[Miyagi Prefecture] 3 Sengoku military commanders from Miyagi Prefecture! Date Masamune, Katakura Kagetsuna, Date Tatsumi

During the Sengoku period, Miyagi Prefecture was in a situation where local feudal lords who had been granted territory by the Shogunate during the Kamakura period competed with each other. The Date clan, which had grown in power during this period, gradually lost its power as the 14th generation, Tanemune, and the 15th generation, Harumune, fought in the ``Tenbun War''.

After that, it was Masamune, the 17th head of the family, and the two military commanders who supported him who rebuilt the Date family.

“One-Eyed Dragon of Ou” Date Masamune (1567-1636)

Masamune, who maximized the power of the Date clan and built the forest capital of Sendai, lost his right eye due to smallpox when he was a child. In modern times, he is known for his sword-brimmed eyepatch appearance, but that appearance is said to have been created in later generations.

Statue of Date Masamune (Tofukuji Reigen-in collection, by Tosa Mitsusada, around the middle of the Edo period)
Statue of Date Masamune (Tofukuji Reigen-in collection, by Tosa Mitsusada, around the middle of the Edo period)

Masamune's lifelong teacher, Zen Master Toraya

It is said that Masamune's encounter with Kosai Soutsu, a famous monk from Mino (Gifu Prefecture), whom his father Terumune invited, helped him become the strongest Sengoku warlord in the Tohoku region.

Although Masamune is said to have had an ugly appearance due to the loss of his right eye and a subservient personality, he learned from Zen Master Toraya how to live as a person and as a military commander.

Masamune also learned from Zen masters, and it is said that his knowledge of literature such as Chinese poetry, Japanese poetry, and Noh was as good as that of Kyoto poets.

Family succession and death of father Terumune

Around 1584, when Terumune retired and inherited the headship of the family as the 17th head of the family, the war continued between Date/Tamura and Ashina/Ouchi/Hatakeyama. Yoshitsugu Hatakeyama surrendered and Masamune relieved him of his possession of Nihonmatsu. However, as Yoshitsugu interceded and abducted Terumune and held him hostage, an incident occurred in which his father and all of Yoshitsugu and others were shot to death with guns on Terumune's own orders. I went away.

Two great battles: Hitotori Bridge and Suriuehara

At the dawn of Terumune's first 7 days, Masamune attacked Nihonmatsu Castle with a combined force of 13,000 troops of Date, Tamura, and Soma as a mourning battle, but Yoshitane Soma withdrew (some say he defected) with only 7,000 troops, and Satake and Minamoku Daimyo came to rescue Nihonmatsu Castle. A battle ensued with 30,000 Allied forces near Hitotori Bridge in Motomiya City, Fukushima Prefecture.

The Date army, which had few soldiers and was likely to lose, tried to force a draw with the death of their commander, Oniwa Sagetsai, but it was a desperate situation. However, that night, Satake's army withdrew due to various circumstances and was spared destruction.

After that, Nihonmatsu Castle fell and in 1589, Masamune invaded Aizu with a large army of 23,000 men and clashed with Ashina's 18,000-strong army at the foot of Mt. Bandai, Suriuehara. After defeating this, Yoshihiro Ashina fled to his parents' home, the Satake family. The Ashina family was destroyed, and Masamune became the ruler of Minami Ou.

A struggle with people from all over the world, from Yonezawa to Mt. Iwade and then to Sendai

Although he gained possession of Minami-Ou, Toyotomi Hideyoshi took away Aizu and other areas, leaving him with only 720,000 koku of his former territory, Yonezawa. However, he received 580,000 koku of Iwadeyama Castle in Miyagi Prefecture for instigating a revolt in 1591. It will be reduced and sealed in stone. However, Masamune did not give up on his ambitions and began to quarrel with Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

At the Battle of Keicho Dewa, he fought alongside Ieyasu against the Uesugi army, but was found to be inciting another uprising and was not annexed, so he moved his castle to Sendai and began developing a castle town.

In his later years, he devoted his efforts to the development of his territory.

In his later years, Masamune realized that the world was changing and focused on managing his territory. He cultivated the area around Sendai Castle and made it into one of the leading grain producing areas, and in addition to incorporating Kamigata culture, he also built national treasures such as Zuiganji Temple and Osaki Hachimangu Shrine.

Masamune served even the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, and was said to be highly trusted by Iemitsu as ``Date's father'', and passed away at the age of 68 in his Edo Kamiyashiki in 1636. .

INFORMATION

  • Name: Sendai Castle Ruins (Aoba Castle Ruins)
  • Address: 1 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0862
  • URL: Aoba Castle Honmaru Hall

GOOGLE MAP

"The tactician who supported the One-Eyed Dragon" Kagetsuna Katakura (1557-1615)

Kagetsuna, commonly known as ``Kojuro,'' was Terumune's page, but since his older sister was Masamune's wet nurse, he became Masamune's close attendant. Kagetsuna, who was 10 years older than Masamune, had excellent intelligence, demonstrated talent in military and diplomacy, and earned Masamune's deep trust.

Statue of Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna (Sendai City Museum collection)
Statue of Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna (Sendai City Museum collection)

He participated as a tactician in most of the major battles in which Masamune fought, saving the Date army from crisis.

His talent was appreciated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Hideyoshi scouted Kagetsuna as his direct retainer, and Ieyasu recognized Kagetsuna as the lord of Shiroishi Castle in the Sendai domain as a special exception to the ``One Country, One Castle'' law.

INFORMATION

GOOGLE MAP

“The most courageous of the Date family” Shigezane Date (1568-1646)

Narumi, who supported Masamune with his bravery, is famous for the caterpillar (some say it's a centipede) on the placket of his helmet, which is said to be because the caterpillar never retreats, and is Masamune's cousin.

Statue of Datetsuji (Sendai City Museum collection)
Statue of Datetsuji (Sendai City Museum collection)

In the Battle of Hittoribashi, they achieved military merit as an elite unit of the Date army in numerous battles, such as when they held back and allowed Masamune to escape, just like Oniba Sagesai, even though the Date army was in retreat.

He suddenly went away in 1595, but returned five years later, and the reason is unknown.

The descendants of Narumi and his vassals immigrated to Hokkaido and developed the area that is now Date City.

INFORMATION

  • Name: Watari Castle Ruins (Watari Castle Ruins/Watari Fortress Ruins)
  • Address: Old Tate, Watari-cho, Watari-gun, Miyagi Prefecture, 989-2351
  • URL: Wikipedia (Watari Castle)

GOOGLE MAP

summary

Date Masamune is said to be a man of the world if he were born 20 years earlier. If Japan had conquered Japan, the capital of Japan might have been Sendai.

Descendants of Mr. Date are still active not only in Sendai but all over the country, but the most famous one is Mr. Mikio Date of the comedian ``Sandwich Man.'' Although he is not a direct descendant of Masamune, he truly belongs to the Date clan.

Links to articles about famous military commanders from other prefectures

List of related articles