Taira no Masakado

Taira no Masakado (平将門, ?–940 A.D.) was a member of the Kammu Taira clan of Japan. He was the son of Taira no Yoshimasa, general (shogun) of Chinjufu.

In 939 A.D., he rebelled by attacking the outpost of the central government in Hitachi Province, capturing the governor. In December, he conquered Shimotsuke and Kozuke Provinces, and claimed the title of New Emperor. The central government responded by putting a bounty on his head, and 59 days later, his cousin Sadamori, whose father Masakado had attacked and killed, and Fujiwara no Hidesato, killed him and carried his head to the capital.