Editing Minamoto no Yorimasa (section)

== Biography ==
In the clashes between the Minamoto and [[Taira]] clans that had gone on for decades, Yorimasa had tried to stay out of politics, and avoided taking sides. He did participate in the [[Hōgen rebellion]] in 1156. For a time, he was even friends with [[Taira no Kiyomori]]. During the [[Heiji rebellion]] of 1160, he leaned just enough in favor of the Taira that it allowed them to overthrow the Minamoto. However, by the time he officially retired from military service in Kiyomori's army in 1179, Yorimasa had changed his mind about opposing his own clan. He entered the Buddhist priesthood and in May 1180, he sent out an appeal to other Minamoto leaders, and to temples and monasteries that Kiyomori had offended.<ref name=Sansom>{{Cite book |last=Sansom |first=George |title=A History of Japan to 1334 |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=1958 |ISBN=0804705232 |pages=277–279}}</ref>

In the following Genpei War, which began with the [[Battle of Uji (1180)|Battle of Uji]] in 1180, Yorimasa led Minamoto forces, along with [[sohei|warrior monks]] from [[Miidera]], in defending the [[Byōdō-in]] temple. Despite the monks' having torn up the planks of the bridge leading to the temple, the Taira managed to break through their defenses, and take the temple. After suffering this defeat at Uji, he committed ritual suicide at Byōdō-in.<ref name=Sansom/> Minamoto no Yorimasa's suicide by [[seppuku]] may be the earliest recorded instance of a samurai's suicide in the face of defeat,<ref name=turn77>{{Cite book |last=Turnbull |first=Stephan R. |title= The Samurai: A Military History |publisher= MacMillan Publishing Co. |place= New York |year= 1977| page= 47}}</ref> although [[Minamoto no Tametomo]], who died in 1170, ten years before Yorimasa, may hold this distinction. He told [[Minamoto no Yukiie]] to give the other members of the Minamoto clan [[Prince Mochihito]]’s orders.

According to legend, after his death a retainer took Yorimasa's head to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Taira. He then fastened it to a rock and threw it into the [[Uji River]] so it could not be found.<ref name=turn77/>