Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. A family name, or surname, is that part of a persons name that indicates to what family he or she belongs. ...

In reference to Japanese history, along with Minamoto, Taira was an honorary surname bestowed by the emperors of the Heian Period to the ex-member of the imperial family when they became subjects. Kabane: This Taira clan is often referred to as Heishi (平氏) or Heike (平家), using the character's Chinese reading hei. (Clan is "Shi".Family is "ke".) The written history of Japan began with brief appearances in Chinese history texts from the first century CE. However, archaeological research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the upper paleolithic period. ... Minamoto (源) was an honorary surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period to their sons and grandsons after accepting them as royal subjects. ... The Heian period (Japanese: 平安時代, Heian-jidai) is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. ... Kabane (姓). Kabane were hereditary titles used in ancient Japan to denote rank and political standing. ... The characters for Kanji, lit. ...

Offshoots of the imperial dynasty, some grandsons of Emperor Kammu were first given the name Taira in 825 or later. Afterwards, descendants of Emperor Nimmyō, Emperor Montoku, and Emperor Kōkō were also given the surname. The specific hereditary lines from these emperors are referred to by the emperor's posthumous name followed by Heishi. i.e. Kammu Heishi. Emperor Kammu (桓武天皇) (737-806) was the 50th imperial ruler of Japan. ... Emperor Ninmyō (仁明天皇, Ninmyō-tennō) (810– March 21, 850) was the 54th imperial ruler of Japan. ... Emperor Montoku (文徳天皇) (827-858) was the 55th imperial ruler of Japan. ... Koko Emperor (From Ogura Hyakunin Isshu) Emperor Kōkō (光孝天皇) (830-887) was the 58th imperial ruler of Japan. ...

The Taira were one of the four important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period (794-1185) - the others were the Fujiwara, the Tachibana and the Minamoto. The Fujiwara clan (藤原氏 Fujiwara-shi) was a clan of regents who had sort of monopoly to the Sekkan positions, Sesshō and Kampaku. ... Tachibana clan the Tachibana clan may refer to a few different families that were present throughout various periods in the history of Japan. ... Seiryoji, a temple in Kyoto, was once a villa of Minamoto no Toru (d. ...

The Kammu Heishi line, founded in 889 by Taira no Takamochi (a great-grandson of the 50th tenno Kammu, reigned 781-806), proved to be the most strong and dominant line during the late Heian period with Taira no Kiyomori eventually forming the first samurai dominated government in the history of Japan. A great-grandson of Heishi Takamochi, Taira no Korihira, moved to Ise Province (now part of Mie Prefecture) and established a major daimyo dynasty. Masamori, his grandson; and Tadamori, great-grandson, became loyal supporters of the cloistered tennos Shirakawa and Toba, respectively. Taira no Kiyomori, son and heir of Tadamori, rose to the position of daijō daijin (great minister of state) following his victories in the Hōgen Disturbance (1156) and the Heiji Disturbance (1160). Kiyomori managed to enthrone his infant grandson as Emperor Antoku 1180, an act which led to the Gempei Disturbance (Gempei no Sōran). Kiyomori's sons, the last of the head family of the Kammu Heishi line was eventually destroyed by the armies of Minamoto no Yoritomo at the Battle of Dan-no-ura, the last battle of the Gempei War (1180-85), the Taira-Minamoto War. This story is told in the Heike Monogatari. Statue of Taira no Kiyomori, Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture Taira no Kiyomori (å¹³ 清盛 1118 - 1181) was a general of the late Heian period of Japan. ... Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. ... Categories: Old provinces of Japan | Japan geography stubs ... Mie Prefecture (三重県; Mie-ken) is part of the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Minamoto no Yoritomo (Japanese: 源頼朝) (May 9, 1147 – February 9, 1199) was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan, who ruled from 1192 until 1199. ... The Battle of Dan-no-ura, more commonly known as Dan-no-ura no Tatakai (壇ノ浦の戦い), was a major sea battle of the Genpei War, occurring at Dan_no_ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshu. ... The Genpei or Gempei War (源平合戦、寿永・治承の乱) (1180-1185) was a war of ancient Japan, fought between the Taira and Minamoto clans. ... The Tale of the Heike (Japanese 平家物語, Heike monogatari) is an epic account of the struggle between the Minamoto and Taira clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century. ...

This Kammu Heishi had many branch families including the Hōjō, Chiba, Miura and Hatakeyama. The Hōjō clan (北条氏) in the history of Japan was a family of regents of the Kamakura Shogunate. ... The Chiba (千葉) clan was a branch family descended from Chiba no Suke, son of Taira no Tadatsune. ... The Miura(三浦) clan was one of the branch families descended from the Taira clan. ... The Hatakeyama (畠山) clan was a branch family descended from the Taira. ...

Another Kammu Heishi: Takamune-ō (804-867), the eldest son of Kazurahara-Shinnō (786-853) and a grandson of Emperor Kammu, received the kabane of Taira no Ason in 825. Thus there were two Kammu Heishi families, one descended from Takamune and the other from his nephew, Takamochi (son of Prince Takami).

See also

• Japanese name
• Heian Period include Taira Clan History http://samurai-archives.com/HeianPeriod.html