Yoshitsune
Mortal-floor ninth son of Yoshitomo by Tokiwa Gozen. Childhood at Kurama-dera with the canonical tengu supernatural-training narrative. Field commander of the Minamoto armies during the Genpei War (1180-1185); the canonical military victories at Ichi-no-Tani (the Hiyodori-goe cliff-descent), Yashima (the Nasu no Yoichi fan-shooting), and Dan-no-ura (the decisive sea-battle) made him the canonical-Japanese tragic-hero figure — the foundation of the Hōgan-biiki ("sympathy for the Hōgan") sentiment-tradition. After Dan-no-ura, accepted court honors without Yoritomo's permission; declared an outlaw; fled to Hiraizumi under Fujiwara no Hidehira. Died by seppuku at Koromogawa-no-tate in 1189 at age 30 after Hidehira's successor Yasuhira betrayed him; the canonical "standing-death-of-Benkei" gate-defense scene closed the tragic frame. The Edo-period legendary tradition added the coda "Yoshitsune is Genghis Khan" — the Hokkaido-and-beyond escape-sequence.
Parentage
- father: YoshitomoSonpi Bunmyaku (primary)
- parent: Tokiwa Gozen
Domains
- military command
- tragic hero
Powers
- Leap across eight boats (hassō-tobi)
- Tengu-taught swordsmanship and tactics
- The cliff-descent at Hiyodorigoe
- Leap across eight boats
Epithets
- 牛若丸 Young Ox-Boy (his childhood name)Gikeiki (Chronicle of Yoshitsune) (secondary)
- 九郎判官 Ninth Son, the LieutenantHeike Monogatari; from his court rank of Hōgan / kebiishi (secondary)
Relations
- sibling: Minamoto no Noriyori
- father: YoshitomoSonpi Bunmyaku (primary)
- sibling: YoritomoSonpi Bunmyaku (primary)
Sources
- existence: Heike Monogatari (early 13th c.) (primary); Azuma Kagami (primary); Gikeiki (Tale of Yoshitsune, 14th-15th c. — the canonical-literary biography) (primary); Sonpi Bunmyaku (primary)