Date Tadamune

Date Tadamune
伊達忠宗
Portrait of Date Tadamune
Daimyō of Sendai Domain
In office
1636–1658
Preceded by Date Masamune
Succeeded by Date Tsunamune
Personal details
Born (1600-01-23)January 23, 1600
Edo, Japan
Died August 10, 1658(1658-08-10) (aged 58)
Edo, Japan
Nationality Japanese
Spouse(s) Ikeda Terumasa's daughter
Mother Megohime
Father Date Masamune
Resting place Zuihōden, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Date Tadamune (伊達忠宗, 23 January 1600 to 10 August 1658) was an early Edo period Japanese samurai, and the 2nd daimyō of the 625,000 koku Sendai Domain in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. He was the step-brother of Date Hidemune of Uwajima Domain.

Tadamune was born as Torakikumaru (虎菊丸) later Sōjirō (総次郎) the second son of Date Masamune. Although he was the second son, his elder half-brother Date Hidemune was born by Lady Iisaka, a concubine, and was thus not eligible to rule. At the age of seven, he was betrothed to Ichi-hime, the 5th daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu; however, she died three years later, and he was betrothed again to the daughter of Ikeda Terumasa, who was also Ieyasu's grand-daughter. In 1611, shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada presided over his genpuku ceremony, and he received courtesy title was Mimasaka-no-kami, and Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade Court rank. He also received permission from the shōgun to use the Matsudaira surname as an honorific.

At the time of the 1614 Siege of Osaka, he accompanied his father in the train of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and it was by order of Ieyasu that Date Hidemune was ordered to establish an independent branch of the Date clan at Uwajima in Shikoku with a kokudaka of 100,000 koku, whereas Date Tadamune was confirmed as heir to the main Date line at Sendai.

Tadamune was elevated to Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, and given the honorary title of chamberlain in 1616. In 1624, his courtesy title was changed to Echizen-no-kami, and changed again in 1626 to Sakonoe-gon-shōshō (General of the Left Guards).

On Masamune's death in May 1632, he became daimyō, and entered Aoba Castle in Sendai for the first time in August of the same year. He immediately took over the reins of government by replacing two of the six bugyōs, and re-establishing a multi-person system of magistrates and inspectors to provide more oversight and to eliminate corruption and arbitrary rule. He followed this the following year by publishing a new code of rules and regulations for the domain. In 1639, his courtesy title was changed to Mutsu-no-kami.

In terms of finances, from 1640 to 1643 he ordered a complete re-survey of the domain, bringing units of measurements in line with the nation-wide standards used by the Tokugawa shogunate. This was accompanied by large scale land reform. Tadamune also established a system whereby the domain purchased all rice produced in the domain, and reselling in Edo, paying the farmers in advance. This encouraged the opening of new rice lands.

During Tadamune's tenure, Sendai Castle was completed, and he sponsored the construction of numerous temples and shrines, including the Zuihōden in 1637 and the Sendai Tōshōgū in 1654.

On Tadamune's death on 12 July 1658, one of his senior retainers, Furuuchi Shigehiro, committed ritual suicide (junshi). Tadamune's sixth son Date Tsunamune became daimyō of Sendai.

Family

  • Father: Date Masamune
  • Mother: Megohime (Daughter of Tamura Kiyoaki)
  • Wife: Furihime (1607–1659), daughter of Ikeda Terumasa and adopted daughter of Tokugawa Hidetada; also called Kōshōin
  • Concubines
    • Fusu (Daughter of Mitamura Matauemon; also called Shōunin)
    • Zuishōin (Daughter of Nagata Tadashige)
    • Kaihime (1624–1642, adopted daughter of Kushige Takachika; also called Tokushōin)
    • Take (Daughter of Yamato Tosa; also called Keiunin)
  • Children
    • Nabehime (1623–1680) by Furihime married Tachibana Tadashige
    • Torachiyo (1624–1630) by Furihime
    • Date Mitsumune (1627–1645) by Furihime
    • Tamura Muneyoshi by Fusu
    • Date Munenori (1643–1685) by Fusu
    • Date Gorokichi (1638–1644) by Zuishōin
    • Date Munetomo (1640–1670) by Zuishōin
    • Date Tsunamune by Kaihime
    • Date Munefusa (1646–1686) by Take
    • Īzaka Muneakira (1648–1663) by Take

References

  • Papinot, Edmond. (1948). Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. New York: Overbeck Co.
Preceded by
Date Masamune		 2nd (Date) Daimyō of Sendai
1636–1658		 Succeeded by
Date Tsunamune
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