was a Japanese samurai of 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...

 through Azuchi-Momoyama period

Azuchi-Momoyama period

The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place. It spans the years from approximately 1573 to 1603, during which time Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, imposed order...

. Served as a retainer of the Date clan Masakage was the uncle of the famous 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...

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Masakage, or as he was first known, Rokurō, was the son of Date Harumune

Date Harumune

was 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....

. He was later adopted by Rusu Akimune, head of the Rusu clan

Rusu clan

The ' were a Japanese clan which claimed descent from Fujiwara Kaneie's son Michikane. They assumed the name Rusu following Minamoto no Yoritomo's conquest of northern Japan; the family, then named Isawa, were entrusted with keeping watch in the north during Yoritomo's absence...

 which governed Miyagi district. In 1568, he married the daughter of Kurokawa Sama-no-Kami Haruuji, lord of the Kurokawa district (later known as Aizu

Aizu

is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The principal city of the area is Aizuwakamatsu.During the Edo period, Aizu was a feudal domain known as and part of Mutsu Province.-History:...

). Masakage contributed very highly to the Date clan by defending it from many oppositions. He was also involved in the succession dispute. Masakage was extremely close to Masamune, as one of his top subordinates, bringing him to many victories. The greatest victory he brought to Masamune was in the campaign against Ōshū

Oshu

Oshu or Ōshū may refer to:* Oshu** Oshu , the First Prime of Lord Yu in New Order .** Ōshū, another name for Mutsu Province.** The city of Ōshū, Iwate, Japan....

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External links

• Masakage's armor (in Japanese)