Kazusa Hirotsune

Kazusa Hirotsune (上総 広常, died 1183) was a samurai lord and gōzoku in Kantō during the late Heian period. He was the head of the Bōsō Taira clan and fought against the Taira clan on Minamoto clan's side during the Genpei War. He is commonly also known as Kazusa-no-suke Hirotsune, in which "Kazusa-no-suke" (Vice Governor of Kazusa Province) indicates his office.

Life Kazusa Hirotsune was born in Kazusa Province, the son of Taira no Tsunezumi, a local government official.

As his father had raised Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Hirotsune began his service under Yoshitomo and entered the capital of Kyoto. This army is said to have given Yoritomo the advantage needed to defeat the Taira clan. Furthermore, Hirotsune considered killing Yoritomo if he deemed Yoritomo unfit as a leader. According to historian Yūichi Goza, Yoritomo was able to travel from Awa to Kazusa Province because Hirotsune had been on his side from the beginning and had defeated the Taira forces in the area enabling the mobilizing of Yoritomo's army.

In October 1180, Yoritomo planned to set off to Kyoto after victory at the Battle of Fujigawa. However, Hirotsune persuaded Yoritomo to stay in Kantō to save Yoritomo from a defeat similar to that of Minamoto no Yoshinaka.

Hirotsune later came to conflict with Yoritomo who had established a samurai government but attached importance to the Imperial Court in Kyoto. Furthermore, animosity against Hirotsune grew among Yoritomo's retainers after Hirotsune ignored Yoritomo by not getting off his horse to greet Yoritomo.

Hirotsune and his eldest son Yoshitsune were assassinated by Kajiwara Kagetoki in 1183, upon the request of Yoritomo who had suspected him of conspiracy. However, Hirotsune was later found to be innocent and his honor was restored.