Quick Facts
Biography
Tomoe Gozen (巴 御前, pronounced [tomo.e]; c. 1157 – 1247) was a late twelfth-century female samurai warrior (onna-bugeisha), known for her bravery and strength. She fought with Minamoto no Yoshinaka in the Genpei War and was a part of the conflict that led to the first bakufu government in Japan.
Her father Nakahara Kanetō was a strong supporter of Kiso Yoshinaka and her mother was Yoshinaka's wet nurse. She is best known for loyalty and courage at the Battle of Awazu in 1184.
History
According to one historical account,
After defeating the Taira and driving them into the western provinces, Minamoto no Yoshinaka (Tomoe's master) took Kyoto and desired to be the leader of the Minamoto clan. His cousin Yoritomo was prompted to crush Yoshinaka, and sent his brothers Yoshitsune and Noriyori to kill him. Yoshinaka fought Yoritomo's forces at the Battle of Awazu on February 21, 1184, where Tomoe Gozen purportedly took at least one head of the enemy. Although Yoshinaka's troops fought bravely, they were outnumbered and overwhelmed. When Yoshinaka was defeated there, with only a few of his soldiers standing, he told Tomoe Gozen to flee because he wanted to die with his foster brother Imai no Shiro Kanehira and he said that he would be ashamed if he died with a woman.
There are varied accounts of what followed. At the Battle of Awazu in 1184, she is known for beheading Honda no Moroshige of Musashi. She is also known for having killed Uchida Ieyoshi and for escaping capture by Hatakeyama Shigetada.
In fiction
Tomoe Gozen's life, set in a fantasy Japan, is the subject of a trilogy of novels by Jessica Amanda Salmonson (The Disfavored Hero, The Golden Naginata and Thousand Shrine Warrior, 1981–1984).
Tomoe Gozen is the title character in C. J. Cherryh's 1988 novel, The Paladin.
Tomoe Gozen is one of the supporting characters in the 2010 Syfy series Riverworld.