Who they were
Kiyomori rose through victories in the Hogen (1156) and Heiji (1160) disturbances, destroying his Minamoto rivals. In 1167 he became Grand Chancellor (Daijo-daijin), the first warrior to hold the highest court office.
What they did
Taira kinsmen filled the government — “if you are not a Taira, you are not a person,” runs a saying attributed to a kinsman. He married his daughter Tokuko to the emperor, and his infant grandson became Emperor Antoku. He patronized the Itsukushima shrine, famous for its “floating” torii, promoted trade with Song China, and in 1180 briefly moved the capital to Fukuhara. He died of fever in 1181, as the Genpei War he had provoked engulfed the Taira.
Legacy
Kiyomori is the bridge from court rule to warrior rule. His family is the great doomed house of the Tale of the Heike.