Taira no Nobukane (平信兼)
TAIRA no Nobukane (year of birth and death unknown) was a busho (Japanese military commander) who lived at the end of Heian period. He belonged to Ise-Heishi (Taira clan) and his father was TAIRA no Morikane. His sons were Kanetaka YAMAKI (Yamaki no Hogandai (an administrative official of the Retired-Emperor's Office)) who was first attacked by the rebellion army of MINAMOTO no Yoritomo, TAIRA no Kanehira, TAIRA no Nobuhira and TAIRA no Kanetoki.
He was based in Suzuka District, Ise Province. At the Hogen War in 1156 he participated in the war on the side of Emperor Goshirakawa with TAIRA no Kiyomori. After the war, with Kiyomori's advancement in life and through the process of establishment of Taira clan government, he was incorporated under the government. He held various positions such as Kebiishi (officials with judicial and police powers), Kokushi (Provincial Governor) of Kawachi, Izumi and Dewa Province, and he was promoted to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) in Ikai (Court rank).
In Jisho-Juei War of 1181 Nobukane's army fought against sohei (warrior monk) of Kumano Sanzan (three major shrines, Kumano-Hongu-Taisha, Kumano-Hayatama-Taisha and Kumano-Nachi-Taisha) that had broken into Ise and Shima Province, and put away the enemy (described in the article on January 21 in "Azuma Kagami" [The Mirror of the East]). He did not accompany the Taira clan at the flight of the clan from Kyoto, and he was hiding in Ise Province. In July of 1184, Nobukane and TAIRA no Ietsugu raised a rebellion army against the Minamoto clan with their family clans and gave damage to Koreyoshi OUCHI, Shugo (a provincial military governor) and others on the Minamoto clan. After the incident Nobukane concealed himself, but his sons Kanehira, Nobuhira and Kanetoki who were summoned to MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune's residence were killed with the sword or forced to kill themselves (described on the article of August 10 in "Sankaiki" [diary by Tadachika NAKAYAMA]). Two day later of the incident, Yoshitsune made sortie into Ise Province to suppress Nobukane. There is no record about later wars in the noble's diary, but according to "Genpei Seisuiki" (The Rise and Decline of the Minamoto and Taira clans) about 100 horsemen of Nobukane were killed after the fierce battle (Mikka Heishi no ran [Three days rebellion of the Taira clan] written during the Heian period).
Nobukane's residence was located in 'Yoto-minami Suzaku-nishi,' and the property was designated as Heike Mokkanryo (Land rights confiscated by Kamakura bakufu from the Taira family) and put under the control of MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune who had become Kyoto Shugo (military governor of Kyoto). However, after the fall of Yoshitsune the property was put under control of Yoshiyasu ICHIJO and NAKAHARA no Chikayoshi.
According to one theory, Nobukane was the ancestor of the Seki clan.