Date Masamune

Date Masamune (伊達 政宗, September 5, 1567 – June 27, 1636) was a regional ruler of
Japan's Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyōs
in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai. An outstanding tactician,
he was made all the more iconic for his missing eye, as Masamune was often called dokuganryū (独
眼竜), or the "One-Eyed Dragon of Ōshu".[1]

As a legendary warrior and leader, Masamune is a character in a number of Japanese period dramas.
He was played by Ken Watanabe in the popular 1987 NHK series Dokuganryū Masamune.

Early life

Date Masamune was born as Bontemaru (梵天丸) later Tojiro (藤次郎) the eldest son of Date
Terumune, born in Yonezawa Castle (in modern Yamagata Prefecture). At the age of 14 in 1581
Masamune led his first campaign, helping his father fight the Sōma family. In 1584, at the age of 17,
Masamune succeeded his father, Terumune, who chose to retire from his position as daimyō.
Masamune's army was recognized by its black armor and golden headgear being known as the One-
Eyed Dragon of Ōshu.

Military campaign

A letter written by Masamune to Pope Paul V

Masamune's Grave at Zuihōden mausoleum

Masamune is known for a few things that made him stand out from other daimyōs of the time. In
particular, his famous crescent-moon-bearing helmet won him a fearsome reputation. As a child,
smallpox robbed him of sight in his right eye, though it is unclear exactly how he lost the organ
entirely.[2] Various theories behind the eye's condition exist. Some sources say he plucked out the
eye himself when a senior member of the clan pointed out that an enemy could grab it in a fight.
Others say that he had his trusted retainer Katakura Kojūrō gouge out the eye for him, making him
the 'One-Eyed Dragon' of Ōshu.[3]

The Date clan had built alliances with neighboring clans through marriages over previous
generations, but local disputes remained commonplace. Shortly after Masamune's succession in
1584, a Date retainer named Ōuchi Sadatsuna defected to the Ashina clan of the Aizu region.
Masamune declared war on Ōuchi and the Ashina for this betrayal, and started a campaign to hunt
down Sadatsuna. Formerly amicable alliances were cast aside as he began to attack and conquer the
lands of Sadatsuna's allies in pursuit, even those of his kin in Mutsu and Dewa Provinces. In the
winter of 1585, one of these allies, Nihonmatsu Yoshitsugu felt defeat was approaching and chose to
surrender to the Date instead. Masamune agreed to accept the surrender, but on the heavy
condition that the Nihonmatsu give up most of their territory to the Date. This resulted in Yoshitsugu
kidnapping Masamune's father Terumune during their meeting in Miyamori Castle, where Terumune
was staying at during the time. The incident ended with both Yoshitsugu and Terumune killed as the
fleeing Nihonmatsu party clashed with the pursuing Date troops near the Abukuma River.[4] Various
records of the event exist, although they present different accounts of its circumstances.

The Date fought many battles with their neighbours afterwards, including the Battle of Hitotoribashi
in 1585.[5] After defeating the Ashina at the Battle of Suriagehara in 1589, Masamune made the Aizu
domain his base of operations.

Service under Hideyoshi

In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi seized Odawara Castle and compelled the Tōhoku-region daimyōs to
participate in the campaign. Although Masamune refused Hideyoshi's demands at first, he had no
real choice in the matter since Hideyoshi was the virtual ruler of Japan. Masamune still delayed,
infuriating Hideyoshi. Expecting to be executed, Masamune, wearing his finest clothes and showing
no fear, faced his angry overlord. Not wanting further trouble, Hideyoshi spared his life, saying that
"He could be of some use."

In 1591, Masamune forfeited the ancestral land of the Date Clan (present day Date City, Kawamata,
Koori, and Kunimi) to Hideyoshi, causing widespread riots. He never regained the territory.[6] [7]

He was given Iwatesawa and the surrounding lands as his home domain. Masamune moved there,
rebuilt the castle, renamed it Iwadeyama, and encouraged the growth of a town at its base.
Masamune stayed at Iwadeyama for 13 years and turned the region into a major political and
economic center. He and his men served with distinction in the Korean invasions under Hideyoshi
and, after Hideyoshi's death, he began to support Tokugawa Ieyasu—apparently at the advice of
Katakura Kojūrō.

Tokugawa Ieyasu awarded Masamune the lordship of the huge and profitable Sendai Domain, which
made Masamune one of Japan's most powerful daimyōs. Tokugawa had promised Masamune a one-
million koku domain, but, even after substantial improvements were made, the land only produced
640,000 koku, most of which was used to feed the Edo region. In 1604, Masamune, accompanied by
52,000 vassals and their families, moved to what was then the small fishing village of Sendai. He left
his fourth son, Date Muneyasu, to rule Iwadeyama. Masamune would turn Sendai into a large and
prosperous city.

Although Masamune was a patron of the arts and sympathized with foreign causes, he was also an
aggressive and ambitious daimyō. When he first took over the Date clan, he suffered a few major
defeats from powerful and influential clans such as the Ashina. These defeats were arguably caused
by recklessness on Masamune's part.

Being a major power in northern Japan, Masamune was naturally viewed with suspicion, as any
potential rival would be viewed. Toyotomi Hideyoshi reduced the size of his land holdings after his
tardiness in coming to the Siege of Odawara against Hōjō Ujimasa. Later in his life, Tokugawa Ieyasu
increased the size of his lands again, but was constantly suspicious of Masamune and his policies.

Although Tokugawa Ieyasu and other Date allies were always suspicious of him, Date Masamune for
the most part served the Tokugawa and Toyotomi loyally. He took part in Hideyoshi's campaigns in
Korea, and in the Osaka campaigns. When Tokugawa Ieyasu was on his deathbed, Masamune visited
him and read him a piece of Zen poetry. Masamune was highly respected for his ethics; a still-quoted
aphorism is, "Rectitude carried to excess hardens into stiffness; benevolence indulged beyond
measure sinks into weakness."

Patron of culture and Christianity

Masamune expanded trade in the otherwise remote, backwater Tōhoku region. Although initially
faced with attacks by hostile clans, he managed to overcome them after a few defeats and
eventually ruled one of the largest fiefdoms of the later Tokugawa shogunate. He built many palaces
and worked on many projects to beautify the region. He is also known to have encouraged
foreigners to come to his land. Even though he funded and promoted an envoy to establish relations
with the Pope in Rome, he was likely motivated at least in part by a desire for foreign technology,
similar to that of other lords, such as Oda Nobunaga. Further, once Tokugawa Ieyasu outlawed
Christianity, Masamune reversed his position, and though disliking it, let Ieyasu persecute Christians
in his domain. For 270 years, Tōhoku remained a place of tourism, trade and prosperity.
Matsushima, for instance, a series of tiny islands, was praised for its beauty and serenity by the
wandering haiku poet Matsuo Bashō.

He showed sympathy for Christian missionaries and traders in Japan. In addition to allowing them to
come and preach in his province, he also released the prisoner and missionary Padre Sotelo from the
hands of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Date Masamune allowed Sotelo as well as other missionaries to practice
their religion and win converts in Tōhoku.
Replica of the galleon Date Maru, or San Juan Bautista, in Ishinomaki, Japan.

Masamune notably funded and backed one of Japan's few journeys of far-flung diplomacy and
exploration in this period. He ordered the building of the exploration ship Date Maru or San Juan
Bautista, using foreign (European) ship-building techniques. He sent one of his retainers, Hasekura
Tsunenaga, Sotelo, and an embassy numbering 180 on a successful voyage to establish relations with
the Pope in Rome. This expedition visited such places as the Philippines, Mexico, Spain and Rome.
Previously, Japanese lords had never funded this sort of venture, so it was probably the first
successful voyage.[8] At least five members of the expedition stayed in Coria (Seville) of Spain to
avoid the persecution of Christians in Japan. 600 of their descendants, with the surname Japón
(Japan), are now living in Spain.

When the Tokugawa government banned Christianity, Masamune had to obey the law. However,
some sources suggest that Masamune's eldest daughter, Irohahime, was a Christian.[9]