approaches to which were screened by the other two forts. In this action, Noriyori, with perhaps 50,000 men under his command, was to take Fukuhara’s ‘front door’, Ikuta no Mori, while Yoshitsune circled around and attacked Ichi-no-Tani with 10,000 men.1 [[The Battle of Ichi-no-Tani]] (as it came to be known) went flawlessly, and the Taira command was forced to flee for Shikoku.  

An average character, Noriyori has been described as ineffectual if not incompetent, and whose lack of talent made him harmless to Yoritomo and thus saw to it that he was favored over Yoshitsune. These judgments seem unfair and made mostly to enhance Yoshitsune’s status. In fact, Noriyori was by no means the leader his brother was but there is little evidence to support the notion that he was a military bungler. The support he gathered from the families of western Honshu and Kyushu served the Minamoto well, and his role at [[Battle of Ichi no Tani|Ichi-no-Tani]] was just as important towards victory as Yoshitsune’s charge down the cliff side. Finally, it is often overlooked that Noriyori’s own fall came about, at least in part, by his support for Yoshitsune.  

An average character, Noriyori has been described as ineffectual if not incompetent, and whose lack of talent made him harmless to Yoritomo and thus saw to it that he was favored over Yoshitsune. These judgments seem unfair and made mostly to enhance Yoshitsune’s status. In fact, Noriyori was by no means the leader his brother was but there is little evidence to support the notion that he was a military bungler. The support he gathered from the families of western Honshu and Kyushu served the Minamoto well, and his role at [[Battle of Ichi no Tani|Ichi-no-Tani]] was just as important towards victory as Yoshitsune’s charge down the cliff side. Finally, it is often overlooked that Noriyori’s own fall came about, at least in part, by his support for Yoshitsune.  

==Notes to the Text==

==Notes to the Text==

1 These figures and that for the earlier Uji action are according to the Heike Monogatari, a work not especially famous for it's accuracy. Such figures do not seem beyond the realm of possibility, however, as by this point the Minamoto could call on a sizable portion of the country for levies. A figure of 30,000 total for the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani might be closer to the truth, however.  

1 These figures and that for the earlier Uji action are according to the Heike Monogatari, a work not especially famous for it's accuracy. Such figures do not seem beyond the realm of possibility, however, as by this point the Minamoto could call on a sizable portion of the country for levies. A figure of 30,000 total for the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani might be closer to the truth, however.  

2 The Heike Monogatari also declares that had Noriyori pushed on, he surely would have finished off the Taira, a curious statement, given Noriyori's lack of ships.  

2 The Heike Monogatari also declares that had Noriyori pushed on, he surely would have finished off the Taira, a curious statement, given Noriyori's lack of ships.  

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Samurai]]