Yoshitsune

by Helen Craig McCullough

First published 1966

Amazon

4.0(4)

Yoshitsune adapts the Gikeiki, a late-medieval account of the warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune. It follows his legendary childhood, rise as a commander during the Genpei War and partnership with the warrior monk Benkei, before turning to the conflict with his elder brother Minamoto no Yoritomo that makes Yoshitsune a fugitive.

The chronicle combines historical events with folklore, miraculous episodes and stories developed long after Yoshitsune’s death. His military brilliance is set against political isolation and betrayal, creating the enduring image of a doomed hero pursued from the capital through the provinces to his final refuge in northern Japan.