Following the death of the Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa, MINAMOTO no Yoritomo was ordered to become Seii Taishogun (literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians") with the help of the kanpaku (chief adviser) to the Emperor, Kanezane KUJO; Yoritomo started Japan's feudal government in Kamakura (later known as the Kamakura government).
後白河法皇の死後、関白九条兼実の働きで源頼朝に征夷大将軍の称号が宣下され、鎌倉に幕府を開いた年でもある。