The Genpei War - as this clash of clans would become known - cemented the dominance of the samurai in Japanese society for generations to come
ALAMY X1, TARO NAKAMURA/SENGOKU PHOTO STUDIO SAMURAI X2
Impaled by an arrow samurai general Minamoto Yorimasa knelt and wrote a farewell poem on his fan: “Like a fossil tree from which gather no flowers, sad has been my life, no fruit to produce.” Accompanied by the symphony of ringing steel and bloodcurdling screams from the battle close by the 74-year-old calmly pulled out his dagger and cut open his belly leaving instructions for one of his men to throw his head into the river.
Yoshitomo’s Heiji Rebellion came to nothing: Go-Shikawara and his puppet emperor escaped. Kiyomori’s retribution was swift, violent and fiery