Japan's feudal era is characterized by the emergence and dominance of a ruling class of warriors, the samurai, which will form the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan.

The Taira and Minamoto clans join forces to rule Japan after defeating the warrior monks of the Enryakuji Temple near Kyoto.

Taira no Tadamori, a Taira clan samurai, father of Taira no Kiyomori, and member of the Kebiishi (Imperial police force), is also governor of the provinces of Harima, Ise, Bizen, and Tajima.

He consolidates the influence of the Taira clan at the Imperial Court, and is said to have been the first samurai to serve the Emperor directly, at Court.