Taira no Iesada (平家貞)

TAIRA no Iesada (1084 - 1167) was a roto (retainer) of the Taira family during the late Heian period. Being a branch of Kanmu-Heishi (Taira clan), his grandfather was said to be TAIRA no Sadamitsu or TAIRA no Norisue, and his father was said to be TAIRA no Iefusa (Suefusa) or TAIRA no Norisue. He held the offices of Saemon no jo (third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards) and Chikugo no kami (the governor of Chikugo). His children included TAIRA no Ietsugu and TAIRA no Sadayoshi.

He contributed to searching and capturing pirates as a retainer of TAIRA no Tadamori, the father of TAIRA no Kiyomori.

He served TAIRA no Kiyomori and did remarkable work in the Hogen and Heiji Wars.

He was famous as a royal retainer: he eavesdropped on court nobles' plan for a sneak attack when Tadamori became tenjobito (a high-ranking courtier allowed into the Imperial Palace), and prevented it from occurring.

This anecdote is described in detail in Heike Monogatari (The Tale of the Heike).

[Original Japanese]