In 1159, when TAIRA no Kiyomori, who led the strongest army of the Retired Emperor Goshirakawa, visited the Kumano-jinja Shrine, FUJIWARA no Nobuyori (who had been involved in the struggle to win Goshirakawa's favor against Shinzei) raised an army, getting together with MINAMOTO no Yoshitomo (who had been dissatisfied with the oppression by the Taira family, particularly the inadequate reward in the Hogen War).
平治元年（1159）、後白河上皇方最大の武力勢力であった平清盛が熊野参詣に出かけた隙を狙って、かねてから信西（信西）と後白河の寵愛をめぐって権力争いを起こしていた藤原信頼が、保元の乱での賞与などで平家の圧迫に不満を覚えていた源義朝を語らって挙兵する。