Siege of Hiuchi

Siege of Hiuchi
Part of the Genpei War
DateApril–May 1183
Location
Hiuchiyama, Echizen Province
Result Siege succeeds; fortress falls, but Minamoto survive and escape
Belligerents
Minamoto clan Taira clan
Commanders and leaders
Minamoto no Yoshinaka Taira no Koremori

Hiuchiyama (火打ち山) was one of Minamoto no Yoshinaka's fortresses in Echizen Province, Japan. In April and May 1183, a Taira force led by Taira no Koremori attacked the fortress.[1]

It was built on rocky crags, and well-defended; the Minamoto had even built a dam to create a moat. However, a traitor within the fortress tied a message to an arrow, firing it into the Taira camp, and revealing a way to breach the dam and drain the water. The castle soon fell to the Taira, but Yoshinaka and much of his forces survived and escaped.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ Sansom, George (1958). A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford University Press. p. 293. ISBN 0804705232.
  2. ^ Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 201. ISBN 1854095234.
  3. ^ Turnbull, Stephen (1977). The Samurai, A Military History. MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 58. ISBN 0026205408.