Minamoto No Yoriie - Life

Life

Born from Tokimasa's daughter Hōjō Masako at Hiki Yoshikazu's residence in Kamakura, Yoriie had as wet nurses the wives of powerful men like Hiki himself and Kajiwara Kagetoki, and Hiki's younger sister. Before he was born, his father Yoritomo had Hōjō Tokimasa and his men carry stones to build the Dankazura on Wakamiya Ōji to pray for the child's safe delivery. When Yoriie later himself had an heir, Ichiman, the child was also born at the Hiki mansion from Hiki's daughter Wakasa no Tsubone, a fact which further consolidating an already strong emotional bond From this relationship Hiki gained considerable influence when Yoriie became shogun, raising the hostility of Hōjō Tokimasa, who was instead close to Yoriie's younger brother Senman (future third shogun Sanetomo), and was in his turn trying to leverage that relationship for political advantage.

Yoriie showed when still very young great interest in military arts like fencing, and horse-riding. After his father's death in 1199, the 17-year-old became head of the Minamoto clan and was appointed seii taishogun in 1202. He was however criticized for his abandonment of his father's policies, and his mother forbade him to do any political activity. On June 30, 1203 (Shōji 1, 12th day of the 4th month) his remaining powers were formally taken from him and assumed by a council of 13 elders headed by his grandfather Hōjō Tokimasa. Yoriie in turn plotted with the Hiki to subjugate the Hōjō clan but failed, was put under house arrest, forced to abdicate and eventually assassinated on July 17, 1204 in Izu. Yoriie was succeeded by his younger brother Sanetomo, the last of the Seiwa Genji line to rule, at least nominally, over Kamakura.