{"product_id":"gmpt-08b","title":"GMPT-08B - Retainer with Standard  | John Jenkins Designs","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGMPT-08B - Retainer with Standard | John Jenkins Designs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis Retainer with Standard represents a soldier serving the Taira Clan during the Gempei War of 1180–1185, a conflict that fundamentally changed the political and military organisation of medieval Japan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe figure belongs to the Taira Clan collection and depicts one of the retainers responsible for carrying the banners that identified military formations during battle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Gempei War was fought between the powerful Taira and Minamoto families during the final years of the Heian period.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt the height of their influence, the Taira dominated the Imperial Court and exercised considerable authority through their relationship with the young Emperor Antoku.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBattlefield standards were particularly important because opposing samurai armies could otherwise appear very similar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Taira were associated with red banners, while the Minamoto forces used white banners.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese standards helped identify troop movements and demonstrated the allegiance of the warriors fighting beneath them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe war concluded with the defeat of the Taira at the naval Battle of Dan-no-Ura in 1185, leading to the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis retainer complements GMPT-08A and the other Taira warriors, providing an important addition to a historical Japanese battlefield display.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNow available from The Military Workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"John Jenkins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53284387651866,"sku":"GMPT-08B","price":108.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0958\/0154\/0890\/files\/GMPT-08B.jpg?v=1793617782","url":"https:\/\/themilitaryworkshop.com\/products\/gmpt-08b","provider":"The Military Workshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}