Gozen was the wife of General Minamoto Yoshinaka. What role she played exactly, general or captain or attendant, for Yoshinaka is not known. She served for her clansmen under the title samurai during the Genpei War of 1180-1885.
After taking Kyoto, Yoshinaka showed desire to lead the Minamoto clan, which prompted his cousin, Minamoto no Yoritomo, into attack. Yoshinaka was greatly outnumbered, and told Tomoe Gozen to flee.
It is not known what exactly happens next. Tomoe Gozen may have obeyed his command and fled, taking an enemy's head with her, or she may have taken Yoshinaka's head after his defeat. Some believed that after fleeing she became a nun, and some even believed that she stayed and died with Yoshinaka in a show of loyalty and love.
The Tale of the Heike is the earliest known tale of Tomoe, a 14th century story that has been translated to english four times. She is also depicted in many other mangas, animes, plays, movies and shows. One of the most recent depiction is on the Syfy channel, a miniseries called Riverworld, as well as the two science fiction novels of the same name that Riverworld is adapted from.
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Sources
(caution: don't click a site y'all don't trust. However, should you decide to click any links, I should tell y'all that the first link has 2 some more wicked awesome pictures than the one I provided. Y'all should seriously google image her name, she's awesome!)
http://nihongoup.com/blog/tomoe-gozen-the-female-samurai/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomoe_Gozen
http://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-tomoe-gozen.htm
http://www.samurai-archives.com/women.html
