Why did Lord
Yoritomo have
Hirotsune
killed?

But Hirotsune played
such a big role in
helping him become
the Kamakura-dono,
didn’t he?

Aye, but Hirotsune was
known to be fiercely
independent, and paid no
mind to the imperial
court. That kind of
attitude was bound to
clash with Lord Yoritomo’s
plans—he aimed to unify
his vassals and run the
shogunate under the
court’s authority.
Hirotsune had simply
become an obstacle.