Genpei War (1180 and 1185)

The Taira–Minamoto War, also known as the Genpei no Sōran (源平の騒乱) or Genpei Kassen (源平合戦), was a nationwide conflict that engulfed Japan between 1180 and 1185. Superficially, it appeared to be a clash between two dominant warrior families: the Taira (平氏 or 平家), who held power, and the Minamoto (源氏), who had fallen from political favour. Beneath this surface of rivalry, the conflict was a major outlet for discontented warriors in eastern Japan, who had long been frustrated by the...