41 The Fall of the Heike

(an omission)
After the Hougen and Heiji Rebellions, the only Genji warrior who remained in the capital was Minamoto no Yorimasa. But on the 26th day of the 5th month of the 4th year of Jishou era (1180), the entire family had been vanquished. Who was left of the Genji now ?

There was Minamoto no Yoritomo, banished in Izu Island. His cousin Minamoto no Yoshinaka was hiding in Kiso (Nagano Prefecture). His younger harf-brother Minamoto no Yoshitsune found refuge in Hiraizumi in the Northern Provinces. These were the three leaders; the rest, such as Minamoto no Noriyori and other brothers of Minamoto no Yoritomo, were dispersed in various parts of the country. All of them had survived the Heiji Rebellion, and sided by their local supporters, were hiding in remote areas.

The Heike knew the tenacity of the Genji warriors, so they now feared the younger ones. Further,it would be extremely serious if the monks of Enryakuji-, Miidera-, and Koufukuji-Temples joined with the Genji and fought back. Finally the Heike decided to move the capital from Kyouto to Fukuhara (Koube in Hyougo Prefecture).
(an omission)

While the Heike were involved with moving the capital, and planning the layout of Fukuhara, the Genji warriors in the outer provinces prepared for war. The leader was Minamoto no Yoritomo, the thired son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. (an omission)

The Genji and the Heike set up camp on opposite sides of the Fuji River. (an omission)

A month after the Fuji River defeat, Taira no Kiyomori abandoned his plan of moving the capital to Fukuhara, and decided to restore it to Kyouto. He also reinstituted Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa as the political sovereign on the 18th day of the 12th month.
(an omission)

Finally on the 25th day of the 7th month of the 2nd year of Juei era (1183), the Heike decided to evacuate the capital. They set fire to their splendid mansions in Rokuhara of Kyouto, as well as in West 8th street district, and in the midst of the black smoke, they left, never to return again.
(Rest omitted)
 
41  平家の都落
 
(前略)
 保元・平治以後、都に残っていた唯一の源氏は頼政でした。その頼政の一家は、治承四 年五月二十六日、宇治において全滅しました。あとには誰が残っているかと調べてみれ ば、頼朝が伊豆に流されており、義仲が木曽にかくれており、義経が平泉にかくまわれ ており、以上三人を主なる者として、外には範頼を始め、頼朝の弟数人、諸国に散在し ているだけです。これ等はいずれも平治の乱に討ち漏らされた者、危うい命一つを助け られて、辺鄙にかくれているだけですが、それでも源氏の強さ、身にこたえて知ってい る平家は、之を恐れねばならず、もし叡山や三井寺、更には興福寺の大衆(だいしゅ) が、之と結託して起つとなれば一大事と考えた平家は、都を福原へ移す事にしました。
(中略)
 
 平家が遷都の事に気を取られ、福原が都市計画でゴッタ返しになっている間に、諸国 の源氏は旗上げの準備をしました。その最も有力なる者は、云うまでも無く頼朝であり ます。頼朝は、義朝の三男でした。(中略)
 
 源平の両軍、富士川を中に挟んで対陣する。(中略)
 
 口は清盛、強い事を云いますが、気は折れました。富士川の敗走より一箇月後には、 都を福原に移す事断念して、再び京都へかえし、(治承四年)十二月十八日には、政治 の実権を後白河法皇へおかえし申し上げました。
(中略)
 
 寿永二年七月二十五日、平家は遂に都を落ちました。六波羅、西八条、甍を並べたる 邸宅は、祖突残らず火をかけて灰燼とし、煙の立ちこめる中を、同族すべて京を去り、 そして二度と帰る事は無かったのでした。
(以下略)
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