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In about 1192, Yoritomo assumed leadership and became Japan’s first shogun. A shogun is a hereditary title given to military commanders. Frequently, the shoguns operated as the real power behind the emperor. This form of government was known as a shogunate. Yoritomo was the first shogun in the Kamakura era, so named because Yoritomo established his political center in the city of Kamakura. The Kamakura era lasted nearly 150 years, from 1185 until 1333. In the beginning, Yorimoto quickly moved to eliminate his enemies. He eliminated individuals who had been his allies during the war. He even killed two of his brothers, both of whom had assisted him during the war. To make sure that his brothers’ families would not challenge him, he even had their infant sons killed! Thus, the Kamakura era started in a bloodbath, a tragic pattern that continued through much of this era.
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