Watanabe Party - Watanabe Party

A group of warriors based in Watanabetsu, Settsu Province (present-day Osaka City). They were descended from the Saga-Genji (also known as the Ninmyo-Genji) clan, and were descended from Watanabe no Tsuna, one of the four heavenly kings of Minamoto no Yorimitsu. The Endo clan, a samurai of the Tadafumi-ryu lineage of the Fujiwara clan, also formed a marriage relationship with the Watanabe clan, forming the Watanabe Party. The Watanabe clan was a master of archery, and served as Takiguchi and Emonfu officials, and from the end of the Heian period they inherited the Watanabe Sokanshiki position. Watanabe was a key port at the mouth of the Yodo River, the location of the provincial government office, and part of Oe no Mikuriya, so the Sokan's duties included the presentation of seafood as tributes and port administration. The Endo clan also inherited the position of head of Ikasuri Shrine, Ichinomiya, Settsu, and the position of executive officer of Shitennoji Temple, and the Watanabe clan developed as a group of warriors who held the center of power in Settsu Province. During the Genpei War, Mongaku, a member of the Endo clan, encouraged Yoritomo to rise up, and the Watanabe clan, as servants of Minamoto no Yorimasa, suffered many deaths in the Battle of Uji, and played an active role on the side of the Minamoto clan. During the Kamakura period, some family lines fell into ruin by supporting the Imperial Court during the Jokyu War, but others prospered by obtaining land stewardship in Echigo and other areas. The Endo clan in particular was highly valued by the Hojo clan, and at one point even held the position of sokan. The clans fought over the sokan position and split up, and during the Nanboku-cho War they split into the Go-Daigo and Ashikaga factions. Family lines that supported the Ashikaga side fought in Shikoku, Kyushu, and the Chugoku region, and in some cases became feudal lords there. The majority of the Watanabe clan supported the Emperor's side and followed the Kusunoki clan, and were appointed as general officials, but the Watanabe clan gradually lost influence.

[Toshiaki Nakahara]

Hiroe Kaji and Toshiaki Nakahara, "Osaka in the Middle Ages: Soldiers of the Water Village" (1984, Shoraisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

摂津国の渡辺津（現、大阪市）を拠点とした武士団。嵯峨源氏（仁明源氏(にんみょうげんじ)とも）で、源頼光の四天王の一人渡辺綱(わたなべのつな)を祖先とする。また、忠文流(ただふみりゅう)藤原氏の武士遠藤氏も渡辺氏と姻戚関係を結び、渡辺党を形成した。渡辺氏は弓術の名手として滝口(たきぐち)や衛門府(えもんふ)官人となり、平安末期からは渡辺惣官職(そうかんしき)を相伝した。渡辺の地は淀川河口の要港で国衙(こくが)所在地でもあり、また大江御厨(おおえのみくりや)の一部であったので、魚介類の貢進や港湾政務が惣官の任務であった。また遠藤氏も摂津一宮坐摩神社(いかすりじんじゃ)長者職や四天王寺執行職(しぎょうしき)を相伝しており、渡辺党は摂津国の中枢を握る武士団として発展した。源平争乱では、遠藤氏出身の文覚(もんがく)が頼朝に決起を催したり、渡辺氏も源頼政の郎等として宇治合戦で多くの戦死者を出すなど、源氏方として活躍した。鎌倉期は、承久の乱で朝廷方について没落する系譜もあったが、越後などに地頭職を得て発展する一族もあり、とくに遠藤氏は、北条氏にも重用され、一時は惣官職も得た。一党は惣官職を争い分立するようになり、南北朝の争乱では後醍醐方や足利方に分かれた。足利方についた系譜は四国・九州や中国地方を転戦し、現地で領主化する場合もあった。渡辺氏の主流は天皇方として楠木氏に従い惣官に補されたが、渡辺での勢力は失われていった。

［中原俊章］

『加地宏江・中原俊章著『中世の大阪―水の里の兵たち』（1984・松籟社）』

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