Battle of Dan-no-ura
The Taira navy was destroyed in the Kanmon Strait, and most of the Taira clan drowned themselves in the sea. Emperor Antoku, only six years old (eight by East Asian reckoning), threw himself into the sea with his maternal grandmother Nii-no-Ama, and the sacred sword of the Three Sacred Treasures sank beneath the waves.
Belligerents
Minamoto clan
- Commanders
- Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Miura Yoshizumi
- Strength
- About 840 ships, according to the Azuma Kagami
Taira clan
- Commanders
- Taira no Munemori, Taira no Tomomori
- Strength
- About 500 ships, according to the Azuma Kagami
Background
From 1180 the Minamoto and Taira clans were at all-out war. After successive defeats at Ichi-no-Tani and Yashima, the Taira fell back to defend the western provinces, making Hikoshima in Nagato their last stronghold and relying on their navy, skilled in sea warfare, to fight a decisive battle with the Minamoto.
Course of the battle
- Taira clan strikes firstEarly in the battle the tidal current favored the Taira, and their fleet bore down on the Minamoto line with the current.
- Targeting the helmsmenAccording to The Tale of the Heike, Minamoto no Yoshitsune ordered his men to shoot the enemy's helmsmen and oarsmen, throwing the Taira ships into confusion (some say there is no firm evidence for this).
- Insiders change sidesAccording to The Tale of the Heike, the Awa navy in the Taira camp went over to the Minamoto and revealed which ship carried Emperor Antoku.
- Downfall of the Taira clanWhen the current turned, the Minamoto launched a full counterattack; Taira no Tomomori and others threw themselves into the sea, and Emperor Antoku drowned.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1185 |
|---|---|
| Place | Dan-no-ura, Nagato Province (the Kanmon Strait, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, present-day Japan) |
| Result | The Taira navy was destroyed in the Kanmon Strait, and most of the Taira clan drowned themselves in the sea. Emperor Antoku, only six years old (eight by East Asian reckoning), threw himself into the sea with his maternal grandmother Nii-no-Ama, and the sacred sword of the Three Sacred Treasures sank beneath the waves. |
| Winner | Minamoto clan |
| Casualties | No precise records exist; most of the leading Taira commanders were killed in battle or took their own lives, and Taira no Munemori was captured and later executed. |
| Territorial change | The Genpei War ended, and Minamoto no Yoritomo took control of military power throughout the country, then appointed shugo and jito in every region, establishing the rule of the Kamakura shogunate. |
Impact
The Battle of Dan-no-ura ended the Taira regime and moved Japan from aristocratic rule into an era of shogunates dominated by the samurai.
See the world in 1185 on the map →