Date family
Encyclopedia
The was a lineage of daimyo
who controlled northern Japan (the Tōhoku region
) in the late 16th century and into the Edo period
. Their most famous member was Date Masamune
, who established the family's power by avenging his father's death and through support of Tokugawa Ieyasu
.
(1185-1333) by Isa Tomomune who originally came from the Isa district of Hitachi Province
(now Ibaraki Prefecture
), and was a descendant of Fujiwara no Uona
(721-783) in the 16th generation. The family took its name from the Date district (now Fukushima Prefecture
) of Mutsu Province
which had been awarded in 1189 to Isa Tomomune by Minamoto no Yoritomo
, the first Kamakura shogun, for his assistance in the Genpei War
and in Minamoto no Yoritomo’s struggle for power with his brother, Minamoto no Yoshitsune
.
During the Nanboku-cho
Wars in the 1330s, the Date supported the Imperial Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo
through Kitabatake Akiie
, who had been appointed by the Emperor Chinjufu Shōgun or Commander in Chief of the Defense of the North.
As warlords gained and lost power in the Sengoku period
, trying to unite the country, the Date, along with a handful of other powerful families, did all they could to retain independence and dominance over their section of the land (in the case of the Date, the far north). Though not gaining the fame or power of the likes of Oda Nobunaga
, Uesugi Kenshin
, or Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, they resisted the invasions of these warlords into the north. Date Masamune
(1566–1636) contributed in particular to this effort, consolidating the families of the north into alliances against the major warlords.
In 1589, Masamune seized the Aizu Domain of the Ashina
; and he installed himself at Kurokawa Castle in Wakamatsu province. However, the following year, Hideyoshi triumphed over the Hōjo of Odawara; and Hideyoshi then obliged Masamune to be content with the fief of Yonezawa
(300,000 koku). Masamune ultimately gaining some degree of independence by supporting Tokugawa Ieyasu
.
Ieyasu granted the Date much of the north, and yet the Date were not fully trusted. Despite the significant fact that the Date sent reinforcements for the Tokugawa during the battle of Sekigahara
, the Date were viewed as a threat. In the Edo period, the Date were identified as one of the tozama
or outsider clans, in contrast with the fudai
or insider daimyō clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan
.
In 1600, Ieyasu charged the Date to fight against Uesugi Kagekatsu
; and, with the assistance of Mogami Yoshiteru, Masamune's forces defeated Naoe Kanetsugu
. In recognition of this success in battle, Masamune was granted the fiefs in twelve districts which had been held until that time by the Uesugi clan
. The Date established themselves at Sendai
(620,000 koku). By 1658, Masamune changed the name of the Uesugi's castle at Iwatezawa to Sendai Castle The feudal daimyō were sometimes identified with the suffix "-kō" (servant), preceded by the name of a place or a castle, e.g., Sendai-kō was one of the names by which Date Masamune was known.
Succession dispute erupted; there were a number of direct descendants of Masamune, and many kinsmen and hereditary vassals of the Date who resided nearby held estates of at least 10,000 koku, and thus had some influence.
In 1660, Date Tsunamune
was arrested in Edo
, for drunkenness and debauchery; the charges were generally believed to have been true. Tsunamune was condemned to excavate the moats which encircled the shogun's Edo Castle
. In 1660, he was ordered to supervise and pay for enhancing the north-east moat running from Megane-bashi to the Ushigome gate.
The initial charges of licentious living are now believed to have been encouraged heavily by certain vassals and kinsmen in the north. These vassals and kinsmen appealed to the Council of Elders in Edo that Tsunamune should not be considered fit to rule, and that his son Date Tsunamura
, great-grandson of Masamune, should become the daimyo (lord) of the Date han
(fief). Thus, Tsunamura became daimyo, under the guardianship of his uncles, Date Munekatsu and Muneyoshi.
Ten years of violence and conflict followed in the north, reaching a climax in 1671 when Aki Muneshige, a powerful relative of the Date, complained to the shogunate of the mismanagement of the fief under Tsunamura and his uncles. The episode that followed is so complex and dramatic as to warrant becoming a well-known story known as the Date Sōdō (Date Disturbance
) and a theatrical play as well.
Aki was summoned to Edo to argue his case before various councils and officials, and was involved in a number of interrogations, examinations and meetings, as were several other retainers of the Date. One retainer in particular, Harada Kai Munesuke, was a supporter of Tsunamura and his uncles and, it is said, made a poor impression at Edo. At one point, Aki came upon Harada waiting to meet with some of the officials, and Aki began shouting insults. Swords were then drawn, and Aki was killed. Harada was killed moments after, by the officials or their guards. The official verdict was that Harada drew first; the Harada family was disbanded and though Tsunamura was affirmed as the proper daimyo, his uncles were punished.
Though the Date are most well known for their power in the north, Date Hidemune
, the second son of Masamune, enjoyed a fief of 100,000 koku on Shikoku
.
The branches of the tozama Date clan include the following:
was considered the family temple of various clans, including the Date clan of Sendai. Other clans considering Tōzen-ji to have been a clan temple were the Ikeda clan
of Omi province
, the Inaba clan
of Usuki Domain in Bungo province
, the Suwa clan
of Shinshu, the Tamura
of Ichinoseki, and the Mori clan
of Saeki
in Bungo Province
.
Members of the clan are listed by their date of birth.
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
who controlled northern Japan (the Tōhoku region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
) in the late 16th century and into the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. Their most famous member was Date Masamune
Date Masamune
was a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
, who established the family's power by avenging his father's death and through support of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
.
History
The Date family was founded in the early Kamakura periodKamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
(1185-1333) by Isa Tomomune who originally came from the Isa district of Hitachi Province
Hitachi Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Hitachi Province bordered on Iwashiro, Iwaki, Shimousa, and Shimotsuke Provinces....
(now Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...
), and was a descendant of Fujiwara no Uona
Fujiwara no Uona
Fujiwara no Uona was a member of the Fujiwara clan in Japan and occupied the position of sadaijin "Minister of the Left" in the ancient Japanese court. He was son of Fujiwara no Fusasaki ....
(721-783) in the 16th generation. The family took its name from the Date district (now Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
) of Mutsu Province
Mutsu Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori prefecture and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture...
which had been awarded in 1189 to Isa Tomomune by Minamoto no Yoritomo
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. He ruled from 1192 until 1199.-Early life and exile :Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto clan, and his official wife, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, who was a member of the...
, the first Kamakura shogun, for his assistance in the Genpei War
Genpei War
The was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....
and in Minamoto no Yoritomo’s struggle for power with his brother, Minamoto no Yoshitsune
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura...
.
During the Nanboku-cho
Nanboku-cho
The , spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Muromachi bakufu of Japan's history.During this period, there existed a Northern Imperial Court, established by Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and a Southern Imperial Court, established by Emperor Go-Daigo in...
Wars in the 1330s, the Date supported the Imperial Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
through Kitabatake Akiie
Kitabatake Akiie
was a Japanese court noble, and an important supporter of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō Wars. He also held the posts of Commander-in-Chief of the Defense of the North, and Governor of Mutsu Province...
, who had been appointed by the Emperor Chinjufu Shōgun or Commander in Chief of the Defense of the North.
As warlords gained and lost power in the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
, trying to unite the country, the Date, along with a handful of other powerful families, did all they could to retain independence and dominance over their section of the land (in the case of the Date, the far north). Though not gaining the fame or power of the likes of Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, Uesugi Kenshin
Uesugi Kenshin
was a daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku period of Japan.He was one of the most powerful lords of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries...
, or Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, they resisted the invasions of these warlords into the north. Date Masamune
Date Masamune
was a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
(1566–1636) contributed in particular to this effort, consolidating the families of the north into alliances against the major warlords.
In 1589, Masamune seized the Aizu Domain of the Ashina
Ashina clan
The , descended from Taira clan through the Miura clan, was a Japanese clan during the Sengoku period. Sometimes the kanji characters "芦名" and "葦名" are used also. The name came from the area called Ashina in the city of Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture....
; and he installed himself at Kurokawa Castle in Wakamatsu province. However, the following year, Hideyoshi triumphed over the Hōjo of Odawara; and Hideyoshi then obliged Masamune to be content with the fief of Yonezawa
Yonezawa Domain
Yonezawa Domain was a feudal domain of Tokugawa Japan, controlled by daimyō of the Uesugi clan. Covering the Okitama district of Dewa province, in what is today southeastern Yamagata Prefecture, the territory was ruled from Yonezawa castle in Yonezawa city...
(300,000 koku). Masamune ultimately gaining some degree of independence by supporting Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
.
Ieyasu granted the Date much of the north, and yet the Date were not fully trusted. Despite the significant fact that the Date sent reinforcements for the Tokugawa during the battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
, the Date were viewed as a threat. In the Edo period, the Date were identified as one of the tozama
Tozama
A ' was a daimyo who was considered an outsider by the rulers of Japan. The term came into use in the Kamakura period and continued until the end of the Edo period.-Edo period:...
or outsider clans, in contrast with the fudai
Fudai
was a class of daimyo who were hereditary vassals of the Tokugawa in Edo period Japan. It was primarily the fudai who filled the ranks of the Tokugawa administration.-Origins:...
or insider daimyō clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
.
In 1600, Ieyasu charged the Date to fight against Uesugi Kagekatsu
Uesugi Kagekatsu
was a daimyo during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history. The son of Nagao Masakage and husband of Uesugi Kenshin's elder sister, Aya-Gozen. After his father died, he was adopted by Kenshin....
; and, with the assistance of Mogami Yoshiteru, Masamune's forces defeated Naoe Kanetsugu
Naoe Kanetsugu
was a Japanese samurai of the 16th-17th centuries. The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi daimyo. He was also known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami or his childhood/adolescent name, Higuchi Kanetsugu .Kanetsugu served first as...
. In recognition of this success in battle, Masamune was granted the fiefs in twelve districts which had been held until that time by the Uesugi clan
Uesugi clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan and particularly notable for their power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods ....
. The Date established themselves at Sendai
Sendai, Miyagi
is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...
(620,000 koku). By 1658, Masamune changed the name of the Uesugi's castle at Iwatezawa to Sendai Castle The feudal daimyō were sometimes identified with the suffix "-kō" (servant), preceded by the name of a place or a castle, e.g., Sendai-kō was one of the names by which Date Masamune was known.
Succession dispute erupted; there were a number of direct descendants of Masamune, and many kinsmen and hereditary vassals of the Date who resided nearby held estates of at least 10,000 koku, and thus had some influence.
In 1660, Date Tsunamune
Date Tsunamune
was the daimyō of Sendai han for about two years, from 1658 to 1660. His father, Date Tadamune, died in 1658, but Tsunamune's succession and rule was soon opposed by a number of his kinsmen and vassals...
was arrested in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
, for drunkenness and debauchery; the charges were generally believed to have been true. Tsunamune was condemned to excavate the moats which encircled the shogun's Edo Castle
Edo Castle
, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
. In 1660, he was ordered to supervise and pay for enhancing the north-east moat running from Megane-bashi to the Ushigome gate.
The initial charges of licentious living are now believed to have been encouraged heavily by certain vassals and kinsmen in the north. These vassals and kinsmen appealed to the Council of Elders in Edo that Tsunamune should not be considered fit to rule, and that his son Date Tsunamura
Date Tsunamura
was a daimyo in mid-17th century Tokugawa Japan whose life was at the center of the Date Sōdō or "Date Disturbance", a very famous noble conflict of the period....
, great-grandson of Masamune, should become the daimyo (lord) of the Date han
Han (Japan)
The or domain was the name of the estate belonging to a warrior in Japan after the 17th century. The fiefs of the daimyos of the samurai class of Japan during the Edo period were called han.-Edo period:...
(fief). Thus, Tsunamura became daimyo, under the guardianship of his uncles, Date Munekatsu and Muneyoshi.
Ten years of violence and conflict followed in the north, reaching a climax in 1671 when Aki Muneshige, a powerful relative of the Date, complained to the shogunate of the mismanagement of the fief under Tsunamura and his uncles. The episode that followed is so complex and dramatic as to warrant becoming a well-known story known as the Date Sōdō (Date Disturbance
Date Sodo
The Date Sōdō , or Date Disturbance, was a noble family dispute within the Date samurai clan, which occurred in 1671.-History:In 1660, the daimyō of the Sendai Domain, and clan head, Date Tsunamune was arrested in Edo, for drunkenness and debauchery...
) and a theatrical play as well.
Aki was summoned to Edo to argue his case before various councils and officials, and was involved in a number of interrogations, examinations and meetings, as were several other retainers of the Date. One retainer in particular, Harada Kai Munesuke, was a supporter of Tsunamura and his uncles and, it is said, made a poor impression at Edo. At one point, Aki came upon Harada waiting to meet with some of the officials, and Aki began shouting insults. Swords were then drawn, and Aki was killed. Harada was killed moments after, by the officials or their guards. The official verdict was that Harada drew first; the Harada family was disbanded and though Tsunamura was affirmed as the proper daimyo, his uncles were punished.
Though the Date are most well known for their power in the north, Date Hidemune
Date Hidemune
was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. He was the eldest son of Date Masamune, born in 1596 by Lady Iisaka . Coming of age while living with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he received a character from Hideyoshi's name and took the adult name of Hidemune...
, the second son of Masamune, enjoyed a fief of 100,000 koku on Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
.
Date clan genealogy
The tozama Date clan originated in 12th century Shimōsa Province. They claim descent from the Fujiwara.The branches of the tozama Date clan include the following:
- The senior branch of the Date were daimyō at Date in Mutsu province from the 12th century; and then, in 1601, they transferred the seat of their clan holdings to Sendai. From the early 17th century until 1868, the Date continued to hold Sendai DomainSendai Domainwas a Japanese domain of the Edo period. Most of its holdings were contiguous, covering all of modern-day Miyagi Prefecture, small portions of southern Iwate Prefecture, and a portion of northeastern Fukushima Prefecture. The domain's capital, and the ruling family's castle, were located in what...
(620,000 koku) in Mutsu provinceMutsu Provincewas an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori prefecture and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture...
. The head of this Senior clan line was ennobled as an hereditary "Count" in the Meiji period.
- This senior branch of the Date produced a nominal offshoot or "side branch." Date TadamuneDate Tadamunewas a Japanese samurai of the early Edo period. The 2nd son of the famous and powerful daimyō Date Masamune, he succeeded his father as lord of Sendai. Although he was the 2nd son, his half-brother Date Hidemune was born by Lady Iisaka, a concubine, and was not eligible to rule...
(1599–1658), a son of Masamune, produced more than one son. Tadamune's second son, Muneyoshi, revived the name of Tamura, an ancient Mutsu family name which had been relinquished by Masamune. Date Muneyoshi or Tamura MuneyoshiTamura Muneyoshiwas a Japanese daimyo of the Edo period, who ruled the Iwanuma Domain. He was the grandson of Date Masamune.-References:...
(1637–1678) settled himself at Ichinoseki domain (30,000 koku) in Mutsu provinceMutsu Provincewas an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori prefecture and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture...
(now in Iwate PrefectureIwate Prefectureis the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...
), where his descendants resided up through 1868. The head of this clan line was ennobled as an hereditary "Viscount" in the Meiji period.
- A cadet branch of the Date was created in 1614; and this clan line was established at Uwajima DomainUwajima DomainThe was a feudal domain in Iyo Province of Japan during the Edo period. It was ruled from 1608 to 1613 by the Tomita clan. After a brief period as Tokugawa-controlled tenryō territory, the domain passed into the hands of the Date clan. The founder was Date Hidemune , first-born son of Date Masamune...
(100,000 koku) in Iyo provinceIyo Provincewas an old province of Japan in the area that is today Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku. Iyo bordered on Awa, Sanuki, and Tosa Provinces. It was sometimes called ....
. Date Muneki (1817–1882) was a prominent member of this Cadet branch. He played an important role in the early days of the Meiji RestorationMeiji RestorationThe , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, and he was among the first to argue persistently for the suppression of shogunate powers. As The head of this clan line, Muneki and his heirs were ennobled as an hereditary "Marquis" in the Meiji period.
- An additional cadet branch of the Date was created in 1657. In that year, a separate clan line was installed at Yoshida CastleYoshida Castleis a Japanese castle located in Toyohashi, southeastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Yoshida Castle was home to the Inaba clan, daimyō of Tateyama Domain. The castle was also known as , and later as Toyohashi Castle.-Description:...
(30,000 koku) in Iyo provinceIyo Provincewas an old province of Japan in the area that is today Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku. Iyo bordered on Awa, Sanuki, and Tosa Provinces. It was sometimes called ....
. The head of this clan line was ennobled as an hereditary "Viscount" in the Meiji period.
Clan temple in Edo
In the Edo period, Tōzen-jiTozen-ji
Tōzen-ji is a temple in Takanawa, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It belongs to the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism which has its headquarters at Myoshin-ji in Kyoto.In 1610, Ryonan-zenji founded it at Akasaka and in 1636 it was relocated to its present location...
was considered the family temple of various clans, including the Date clan of Sendai. Other clans considering Tōzen-ji to have been a clan temple were the Ikeda clan
Ikeda clan
The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji. In the Edo period, several of the clan's branches were daimyo families, most notably of the Tottori Domain, and Okayama Domain. Takamasa Ikeda, present head of the Okayama Ikeda house is a husband of Atsuko Ikeda, fourth daughter...
of Omi province
Omi Province
is an old province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. It is nicknamed as .Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of the province...
, the Inaba clan
Inaba clan
The were a samurai kin group which rose to prominence during the Sengoku and Edo periods. In the Edo period, the Inaba were identified as one of the fudai or insider daimyō clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan, in contrast with the tozama .-Clan branches:The fudai...
of Usuki Domain in Bungo province
Bungo Province
was a province of Japan in eastern Kyūshū in the area of Ōita Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Buzen Province. Bungo bordered Buzen, Hyūga, Higo, Chikugo, and Chikuzen Provinces.-History:...
, the Suwa clan
Suwa clan
The was a Japanese clan which claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji. It was a powerful clan of Shinano Province, particularly during the Sengoku period, when it had frequent clashes with its neighbor in Kai, the Takeda clan. The Suwa served as Takeda retainers for some time, and after the fall of...
of Shinshu, the Tamura
Tamura clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan which rose to prominence in the Sengoku period. It was part of the fighting in Mutsu Province...
of Ichinoseki, and the Mori clan
Mori clan
The Mōri clan was a family of daimyō, descended from Ōe no Hiromoto and established themselves in Aki Province. Their name was derived from a shōen in Mōri, Aikō District, Sagami Province. The generation of Hiromoto began to name themselves Mōri.After the Jōkyū War, Mōri was appointed to the jitō...
of Saeki
Saeki
The Saeki were a people of ancient Japan, believed to have lived on Honshū in the area between the modern regions of Kantō and Hokuriku.They are believed to have spoken a Tungusic language....
in Bungo Province
Bungo Province
was a province of Japan in eastern Kyūshū in the area of Ōita Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Buzen Province. Bungo bordered Buzen, Hyūga, Higo, Chikugo, and Chikuzen Provinces.-History:...
.
Notable clan members
14th Century
- Date Muneto (1324–1385)
- Date Masamune (14th century) (1353–1405)
- Date Ujimune (1371–1412)
- Date Mochimune (1393–1469)
15th Century
- Date Narimune (1435-1487?)
- Date Hisamune (1453–1514)
- Date TanemuneDate Tanemunewas a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period. The son of Date Hisamune, he ruled the Date clan from 1514 until his death in 1578....
(1488–1565)
16th Century
- Date HarumuneDate Harumunewas a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, who was the 15th head of the Date clan of Mutsu Province. Harumune was the son of Date Tanemune....
(1519–1577) - Date TerumuneDate Terumunewas a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period. He succeeded his father Harumune and became the sixteenth head of the Date clan of Mutsu Province. Date Masamune, the founder of the Sendai Domain, was his son....
(1544-1584 or 1585) - father of Masamune, murdered by Hatakeyama YoshitsuguHatakeyama Yoshitsuguwas a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, who was the 14th head of the Nihonmatsu clan of Mutsu.... - Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
(1567–1636) - son of Date TerumuneDate Terumunewas a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period. He succeeded his father Harumune and became the sixteenth head of the Date clan of Mutsu Province. Date Masamune, the founder of the Sendai Domain, was his son....
, great head of the Date family, established the family's power at SendaiSendai, Miyagiis the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...
. - Date Masamichi (1578–1590) - His name is questionable as he probably had not gone through genpukuGenpukuor genbuku was an historical Japanese coming-of-age ceremony. The etymology is atypical; in this case means "head" and means "wearing". The ceremony is also known as , , , , and ....
. - Date HidemuneDate Hidemunewas a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. He was the eldest son of Date Masamune, born in 1596 by Lady Iisaka . Coming of age while living with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he received a character from Hideyoshi's name and took the adult name of Hidemune...
(1591–1658) - son of Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
daimyoDaimyois a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Iyo domainUwajima DomainThe was a feudal domain in Iyo Province of Japan during the Edo period. It was ruled from 1608 to 1613 by the Tomita clan. After a brief period as Tokugawa-controlled tenryō territory, the domain passed into the hands of the Date clan. The founder was Date Hidemune , first-born son of Date Masamune...
in ShikokuShikokuis the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima... - Date TadamuneDate Tadamunewas a Japanese samurai of the early Edo period. The 2nd son of the famous and powerful daimyō Date Masamune, he succeeded his father as lord of Sendai. Although he was the 2nd son, his half-brother Date Hidemune was born by Lady Iisaka, a concubine, and was not eligible to rule...
(1599–1658) - son of Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai... - Date Shuyu (15??-1642)
- Date Munesane (?? - ??) - son of Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
- Date Munekatsu - son of Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
- guardian of Tsunamura
17th Century
- Date Munetomo - son of Date Munekatsu
- Date Munetsuna (1603–1618)
- Date Munenobu (1603–1627)
- Date MunehiroDate MunehiroDate Munehiro or Chihiro（Japanese:伊達 宗広 or 千広; June 24, 1802 – May 18, 1877）was a Samurai of Kii Domain and Scholar of Kokugaku, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. He was father of Mutsu Munemitsu（陸奥 宗光...
(1612–1644) - Date Munetoki (1615–1653)
- Date Torachiyomaru (1624–1630)
- Date Muneyoshi (1625–1678) - son of Date TadamuneDate Tadamunewas a Japanese samurai of the early Edo period. The 2nd son of the famous and powerful daimyō Date Masamune, he succeeded his father as lord of Sendai. Although he was the 2nd son, his half-brother Date Hidemune was born by Lady Iisaka, a concubine, and was not eligible to rule...
- guardian of Tsunamura - Date Mitsumune (1627–1645) - son of Date TadamuneDate Tadamunewas a Japanese samurai of the early Edo period. The 2nd son of the famous and powerful daimyō Date Masamune, he succeeded his father as lord of Sendai. Although he was the 2nd son, his half-brother Date Hidemune was born by Lady Iisaka, a concubine, and was not eligible to rule...
- Date Munetoshi (1634–1708)
- Date Munezumi (1636–1708)
- Date Sourin (1640–1670)
- Date TsunamuneDate Tsunamunewas the daimyō of Sendai han for about two years, from 1658 to 1660. His father, Date Tadamune, died in 1658, but Tsunamune's succession and rule was soon opposed by a number of his kinsmen and vassals...
(1640–1711) - son of Date TadamuneDate Tadamunewas a Japanese samurai of the early Edo period. The 2nd son of the famous and powerful daimyō Date Masamune, he succeeded his father as lord of Sendai. Although he was the 2nd son, his half-brother Date Hidemune was born by Lady Iisaka, a concubine, and was not eligible to rule...
- daimyo for a short time, removed from the succession in favor of Tsunamura, his son - Date Munefusa (1646–1686)
- Date TsunamuraDate Tsunamurawas a daimyo in mid-17th century Tokugawa Japan whose life was at the center of the Date Sōdō or "Date Disturbance", a very famous noble conflict of the period....
(1659–1719) - son of Date TsunamuneDate Tsunamunewas the daimyō of Sendai han for about two years, from 1658 to 1660. His father, Date Tadamune, died in 1658, but Tsunamune's succession and rule was soon opposed by a number of his kinsmen and vassals...
- daimyo whose succession led to the Date DisturbanceDate SodoThe Date Sōdō , or Date Disturbance, was a noble family dispute within the Date samurai clan, which occurred in 1671.-History:In 1660, the daimyō of the Sendai Domain, and clan head, Date Tsunamune was arrested in Edo, for drunkenness and debauchery... - Date Munenori (1673–1694)
- Date Yoshimura (1680–1751)
- Date Muratoyo (1682–1737)
- Date Muraoki (1683–1767)
- Date Muranari (1686–1726)
- Date Murasen (1698–1744)
18th Century
- Date Murasumi (1717–1735)
- Date Muranobu (1720–1765)
- Date Murakata (1745–1790)
- Date Murayoshi (1778–1820)
19th Century and After Meiji restoration
- Date Yoshitaka (1812–1862)
- Date Muneki (1817–1882)
- Date MunenariDate MunenariMarquis was the eighth head of the Uwajima Domain during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and a politician of the early Meiji era.-Early life:Munenari was born in Edo, the 4th son of the hatamoto Yamaguchi Naokatsu...
(1818–1892) - Date YoshikuniDate Yoshikuniwas a Japanese daimyo lord of the late Edo period, known primarily for being the commander-in-chief of the Northern Alliance of Confederated Domains during the Boshin War.During his tenure as lord he was also known by his courtesy title, Matsudaira ....
(1825–1874) - Date Kunninei (1830–1874)
- Date KuninaoDate Kuninaowas a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. The 10th head of the Date clan's Iwade-Date clan branch, Kuninao served as a retainer of Sendai han. After the Meiji Restoration, Kuninao went to Hokkaidō and assisted in land reclamation. Among various other contributions to the founding of modern...
(1834–1891) - Date KuninariDate Kuninariwas a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. The 15th head of the Watari-Date family, Kuninari served as a retainer of Sendai han. Following the defeat of the Sendai domain during the Boshin War, he assisted in helping the daimyo of Sendai, Date Munemoto, in declaring allegiance to the new...
(1841–1904) - Date MunemotoDate MunemotoCount was a Japanese daimyo of the late Edo period, who became a peer during the Meiji era. He was the last ruler of the Sendai Domain....
(1866–1917) - Date Takeshiro (1868–1908)
- Date Kunimune (1870–1923)
Twentieth century
- Date Okimune (1906–1947)
- Date Munehide (1908–1964)
- Date Munemi (1918–1982)
- Date Sadamune (1937–1981)
- Date Yasumune (1959-)
Side branches
They were born to the Date clan but were nominally adopted by other families. The first name is the person who was nominally adopted.- Tamura Muneyoshi (1637-1678)
- Tamura Takeaki (1656-1708) - first Tamura daimyo of Ichinoseki hanIchinoseki hanwas a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Mutsu Province. It was a branch domain of the Date clan of Sendai, ruled by the Tamura clan. Ichinoseki took part in the Ouetsu Reppan Domei in 1868, before surrendering to the Satsuma-Chōshū coalition....
- Tamura Akihiro (1659-1696)
- Tamura Akinao (1662-1706)
- Tamura Akinori (1664-1733)
- Tamura Haruchiyo (1686-1693)
- Tamura Nobuaki (1703-1725)
- Tamura Muranobu (1723-1777)
- Tamura Takeaki (1656-1708) - first Tamura daimyo of Ichinoseki han
- Shiraishi Gorokichi (1638-1644)
- Uesugi Yoshifusa (1720-1742)
- Uesugi Yoshitoki (1742-1784)
- Uesugi Yoshinaga (?-?)
- Uesugi Yositatsu (?-?)
- Uesugi Yoshimasa (?-?)
- Usesugi Yoshitoyo (?-1861)
Oniniwa
- Oniniwa Motozane (14??-15??)
- Oniniwa Yoshinao (1513-1585)
- Masuda Kita (1539-16??)
- Moniwa Tadamoto (1549-1640) - Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
gave him "Moniwa" as the new clan name for Oniniwa clan. - Moniwa Yoshimoto (1575-1663)
- Harada Tsutame (1598?-1671) - The wife of Yoshimoto