661. Dawn of the Samurai: The Shōgun Triumphant (Part 4)
Key Takeaways
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Tomoe Gozen was a legendary female samurai warrior
“With her lovely white skin and long hair, Tomoe had enchanting looks. An archer of rare strength, a powerful warrior. And on foot or on horseback, a swordsman to face any demon or god. She was a fighter to stand alone against a thousand. She could ride the wildest horse down the steepest slope.”
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Yoritomo prioritized destroying his cousin Kiso's power
“And Yoritomo, very cross that Kiso, his cousin, is threatening to upstage him, had sent his two younger half brothers to lead a two-pronged attack on Kyoto. And their mission was effectively to destroy Kiso and to bring Kyoto under the control of Yoritomo.”
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Warlords required imperial backing for political legitimacy
“He doesn't command armies himself and so he's always trying to kind of play the various samurai warlords against one another. All these various warlords who are marching into Kyoto, trying to seize control of it, they still need the legitimacy that the backing of Go Shirakawa, this cloistered emperor, can provide.”
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Kiso's army collapsed from thousands to six riders
“And the reason that he's doing that is that in the east, he has sent his beloved foster brother to hold back the advance of the Minamoto forces. Only last year he had left Shinano, his great stronghold, leading an army of 50,000. Now passing the brook at Shinomiya, he had only six riders with him.”
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Samurai combat centered on headhunting and ritual suicide
“And so she charges this samurai captain, the guy who's famed for his strength. And we're told she caught him in an iron grip, forced his head down to her pommel, kept it pinned there, twisted it round, cut it off and tossed it away. And then she abandoned her arms and armor and fled toward the east.”
Episode Description
Who was the greatest female Samurai warrior of all time? What would unfold in the next phase of the terrible civil war between the Minamoto and the Taira dynasties? And, how did the Samurai finally become the masters of Japan? Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the climactic conclusion of their journey into the rise of the Samurai. _______ Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com _______ To read our new newsletter, sign up at: therestishistory.com/newsletters _______ Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude Senior Producer: Callum Hill Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices