Tītore

Tītore ( 1775–1837), sometimes known as Tītore Tākiri, was a rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe). He was a war leader of the Ngāpuhi who led the war expedition against the Māori tribes at East Cape in 1820 and 1821. He also led the war expeditions to Tauranga and Maketu in 1832 and 1833, following the Girls' War incident at Kororāreka in the Bay of Islands.

He was the son of Hāpai, the grandson of Toko, and the brother of Rapu. Tītore was the nephew of Tāreha, principal rangatira of the Ngāti Rēhia hapū (sub-tribe) of Kerikeri, and he was related to Hōne Heke and Hengi of Ngāti Rēhia. He married a sister of Hongi Hika. He lived near Whakataha pā in the Waimate North area, then at Kororāreka, as the peace settlement to the Girls' War resulted in his receiving Kororāreka as reparation for the death of his relation Hengi.

Tītore’s war expeditions in 1832 and 1833 In the peace settlement at the end of the Girls' War, Kororāreka (today known as Russell) was ceded to Tītore by Pōmare II as compensation for Hengi's death, which was accepted by those engaged in the fighting. However, the duty of seeking revenge had passed to Mango and Kakaha, the sons of Hengi; they took the view that the death of their father should be acknowledged through a muru, or war expedition, against tribes to the south. It was within Māori traditions to conduct a muru against tribes who had no involvement in the events that caused the death of an important chief. The Revd Henry Williams accompanied the first expedition, without necessarily believing that he could end the fighting, but with the intention of continuing to persuade the combatants as to the Christian message of peace and goodwill. The journal of Henry Williams provides an extensive account of this expedition, which can be described as an incident in the so-called Musket Wars. The Ngāpuhi warriors, who included Hōne Heke, were successful in battles on the Mercury Islands and at Tauranga, with the muru continuing until late July 1832. then Tītore led a party of Te Rarawa, allies of the Ngāpuhi, back to Tauranga. Williams also accompanied the second expedition.

Exchanging gifts with William IV Tītore was one of 13 northern rangatira who signed a letter to King William IV in 1831, seeking an alliance with the United Kingdom;

In 1834, F.W.R. Sadler of HMS Buffalo received gifts from Tītore for delivery to the King, which included two mere made of pounamu (which is a symbol of chieftainship). In 1835, the King sent him a suit of armour, now in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand On 28 October 1835, Tītore signed He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene (known in English as the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand),

War with Pōmare II Starting in March 1837, Pōmare II fought a three-month war with Tītore. Hōne Heke fought alongside Tītore.

Tītore lead 800 warriors in 42 war canoes against Pōmare's pā at Otuihu in the Bay of Islands, although the pā had strong defences and the attacks in March and April were repulsed. An underlying cause of the fighting was a dispute as to the boundary line of the Kororāreka block that had been surrendered as a consequence of the death of Hengi some seven years previously in the Girls’ War.

The war ended in June 1837 following the death of Tītore; however, it is not clear whether he died as the results of battle wounds or following an illness. Following Tītore's death, HMS Rattlesnake fired a formal salute in his honour.