It is now the year 1160 and Yoshitomo, the head of the Genji samurai clan, is preparing an audacious plot to topple the Emperor's chief advisor Shinzei, the man who ordered the deaths of his father and brothers. But can he carry out his plan in time before his deadliest rival, Lord Kiyomori of the Heike Clan, returns to the Capital?

Key figures in this episode:

The Genji:
Yoshitomo - Head of the Genji clan
Yoritomo - Yoshitomo's12-year-old son; future First Shogun
Akugenda - Yoritomo's elder brother
Yorimasa - Genji general; Yoritomo's cousin
Masakiyo - Yoshitomo's deputy
Lady Tokiwa - Yoshitomo's mistress

The Heike:
Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clan
Shigemori - Kiyomori's eldest son
Yorimori - Kiyomori's younger brother
Lady Ike - Kiyomori's step-mother
Ito Kagetsuna - Heike retainer

The Imperial Court:
Nijo - the 17-year-old Emperor of Japan
Go-Shirakawa - Retired Emperor; Nijo's father
Shinzei - Go-Shirakawa's chief advisor
Nobuyori - court noble; Shinzei's rival

Written and presented by Sean Bermingham. 
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com

The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com