Watanabe Moritsuna
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Watanabe Moritsuna (渡辺 守綱) (1542–1620) was a Japanese samurai of the Watanabe clan, who served the Tokugawa clan. Born in Mikawa Province.
He joined Ieyasu in 1557 and fought in major military campaigns under Ieyasu Tokugawa. There are also poem about "Three Hanzos" which attributed to him as part of three Tokugawa's notable warriors: [1][2][3][4]
- Watanabe Moritsuna as Yari no Hanzō (Hanzō the spear)
- Hattori Hanzō as Oni no Hanzō (Hanzō the demon)
- Atsumi Gengo as Kubi-Tori Gengo (Gengo the headtaker)
He was also counted as member of the Tokugawa 16 divine generals (Tokugawa jūrokushinshōjin)
Biography[edit]
Watanabe Moritsuna joined the Ikkō-ikki rebels in Mikawa along with his father Takatsuna, and for a time became an enemy of Tokugawa Ieyasu. After the uprising subdued by Ieyasu, Moritsuna were pardoned and returned to join the Tokugawa clan rank.[5]
In 1569, During the attack on Kakegawa Castle in Tōtōmi Province, Watanabe worked together with Honda Shigetsugu , and other Tokugawa samurai fought in close combat, until they manage to breach the castle gate on the night of the 22nd.[6]
During the Battle of Mikatagahara, Moritsuna and Hattori Hanzō performed with exceptional skill with their spears. This prompting Moritsuna to gain a nickname of Yari no Hanzō (Spear Hanzo) while Hanzō being nicknamed as Oni no Hanzō, (Hanzō the demon).[7][8][9] It was said that during this battle, he divided the unit under his command into two groups, and then fought the retreating battle to cover Ieyasu as he personally blocked any enemies incoming attack with his spear.[10]
Appendix[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Arthur Lindsay Sadler; Stephen Turnbull (2009). Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tuttle Publishing. p. 102. ISBN 1462916546. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ Roald Knutsen; Patricia Knutsen (2004). Japanese Spears: Polearms and Their Use in Old Japan. Global Oriental. p. 54. ISBN 1901903567. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ "Samurai War Stories Page 14". Retrieved 26 May 2024.
Atsumi Gengo – Article 47
- ^ George Caiger · (1939). Tell Me about Tokyo. Hokuseido Press. p. 32. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ Masatoshi Itō (伊藤正敏) (2008). 寺社勢力の中世: 無縁・有縁・移民 (in Japanese). 筑摩書房. p. 197. ISBN 4480064354. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ Kawasaki Fumitaka (1985). [徳川家康・伊賀越えの危難 徳川家康・伊賀越えの危難]. 鳥影社. p. 115. ISBN 4795251126. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
{{cite book}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ Kaneyoshi Takayanagi (高柳金芳) (1980). 図說江戶の下級武士 (in Japanese). 柏書房. p. 124. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ 三重県 (Japan). 警察本部. 警務部 (1964). 三重県警察史, Volume 1. 三重県警察本部警務部警務課,. p. 201. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ Atsushi Kawai (河合敦) (2022). 徳川家康と9つの危機 (in Japanese). PHP研究所. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ Tadachika Kuwata (桑田忠親) (1968). 日本武将列伝: 東西決戦編 [Biography of Japanese military commanders: Decisive battle between East and West]. 新編・日本武将列伝. p. 282. ISBN 978-4-253-00366-7. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
Bibliography[edit]
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