Summary

In the Introduction, the Japanese samurai are noted as among the most famous warriors in history. Pamela S. Turner argues that the samurai cannot be understood without understanding Minamoto Yoshitsune, who lived and fought in the 1100s AD when the samurai were on the rise. The samurai forever changed Japan’s way of life, and Yoshitsune became the most famous samurai.

In Chapter 1, in 1160, Minamoto Yoshitsune was only a baby. He was born in Kyoto to a father who believed the most important part of battle was selecting the right horse. Yoshitsune’s father was the important leader of the Minamoto samurai. Formerly a supporter of Japan’s immensely powerful Retired Emperor (Go-Shirakawa, who ruled through his teenaged son), Yoshitsune’s father turned against the Emperor when Yoshitsune’s father believed the Emperor failed to properly reward him for his support in a...