Minamoto no Tameyoshi

Minamoto no Tameyoshi
源 為義
Minamoto no Tameyoshi, from the collection of Shiramine Jingū
Head of Kawachi Genji
Succeeded by	Minamoto no Yoshitomo
Personal details
Born	1096
Died	August 17, 1156(1156-08-17) (aged 59–60)
Resting place	Gongen-ji, in Sujakuurahata-chō, Shimodagyō-ku, Kyōto
Spouse	Daughter of Fujiwara no Tadakiyo
Children	Minamoto no Yoshitomo (son) Minamoto no Tametomo (son) Minamoto no Yukiie (son)
Parents	Minamoto no Yoshichika (father) Unknown (mother)
Military service
Allegiance	Minamoto clan
Branch/service	Minamoto clan
Battles/wars	Hōgen Rebellion

Minamoto no Tameyoshi (源 為義, 1096 – August 17, 1156) was a Japanese samurai lord in the Heian period, who was the head of the Minamoto clan during his lifetime. He was the son of Minamoto no Yoshichika, son of Minamoto no Yoshiie. He led the Minamoto in the Hōgen Rebellion. He was also known as Mutsu Shirō (陸奥 四郎).

Though he was most famous for his involvement in the Hōgen Rebellion, Minamoto no Tameyoshi is also said to have intervened in a number of other conflicts earlier in his life. Around 1113, the ongoing rivalry between the warrior monks of Mii-dera and Enryaku-ji erupted into outright violence in the streets of Kyoto. Though the palace guard mobilized quickly to protect the Emperor, it is said that Tameyoshi, with a handful of mounted samurai, drove the mobs away himself.^[1]

Upon being defeated in the Hōgen Rebellion, Tameyoshi took the tonsure and was released into the custody of his son Minamoto no Yoshitomo who then had him beheaded.^[1]: 256 This was an unprecedented breaking of Buddhist values in Japan, yet no one in the court berated Yoshitomo for his actions at the time until after his death.