Date Masamune
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<html> <head> <title>Date Masamune</title> <style type="text/css"> @import url(http://tarm.wdfiles.com/local--code/css:date-masamune); </style> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="http://tarm.wikidot.com/local--files/css:date-masamune/faviconmasamune.gif"/> </head> <body> <div style="position:absolute; top:0; right:0;"> <img src="http://tarm.wikidot.com/local--files/html:date-masamune/bannermasamune2.png" /> </div> <div id="sidebar" style="float:right; text-align:center;"> <img src="http://www.samuraisword.com/nihonto/TBH/Yokei_Kunikane/masamune_samurai.jpg" style="margin:auto; width:300px;" /> <p><strong><span style="font-size:125%;">1566-1636</span></strong></p> <br /> <p><a href="http://tarm.wdfiles.com/local--code/html:date-masamune-five">The Leadership of Date</a></p> <p><a href="http://tarm.wdfiles.com/local--code/html:date-masamune-flowchart">Flowchart of Date's Life and Legacy</a></p> <p><a href="http://tarm.wdfiles.com/local--code/html:date-masamune-english">Leadership in Writing</a></p> <div align="center" style="background-color: #ccc; width: 300px; height: 15px; font-size: 12px; border:1px solid; border-color:#000;"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" height="15" data="http://www.airmp3.net/player/slim.swf?&player_title=found on AIRMP3.net&song_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotlinkfiles.com%2Ffiles%2F750129_oke0k%2FWaitAndBleed.mp3%5DWaitAndBleed.mp3&song_title=Slipknot+-+Wait+And+Bleed (found on AIRMP3.net)"><param name="movie" value="http://www.airmp3.net/player/slim.swf?&player_title=found on AIRMP3.net&song_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotlinkfiles.com%2Ffiles%2F750129_oke0k%2FWaitAndBleed.mp3%5DWaitAndBleed.mp3&song_title=Slipknot+-+Wait+And+Bleed (found on AIRMP3.net)" /><autoplay="TRUE"></object></div> </div> <div id="header"> <span id="sitetitle"><img src="http://tarm.wikidot.com/local--files/html:date-masamune-flowchart/datemasamune2.png" /></span> <span style="font-size:350%;">伊達政宗</span> </div> <div id="content"> <span id="title">The Biography</span> <p>Date Masamune was a widely renowned daimyo, or samurai warlord, who lived from 1566 to 1636. He was famous for his excellent military tactics, ferocity, and loyalty. He was born as the eldest of Date Terumune. Early in his life, he lost his right eye because of a small pox infection, and he had to gouge it out himself in order to preserve his life. Masamune went on his first campaign with his father in 1581, and three years after that, Masamune officially succeeded his father.</p> <p>Date declared war on the Ashina tribe after one of his retainers betrayed him. Already, his tribe was in bad terms with the Hatakeyama tribe. Hatakeyama, however, was willing to make peace, but Date, who was at the time a little arrogant and power hungry, refused and continued attempting to expand. In retaliation, Hatakeyama kidnapped Date's father Terumune. Date with some soldiers chased the kidnappers, but in an attempt to rescue Terumune, Terumune himself was killed.</p> <p>Because of his father's death, Date waged war with the Hatakeyama, who allied themselves with the Ashina. Many battles broke out, and in most of them, Date lost. The enemies had too many men against Date, and Date's defensive strategy was too reckless to prove effective. As a result, he barely found himself winning battles, and it eventually led to Date's last stand. Luckily for Date, though, one of the enemy tribes allied with the Hatakeyama received word that they were being attacked by another tribe, and they therefore had to retreat. This meant that Date had time to regenerate from the losses.</p> <p>The surge of failure didn't stop Date from eventually winning the war. From the failures, Date made new strategies, and he used the losses to help him learn how to best lead in the future. In 1589, Date defeated the Ashina tribe in a bloody battle where he charged the enemy and blocked escape routes. This victory was an important step in Date becoming as famous as he did.</p> <p>One time, Hideyoshi, Date's overlord and superior, had Date participate in a campaign. Date, however, was a little late for he was waiting for his spies to report on a likely victor. Because of this, Hideyoshi significantly reduced Date's income. In 1595, Date was accused of treason, probably for becoming too powerful. Date was scheduled to die, but he was sparred by Tokugawa Ieyasu, a friend of Date. After Hideyoshi died, Ieyasu became Date's new overlord. Date readily aided Ieyasu in his war against another tribe, and because of Date's help, Ieyasu was able to win. Ieyasu therefore awarded Date much land including what would become modern day Sendai, Japan.</p> <p>Date was sympathetic for Christians in that he commonly interceded on their behalf so they can preach even though anti-Christian edicts were in place. In one such incidence, in 1613, he saved a Father Soteho from a death sentence. He then asked that Soteho make a trip to Europe so that he can trade. Date was curious in foreign technologies. The embassy took seven years to make the trip. But within those seven years, Date was pressured by his authorities to enforce the anti-Christian edicts. Upon Soteho's return, he was to be burned, and that is what happened.</p> <p>Date Masamune was one of the last daimyos to see Ieyasu at his deathbed. Date has an appreciation for the arts and he kept good ethics, so at Ieyasu's deathbed, he read him Zen poetry. Date died in 1636.</p> <div id="footer"> <h1>Works Cited</h1> <p style="text-indent:-3em; margin-left:3em;">"Date Masamune: Encyclopedia II - Date Masamune - Dokuganryū: the One-Eyed Dragon." <i>Global Oneness - The meeting place for Cultural Creatives - Articles, News, Community, Forums, Travel & Events and much more.</i> Web. 03 Sept. 2009. <http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Date_Masamune_-_iDokuganryi_the_One-Eyed_Dragon/id/4970477>.</p> <p style="text-indent:-3em; margin-left:3em;">"Date Masamune: Encyclopedia II - Date Masamune - The man Masamune." <i>Global Oneness - The meeting place for Cultural Creatives - Articles, News, Community, Forums, Travel & Events and much more.</i> Web. 03 Sept. 2009. <http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Date_Masamune_-_The_man_Masamune/id/4970478>.</p> <p style="text-indent:-3em; margin-left:3em;">"Date Masamune." <i>Genbukan Tokyo Shibu.</i> Web. 03 Sept. 2009. <http://www.ninpo.org/picturearchive/historicalportraits/datemasamune.htm>.</p> <p style="text-indent:-3em; margin-left:3em;">"Date Masamune." <i>The Samurai Archives Japanese History Page.</i> Web. 03 Sept. 2009. <http://www.samurai-archives.com/masamune.html>.</p> <p style="text-indent:-3em; margin-left:3em;"><i>Official Date Clan Website.</i> Web. 03 Sept. 2009. <http://www.datemasamune.com/>.</p> <p style="text-indent:-3em; margin-left:3em;">Web. 3 Sept. 2009. <http://www.samuraisword.com/nihonto/TBH/Yokei_Kunikane/masamune_samurai.jpg>.</p> </div> </div> <div style="position:relative; bottom:392px; left:-12px; height:3px;"> <img src="http://tarm.wikidot.com/local--files/html:date-masamune/bottomcorner.png" /> </div> </body> </html>
page revision: 111, last edited: 01 Dec 2009 02:18