Date Masamune, renowned as the "One Eyed Dragon of the North" or Dokuganryu, was a formidable figure of the Sengoku period. He held the title of lord over Sendai and was distinguished for his tactical brilliance, fearless combat skills, and exceptional leadership. Amongst samurai circles, he was known for his loyalty, ethical conduct, ruthless determination, astute administration, and ambitious pursuits.
Born in Yonezawa Castle, now in Yamagata Prefecture, Masamune was the son of Date Terumune, the lord of Mutsu. Smallpox claimed his right eye during childhood, prompting its removal. This led his mother to deem him unfit to inherit leadership of the clan, advocating for his younger brother Kojiro instead. Matters took a dark turn when she attempted to poison Masamune, compelling him to take drastic measures. He had to end his brother's life to secure his own survival and maintain control.
Following his father's retirement, Masamune ascended to lead the Date clan, expanding its influence by conquering neighboring domains while consolidating his own. When the Hatakeyama clan couldn't resist Masamune's advances into their territory, they appealed to his father for intervention. Unable to rein in his son, Terumune was taken captive. Masamune, upon receiving this grim news during a hunting expedition, pursued the kidnappers and executed his own father on Terumune's orders. As further retribution, he ordered the families of the kidnappers to be tracked down, tortured, and executed.
In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the nation's ruler, demanded Masamune's participation in the Siege of Odawara. Initially resistant, Masamune's eventual compliance angered Hideyoshi. Expecting execution for his initial defiance, Masamune presented himself before Hideyoshi, displaying no fear. To everyone's surprise, Hideyoshi spared his life, sensing potential use in the future. Masamune went on to demonstrate his loyalty during Hideyoshi's Korean campaigns.
Given lands at Iwadeyama by Hideyoshi, Masamune transformed the area into a thriving economic and political hub over 13 years. His financial acumen later turned Sendai from a modest fishing village into a prosperous city.
After Hideyoshi's passing, Masamune shifted his allegiance to Tokugawa Ieyasu, who granted him the Sendai Domain, purportedly yielding one million koku, though the actual output was 640,000 koku.
In the lead-up to the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Masamune supported the Tokugawa cause by engaging the Uesugi clan in the northern regions, enabling Ieyasu to focus on the growing Western allied forces. Although absent from the battlefield, Masamune's contributions greatly aided the Eastern victory.
After the Battle of Sekigahara, Date Masamune, along with 52,000 of his samurai and their families, moved from Iwadeyama to the village of Sendai.
Here, Masamune launched numerous public projects to enhance the land and embellish the Tohoku region, turning it into a sought-after tourist destination. He fostered trade, permitting foreign missionaries and traders to operate within his domain. He even utilized foreign shipbuilding techniques to construct the Date Maru, which embarked on Japan's inaugural diplomatic mission to the Philippines, Mexico, Spain, and Rome for an audience with the Pope, and to secure trading privileges with various nations along the route.
Masamune fathered 16 children, including two illegitimate ones, with his wife and seven concubines. His attire was characterized by relatively plain black armor and a distinctive helmet crest resembling a large, thin crescent moon. He is often depicted wearing a sword guard in place of an eye patch. Date Masamune passed away at the age of 68 on June 27, 1636.
See also
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Katagiri Katsumoto
Katsumoto was born into the family of Katagiri Naomasa, who came from an ancient and noble lineage. The Katagiri clan had served the early shoguns of the Minamoto house for over five centuries and held lands in the northern part of Shinano Province.
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Kasuya Takenori
There are several versions regarding the origins of Takenori. According to one account, he was the second son of Kasuya Tadayasu, a samurai who served the Bessho clan in Harima Province. In 1577, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched his campaign in Harima, on the advice of his close retainer Kuroda Yoshitaka, also known as Kanbei, he took Takenori into his service as a page. In this position, the young warrior participated in the siege of Miki Castle, which lasted from 1578 to 1580 and was aimed at suppressing the rebellion led by Bessho Nagaharu.
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Kajiwara Kagetoki
One of the finest generals and most loyal allies of Minamoto no Yoritomo, Kagetoki gained a notorious reputation as a jealous rival and persecutor of Yoshitsune, the legendary commander of the Genpei War. Kagetoki was an intelligent, calculating, and cautious man.
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Kawakubo (Takeda) Nobuzane
Nobuzane was the seventh son of Takeda Nobutora and the half-brother of the famous Takeda Shingen. The identity of his mother is unknown, as is the exact year of his birth. It is believed that he was born sometime in the 1530s. When Nobuzane reached adulthood, he was sent to the village of Kawakubo, located in the northern part of Kai Province near the border with the Saku region. His duty was to guard the road leading north. In that village, he built a residence and changed his family name to Kawakubo.
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Imagawa Sadayo
Imagawa Sadayo was one of the most outstanding figures of his era. Alongside Kusunoki Masashige and Kitabatake Chikafusa, he was considered one of the greatest generals and strategists of his time. In addition to his military talents, Sadayo was also a poet and historian, and his literary abilities earned him a prominent place at court and in scholarly circles.
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Ikeda Motosuke
Motosuke was the son of Ikeda Tsunooki and the older brother of the famous military commander Ikeda Terumasa. Sources differ on his year of birth—it was either 1559 or 1564. Motosuke was married to the sister of Oda Nobutada, the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga. Thus, Nobutada's son, Oda Hidenobu, was his nephew.
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Watanabe (Hanzo) Moritsuna
Moritsuna was the son of Watanabe Takatsuna, a vassal of the Matsudaira clan. He was the same age as Tokugawa Ieyasu and was held hostage with him by the Imagawa clan. In 1557, Moritsuna joined Ieyasu.
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Ban Naoyuki
He was also known as Ban Danemon. In the early stages of his military career, he served under Kato Yoshiaki, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake,” who later became the ruler of the Aizu region in Mutsu Province. Naoyuki held the position of commander of the arquebusiers (teppo taishō).
