Tadatsune Nitta

Japanese: 仁田忠常 - にった・ただつね

Year of death: 6th September 12th October 1203
Year of birth: Jin'an 2 (1167)
A samurai from the early Kamakura period. Also written as Nitta. Called Shiro. Of the same clan as Kudo and Kano. A resident of Izu Nitago (Kannami Town, Shizuoka Prefecture). In 1180, he joined Minamoto no Yoritomo's uprising, and played an active role in the pursuit of the Taira clan in the west, participated in the Oshu expedition, and accompanied Yoritomo on his journey to Kyoto. He often served as an archer in Yoritomo's hunting parties, and killed Soga Sukenari, who had intruded during the Fuji hunting party. Yoritomo was so trusted that he personally visited Tadatsune when he was seriously ill. His wife drowned on the way to Izu Mishima Shrine to pray for Tadatsune's recovery, and was said to be a faithful woman. He was used as a close attendant for Minamoto no Yoriie, and killed Hiki no Yoshikazu during the Hiki Rebellion in 1203. Yoriie was angry and ordered Tadatsune to hunt down Hojo Tokimasa, the mastermind behind the incident, but due to a misunderstanding by his younger brother Tadatoki and others, he was killed by the Hojo clan. There are many anecdotes about the exploration of the Hito-cave in Mt. Fuji.

(Yuyama Manabu)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：建仁3.9.6(1203.10.12)
生年：仁安2(1167)
鎌倉前期の武士。新田とも書く。四郎と称す。工藤,狩野と同族。伊豆仁田郷(静岡県函南町)の住人。治承4(1180)年,源頼朝の挙兵に加わり,西国の平家追討で活躍,奥州征討に参加,頼朝の上洛に供奉した。頼朝の巻狩にはしばしば射手を務め,富士の巻狩で乱入した曾我祐成を討つ。忠常の大病を頼朝自ら見舞うなど信任が厚かった。妻はその平癒祈願をした伊豆三島神社へ参詣の途中溺死,貞女といわれた。源頼家の近習に用いられ,建仁3(1203)年の比企氏の乱で比企能員を討つ。これを怒った頼家は事件の黒幕北条時政の追討を忠常に命じたが,弟忠時らの誤解もあって北条氏に討たれた。富士の人穴の探検などエピソードが多い。

(湯山学)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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