During the fray of the Heiji War in 1159, Kiyomori rescued Cloistered Emperor Goshirakawa and Emperor Nijo from the Imperial palace and then proceeded to attack MINAMOTO no Yoshitomo and FUJIWARA no Nobuyori, who were barricaded in the Imperial palace; meanwhile, Norimori, Kiyomori's eldest son, along with his younger brothers TAIRA no Shigemori and Yorimori, served as commanding generals leading an attack on Rokuhara.
平治元年（1159年）の平治の乱では清盛が後白河法皇と二条天皇を内裏から奪回して、内裏に籠る源義朝、藤原信頼を攻撃する際に、清盛の嫡男の平重盛、弟の頼盛とともに大将として六波羅を出撃。