Taira no Kunitae (平国妙)
TAIRA no Kunitae (dates of birth and death unknown) was a busho (military commander) in Dewa Province who lived during the Heian Period. He was a Sani Daibu (a holder of court rank with no government post).
Kunitae was highly respected for his military prowess, popularly known as the 'Invincible Taira' for being the ever victorious busho. In 1507, having joined the army of MINAMOTO no Yoriyoshi in the Battle of Yellow Sea, Kunitae was leading the van of Yoriyoshi's army but as his horse fell, shot by a stray arrow, he was captured by the Abe's troops. Under ordinary circumstances, he was supposed to be executed but FUJIWARA no Tsunekiyo, who was a warrior of the Abe's army and was a nephew of Kunitae, begged for his life and he was saved.
In Mutsuwaki, there is a sentence that reads, 'It is disgraceful for a bushi to resort to such a conduct.'
In 1093, TAIRA no Morotae and his son TAIRA no Morosue attacked the house of the governor of Dewa Province MINAMOTO no Saneakira but, in 1094, the following year, were put down by retainers of the governor of Mutsu Province MINAMOTO no Yoshitsuna. According to "Chuyuki" (a diary written by FUJIWARA no Munetada), however, the letter written by FUJIWARA no Motoie (Mutsu no kami), an officer of local government in Mutsu Province, said the fact that Tsunekiyo's son FUJIWARA no Kiyohira was under suspicion for attempting to launch a battle in June 1092, the previous year of TAIRA no Mototae's attack, and consequently, there is a view that they were related and Morotae and his son might be the child and grandchild of TAIRA no Kunitae, who was the great uncle of Kiyohira.