Minamoto no Munetsuna (源宗綱)

MINAMOTO no Munetsuna (date of birth unknown - June 20, 1180) was a busho (Japanese military commander) from Settsu-Genji (the Minamoto clan of Settsu Province) and active during the end of the Heian period. He was the eldest legitimate son of MINAMOTO no Nakatsuna. He was a legitimate grandson of MINAMOTO no Yorimasa. His government post was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), Saemon no jo (third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards), Higo no kami (governor of Higo Province).

In 1180, his grandfather Yorimasa and father Nakatsuna supported Prince Mochihito and raised an army to revolt against the Taira family (the battle of Uji-gawa River). Munetsuna participated in this battle as the heir of the family and fought bravely, however his army was too small to fight against the enemy's much larger army, so soon they were defeated, and he and his family committed suicide in Uji-byodoin Temple.

Although Munetsuna himself died young, his grandson Muneshige SHIMOTSUMA (Reni SHIMOTSUMA or Reni SHIMOZUMA) became a disciple of Shinran, which led to his descendants' development as the Shimotsuma clan (the Shimozuma clan) as senior vassals of Hongan-ji Temple. The clan played a central part in uprisings of the followers of the Ikko sect in the Sengoku period (Period of Warring States, Japan), and later, in the Edo period, Shigetoshi IKEDA from the clan produced some achievements, he was given rice stipend of 10,000 koku (1,803,900 cubic decimeters) and became daimyo (Japanese territorial lord).

[Original Japanese]