Northern Fujiwara

The Northern Fujiwara (奥州藤原氏 Ōshū Fujiwara-shi) were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region (the northeast of Honshū) of Japan during the 12th century as their own realm.

[1] They succeeded the semi-independent Emishi families of the 11th century, who were gradually brought down by the Minamoto clan loyal to the Imperial Court in Kyoto.

They ruled over an independent region that derived its wealth from gold mining, horse-trading and as middlemen in the trade in luxury items from continental Asian states and from the far northern Emishi and Ainu people.

They were able to keep their independence vis-a-vis Kyoto by the strength of their warrior bands until they were ultimately conquered by the Kantō samurai clans led by Minamoto no Yoritomo,[1][2] in the Battle of Ōshū in 1189.

[4] However, Kiyohira, with the aid of Minamoto no Yoshiie, became independent and established themselves in Hiraizumi (in present-day Iwate Prefecture) in 1087, when he won the victory in the Gosannen War.

This marked the end of the tumultuous period of civil war that began in 1180, and the completion of Yoritomo's nationwide domination and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate.