Yoshinaka accepted
Prince Mochihito's call to the
Minamoto clan to rise against the
Taira in 1181. He entered the
Genpei War by raising an army and invading
Echigo Province. He then defeated a Taira force sent to pacify the area. The Taira army captured the fortress of
Hiuchi in 1183. Yoshinaka later that year was confronted by his cousin,
Minamoto no Yoritomo, whose army had entered Shinano. They reconciled and resolved to unite against the Taira. Yoshinaka to seal the agreement sent
his son Yoshitaka (or Yoshimoto) to
Kamakura as a hostage. However, having been shamed by the process, Yoshinaka was now determined to beat Yoritomo to
Kyoto, defeat the Taira on his own, and take control of the Minamoto clan. Yoshinaka defeated the army of
Taira no Koremori at the
Battle of Kurikara Pass and marched to Kyoto. The Taira retreated out of the capital, taking the child
Emperor Antoku with them. Yoshinaka's army entered the capital with the cloistered
Emperor Go-Shirakawa who issued a mandate for Yoshinaka to join with
Yukiiye in "destroying Munemori and his army". The emperor also bestowed upon Yoshinaka the title of
Asahi Shōgun (). Yoshinaka plotted with Yukiie in "setting up a government in their own northern province". Learning Go-Shirakawa had sought help from his cousin Yoritomo, Yoshinaka seized the cloistered emperor and burned his palace. Yoritomo ordered his brothers
Yoshitsune and
Noriyori to destroy Yoshinaka. He was subsequently driven out of Kyoto and killed by his cousins at the
Battle of Awazu in
Ōmi Province (present-day
Shiga Prefecture) along with Kanehira. With night coming and with many enemy soldiers chasing him, he attempted to find an isolated spot to kill himself. However, the story says that his horse became trapped in a field of partly frozen mud and his enemies were able to approach him and kill him. == Legacy ==