Japan’s 10 Most Stunning Samurai Warriors
5. Minamoto No Yoshitsune (源 義経)
Minamoto No Yoshitsune was a prominent military commander of the Minamoto clan during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. He is often remembered as one of Japan's greatest and most famous samurai in history having proven himself time and time again throughout the latter half of the 12th-Century.
As a commander during the Genpei War, he led men in several victorious battles, which led to the toppling of the Ise-Heisi branch of the Taira clan. This opened up the opportunity for his half-brother, Yoritomo, to consolidate the clan's power.
When the war ended, he became Governor of Iyo, but it wasn't long before he entered into an alliance with his uncle against Yoritomo. This didn't sit well with his half-brother who forced him to flee.
Eventually, his betrayal caught up with him when the son of his trusted ally, Fujiwara no Yasuhira, betrayed him to Yoritomo. when the home he was staying in was surrounded, he was forced to commit seppuku. His head was removed and preserved in sake before being sent back to Yoritomo for proof of his demise.