Taira clan

HistoryAlong with the Minamoto, Taira was one of the honorary surnames given by the emperors of the Heian period (794–1185) to their children and grandchildren who were not considered eligible for the throne. The clan was founded when the Imperial Court grew too large, and the emperor ordered that the descendants of previous emperors from several generations ago would no longer be princes but would instead be given noble surnames and ranks. The decision became applicable during the reign of Emperor Kanmu (782–805) and thus, together with the Minamoto clan, the Taira clan was born. Some grandchildren of Emperor Kanmu were the first to bear the name of Taira, after 825. Later, descendants of Emperor Ninmyō, Emperor Montoku and Emperor Koko also received the surname. The specific hereditary lines of these emperors are referred to by the posthumous name of the emperor followed by Heishi, for example Kanmu Heishi. The Kanmu Heishi line has two major branches. One was founded in 889 by Taira no Takamochi (great-grandson of the 50th Emperor Kanmu, who reigned from 781 to 806) and proved to be the strongest and most dominant line during the Heian period. A great-grandson of Takamochi,