Watanabe Moritsuna

In this Japanese name, the surname is Watanabe.

Watanabe Moritsuna (渡辺 守綱) (1542–1620) or Watanabe Hanzō, nicknamed Yari no Hanzō (槍の半蔵, Spear Hanzō), was a Japanese samurai of the Watanabe clan, who served the Tokugawa clan under Tokugawa Ieyasu and later served as a hatamoto and then a daimyo to the Tokugawa shogunate. He is one of the Tokugawa 16 divine generals (Tokugawa jūrokushinshōjin).^[1][2][3]

Watanabe Moritsuna
渡辺 守綱
Watanabe Moritsuna
Lord of Terabe Castle
In office 1590–1620
Personal details
Born	1542 Mikawa Province
Died	1620 Mikawa Province
Nickname	Yari no Hanzō (Hanzō the spear)
Military service
Allegiance	Tokugawa clan Tokugawa Shogunate
Commands	Terabe Castle
Battles/wars	Battle of Nagasawa (1561) Battle of Azukizaka (1564) Siege of Kakegawa (1569) Battle of Anegawa (1570) Battle of Mikatagahara (1573) Battle of Nagashino (1575) Battle of Komaki-Nagakute (1584) Siege of Odawara (1590) Siege of Osaka (1614)

Biography

Watanabe Moritsuna was born in Urabe Village in Nukata District, Mikawa Province (present day Okazaki) in 1542. His father was Watanabe Takatsuna [ja], a retainer for the Matsudaira clan. His maternal grandfather was Watanabe Yoshituna [ja], who fought under Sakai Tadatsugu against the Oda clan.

Watanabe joined the Tokugawa in 1557, and served Matsudaira Motoyasu (later named Tokugawa Ieyasu) in major military campaigns for most of his career. In 1561, Moritsuna achieved military merit during the battle of Nagasawa castle, as he managed to personally slay the enemy general during the battle. After this battle, he participated with the Tokugawa clan pacification of the rest of Mikawa province.^[4]

In 1563, 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 was subdued in 1564 by Ieyasu at the Battle of Azukizaka, where Takatsuna was killed, Moritsuna was pardoned and returned to serve the Tokugawa clan.^[5][6]

In 1569, during the Siege of Kakegawa Castle in Tōtōmi Province, Watanabe, together with Honda Shigetsugu and other Tokugawa samurai, fought in close combat until they managed to breach the castle gate.^[7]

In 1570, Moritsuna was fought in the Battle of Anegawa against Azai and Asakura clan. Later in 1573, during the Battle of Mikatagahara, Moritsuna and Hattori Hanzō performed with exceptional skill with their spears (in Japanese, yari (槍)). This prompting Moritsuna to gain a nickname of Yari no Hanzō (Spear Hanzo) while Hanzō being nicknamed as Oni no Hanzō, (Hanzō the demon).^[8][9][10] 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.^[11]

Moritsuna's exploits are praised in poetry, describing him as one of Tokugawa's three notable warriors: Moritsuna as Yari no Hanzō (Hanzō the spear), Hattori Hanzō as Oni no Hanzō (Hanzō the demon), and Atsumi Gengo as Kubi-Tori Gengo (Gengo the headtaker).^{[12][13][14][15]}

In 1575, Watanabe fought in the Battle of Nagashino, where he killed Yamamoto Sugasuke [jp], eldest son of Yamamoto Kansuke. At the same battle, Watanabe's younger brother, Watanabe Masatsuna [ja], killed Sanada Nobutsuna.

In 1582, Watanabe was one of Ieyasu's escorts during his escape to Mikawa in the aftermath of the assassination of Oda Nobunaga.

In 1584, Watanabe participated in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute.^[16]

After the Siege of Odawara (1590), Watanabe was given control of domain in Musashi of 3,000 koku and also command of 50 ashigaru infantry.^[17]

In 1608, Watanabe became a retainer for the ninth son of Ieyasu, Tokugawa Yoshinao of the Owari Domain. His domains were increased with lands in Owari Iwasaku of 5,000 koku and in Mikawa of 5,000 koku, making him a daimyo with a total of 14,000 koku domain.^[18] Watanabe served in both the Winter Siege (1614) and the Summer Siege (1615) of Osaka, as guardian to Yoshinao.

Watanabe wore European-style armor, including a morion helmet and nanban dou (dō) gusoku.^[19]

Watanabe wrote his memoirs in Watanabe Chūemon.^[6]

Watanabe's wife was the daughter of Hiraiwa Chikayoshi. They had three sons and four daughters. The eldest son, Watanabe Shigetsuna [ja] (1574-1648), fought for Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara and would be the first of the Hanzo branch of the Watanabe clan. Watanabe's grandson and Shigetsuna's fifth son, Watanabe Yoshitsune [ja] (1611-1668), would be the first of the Hakata Watanabe.