Minamoto no Yorikata (源頼賢)
MINAMOTO no Yorikata (year of birth unknown - August 24, 1156) was a Japanese military commander of Kawachi-Genji (Minamoto clan) who lived during the end of the Heian period. He was the fourth son of MINAMOTO no Tameyoshi. His mother was the daughter of MINAMOTO no Motozane. His younger maternal half-brothers included MINAMOTO no Yorinaka and MINAMOTO no Tamemune. He was a Saemon no jo (third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards).
He was in good terms with his second older brother, MINAMOTO no Yoshikata, and said to have formed a pact of father and son. When Yoshitaka was killed by his nephew, Yoshihira in 1155, he went down to Shinano Province to take revenge, and invaded Emperor Toba's territory. On finding about this, the Clositered Emperor gave a command to MINAMOTO no Yoshitomo who was the father of Yoshihira and Yorikata's oldest brother, to hunt down and kill Yoritaka. Due to this command, tensions in the Kawachi-Genji family ran high; but just before hunting down and killing Yorikata, Yoshitomo sidestepped, and Yorikata returned to Kyoto shortly afterward.
He served for Tameyoshi during the Hogen War, and took an active part on the side of Emperor Sutoku and FUJIWARA no Yorinaga. The manner in which he struggled against the army of Yoshitomo is described vividly in the "Hogen Monogatari" (The Tale of the Hogen War). Due to the defeat on the side of the Retired Emperor Sutoku, he was captured after the war, and was beheaded at Mt. Funaoka (Kita Ward, Kyoto City) by Yoshitomo.