Date masamune biography examples
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Masamune’s vassals greatly appreciated their lord's decisiveness at this time, and their unity was strengthened.
Masamune's Bold Actions: Wisdom Tested by Hardship
At that time, the most powerful warlord, Toyotomi Hideyoshi(1537-1598, 豊臣秀吉), was putting the finishing touches on his plan for the unification of Japan.
Masamune's ambition
It is considered that Masamune had repeatedly plotted to usurp the position of ruling the country by taking any opportunity since the time of the reign of Toyotomi clan.
Specialties of Iwadeyama, kori-dofu (frozen bean curd) and Natto (fermented soybeans) were the results of the study of cooking developed by Masamune, while those foods were originally intended for the usage as military provisions.
Once my lord considers possible to face with the enemy troops by the preparatory map exercise,
then quietly, from the woods behind the base to that prepared battle field (Sunaoshi),
my lord shall move and observe yourself."
(Masamune made a scheme to block the movement of bakufu army by flooding the southern part of Sendai after blocking the water of the Sendai-gawa River [today it is called Natori-gawa River], and then intercept the bakufu army by luring into a narrow place.
The career record of his official titles and court ranks
* Dates are according to the old calendar (until December 2, 1872)
October, 1584
Succession to the family headship
The intercalary month, August of 1585
He was given the title of jugoi (Junior Fifth Rank) and was appointed as the Governor of Mimasaka Province.
In other words, this indicates and allows to say that Masamune did not give up his ambition in his lifetime until the moment of his death, to acquire the right of ruling Japan.
When the residence castle of Mogami clan, the Yamagata-jo Castle was attacked by the troops of Uesugi clan, Kagetsuna KATAKURA offered an advice for Masamune to watch for the opportunity of Mogami clan and Uesugi clan going down together and profit from it; however, Masamune rejected this advice for reason of protecting his mother, and sent a reinforcement.
The rumor of believing Masamune as the reincarnation of one-eyed high priest Mankai was widely spread from the days of Masamune; among those folklores in Tohoku regions, some stories related with this belief have been transmitted, such as "the story of a peasant who set out on a journey for asking Sendai-sama (Lord Masamune) to cure the illness of his mother by the spiritual energy of Masamune."
Masamune had the legal wife, Aihime and at least 7 concubines, and became the father of 10 sons and 4 daughters including Irohahime.
Despite initial reservations, his effective governance gained trust during Ieyasu’s grandson Iemitsu’s reign.
Masamune’s partnership with Tokugawa markedly contributed to Japan’s political landscape, stabilizing the Tōhoku region and fostering economic growth in Sendai.
The Siege of Odawara and Its Aftermath
After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598, Date Masamune made a decisive and strategic shift in allegiance to Tokugawa Ieyasu—a move that would significantly shape his legacy.
He was also engaged in construction projects. Masamune was also suspected of taking part in treason, but eventually he was considered not related, escaping from the difficulty of being implicated. Therefore, Masamune headed to Kyoto.
Emperor Meiji commented on Masamune as follows;
"Masamune pursued the precepts of a warlord, while he was also after studies and learning, and then he thought and dreamed of foreign affairs to actually conducted the negotiations with foreigners." It is Masamune who shall be called as a warlord excelled in both literary and military arts.
They have taken "Harpoon" as their family name, which means "Japan."
It is considered that Masamune thought of the scenario of the decisive battle against the army of bakufu seeking for the reign of Japan, then he was preparing a draft tactical strategy on a map for this battle as "an internal tentative strategy upon the order of the council of war of Sendai Domain."
"After the fall of the Osaka-jo Casle in the 2nd year of the Genna era.
If you go too far into 'chi' (the terms of Confucianism referring to knowledge acquired by studying), you will tell untruth.
Masamune came up with a project plan to open trade between Sendai Domain and Spain (a trading oversea via Pacific Ocean); in 1613, Masamune built a galleon ship within Sendai Domain with the cooperation of Sebastián Vizcaíno, the envoy of the King of Spain, Felipe III, which was then named as San Juan Bautista.
This bold initiative, which included a meeting with Pope Paul V, underscored Masamune’s openness to international alliances and his willingness to engage with Christianity despite the increasing pressures of religious suppression in Japan.
Masamune also supported Christian missionaries, allowing them to operate freely within his domain, and notably intervened to secure the release of Padre Sotelo, a Franciscan friar.
By the time of this war, Yoshihiro ASHINA had already become one of those many warlords coming under the umbrella of the chancellor Hideyoshi, therefore fighting against Ashina clan meant a defiance against Hideyoshi. In 1587, he issued Sobuji-rei (a law prohibiting private warfare) to eliminate further battles among lords. The front is adorned with the mythical Kylin, an auspicious symbol heralding virtue and righteousness.
However, it was too short to occupy since the Battle of Sekigahara ended in one day. The front door is decorated with Date’s family crest, the "Sendaizasa” (bamboo and sparrow), and the "Kuyo Mon” (nine stars), gilded in gold.
A unique form of a ceremonial rhythmic hand clapping called Date Ipponjime (three sets of three claps and one final clap performed at the end of a special event) associated with the first lord of Sendai Domain Masamune DATE has been transmitted at the family temple of Mitsumune DATE, the Entsu-in Temple located in Matsushima-cho, Miyagi District, Miyagi Prefecture.