Northern Fujiwara

For the "northern house" (北家) of the Kyōto-based Fujiwara clan, see Hokke (Fujiwara).
In this Japanese name, the surname is Fujiwara.
Northern Fujiwara
奥州藤原氏
Home provinceTōhoku region
Parent houseFujiwara clan
FounderFujiwara no Kiyohira (清衡)
Final rulerFujiwara no Yasuhira (泰衡)
Founding year1087
Dissolution1189
The Mōtsū-ji. Portrait of Oshu-Fujiwara clan, three generations.
The domain of the Oshu-Fujiwara clan and other military lords in Japan (1183)

The Northern Fujiwara (奥州藤原氏 Ōshū Fujiwara-shi) were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region (the northeast of Honshū) of Japan during the 12th century as their own realm.[1]

They succeeded the semi-independent Emishi families of the 11th century, who were gradually brought down by the Minamoto clan loyal to the Imperial Court in Kyoto. They ruled over an independent region that derived its wealth from gold mining, horse-trading and as middlemen in the trade in luxury items from continental Asian states and from the far northern Emishi and Ainu people. They were able to keep their independence vis-a-vis Kyoto by the strength of their warrior bands until they were ultimately conquered by the Kantō samurai clans led by Minamoto no Yoritomo,[1][2] in the Battle of Ōshū in 1189.[3]

  1. ^ a b Esashi Fujiwara no Sato Archived 2013-01-02 at the Wayback Machine (in English)
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference aaa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).