At the time of his son’s birth Te Rauangaanga was famous as a fighting chief.  In the summer of 1790 he had lead combined Waikato and Maniopoto forces against the Ngati Toa chief.  This battle was said to have been the greatest ever fought on New Zealand soil.  Some twenty years later Te Rauangaanga commanded 1,600 picked Waikato warriors who captured Te Rauparaha’s pa at Kikuparea.  Te Wherowhero belonged to the Ngati Mahuta hapu of the Waikato tribe and was a descendant in the senior chiefly line from semi-legendry Hoturoa.  His home was at Kaitotehe Pa which was situated on the Waikato River bank opposite Taupiri.  From 1820 onwards the Waikato Tribes suffered from raids launched by the musket bearing Ngapuhi under their fighting chief, Hongi Hika.  This caused them to retreat upon tribes living further to the south and led to a further outbreak in the war between the Waikato and Ngatitoa tribes.  Te Ruangaango captured Te Totara Pa on Kawhia harbour in 1819.  In the following year Te Wherowhero led a force of 3,000 Waikato and Maniopoto men overland against the Ngati Toa positions on the south side of Kawhia harbour.  This force was augmented by 1,500 warriors who came by sea from Whaingaroa (Raglan) and who captured Ngati Toa’s strong points on Kawhia.  Meanwhile Te Wherowhero’s force systematically reduced Ngati Toa’s landward defences.  Finally the Waikato force besieged Te Arawai Pa after several days heavy fighting.

Ngati Toa survivors – a mere remnant of the tribe - and their fighting chief Te Rauparaha withdrew by sea towards Taranaki.  Te Wherowhero pursued the fleeting Ngati Toa overland to Taranaki and in this way involved himself in war with the Ngati Awa.  Although Te Wherowhero was never forced to retreat his sieges in Taranaki were sometimes unsuccessful and were costly in human life.  At Te Motunai he lost several hundred men and after the three month’s siege of Pukerangiora the defenders retreated leaving 1,200 dead upon the field.  Māori tradition credits Te Wherowhero with killing no less than 180 of these with his own mere.

In 1832 he returned to Taranaki at the head of 4,000 warriors and besieged the Ngati Awa on an island just outside New Plymouth.  Barrett, Love and eight whalers fought in the defense.  Te Wherowhero withdrew after losing 350 of his best warriors against the defenders’ casualties of 50.  In 1833 he unsuccessfully attacked Te Namu, Matakatea stronghold near Cape Egmont.  During 1834 he forayed to Tangahoe and Waimate (South Taranaki) and began a long siege of Te Namu.  By this time Ngati Awa had also acquired muskets and were able to meet the Waikato force with more advantage at Te Namu where Matakatea made a most determined defence.  Te Wherowhero was obliged to make peace and so end his campaigns.  By this time, too, missionary influence was extending among the Waikato people and the tribes were more inclined to peace.  Te Wherowhero, himself, attended church services regularly although he never submitted to baptism.  In 1840 Governor Hobson sent emissaries to the Waikato hoping to obtain the signatures of the leading chiefs to the Treaty of Waitangi.  But, in spite of the many blandishments that were offered, neither Te Wherowhero nor the other principal chiefs would sign.  Although he refused to cede sovereignty  to the British Government Te Wherowhero was not hostile to the presence of Europeans in his district.  Sir George Grey who always made it his policy to cultivate influential native chiefs took great pains to cultivate Te Wherowhero.  The Governor built him a cottage at Mangere and for some years the Waikato chief was consulted upon many questions of Māori affairs.

In 1848 when Grey was knighted he appointed Te Wherowhero and Waka Nene to be his squires.  When Te Rauparaha was released these same chiefs stood surety for his good behaviour and, later in the year, accompanied the Governor to Kapiti to satisfy themselves that the Ngati Toa chief had indeed been freed.  The Government often negotiated with Te Wherowhero at Mangere.    In cases of grave offences committed against Europeans by Waikato natives Te Wherowhero was invariably prepared to support authority.  After 1848 when the land question began to press on the Māori Te Wherowhero gradually turned against the Government and in his old age reluctantly accepted the position of Māori King.

In 1857 at Pakowai on the south eastern shores of Taupo he was elected as king.  He was installed in this office amid great ceremonies at Ngaruawahia  in April 1858.  As events proceeded and as his supporters grew increasingly hostile to the incursions of Europeans Te Wherwhero inevitably lost the Governor’s confidence.  He died on 25 June 1860 and was succeeded by his son Matataera Tawhiao.

Potatau Te Wherowhero stood over 6 foot tall and was one of the most famous warriors of his day.  He was an elegant orator and as high priest of Tainui was well versed in the traditions of his own race.  Records show that the name Te Wherowhero means red man and that the great Waikato chief got this title from being the first among his people to obtain and wear a scarlet blanket.  His name Potatau meaning he that counts by night was given to him at the death of his wife for whom his love was so great that he sat sleepless for many nights while she lay dying, counting as the Māori put it, her last hours.

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