Overview
Kiyomori Taira, more commonly known as Taira no Kiyomori, was the head of the Taira clan in Japan's late Heian era. After he and Minamoto no Yoshitomo worked together to end the Hougen Rebellion, earning both the Taira and Minamoto clans a great deal of respect and power, the two eventually fought each other in the Heiji Rebellion. Yoshitomo and two of his sons were killed during the conflict, and after the Taira won, Kiyomori chose to exile Yoshitomo's three surviving sons, among whom was Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
Over time, Taira built up his power and influence in the government, eventually becoming one of its most powerful figures, but in doing so earned himself a large number of enemies. This eventually exploded into the Genpei War, which began in 1180. The surviving sons of Minamoto no Yoshitomo were called upon to fight against the Taira clan, allowing them to get their revenge. Though the conflict ended in 1185 with the Taira clan's defeat, Kiyomori himself died of illness in 1181.
In Video Games
Warriors Orochi
Kiyomori makes his first appearance in the Warriors Orochi series in Warriors Orochi 2 as one of the game's primary villains. He enacts a plan to resurrect Orochi, causing the warriors of the Three Kingdoms and Warring States eras to fight back against him along with his nemesis Minamoto no Yoshitsune. He returns in Warriors Orochi 3 and uses a dark power to enslave a number of the heroes as the dimensional world is ravaged by the appearance of the Hydra.
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