Date of birth: 1567-1636
Birthplace: Yonezawa Castle
Main achievements: Expanded the territory of Date and unified the entire Aizu and Oshu states.
Official positions: From the five subordinates, Sakyo Daifu, Echizen Shou, Quan Zhong, and after death, he gave two subordinates.
His main generals: Katakura Koshiro Keisuke, Idami, Kishin Endo, and Tsunade Oni.
Date Masamune was born in 1567 in Yonezawa Castle, Izuwa Province. If Date Masamune had been born earlier, it would have been hard to say whether Japan would have been finally unified. In 1582, the 15-year-old Date Masamune was accompanied by Katakura Koshiro Keisuke and Idami for the first time in the battle. Date Masamune first went down to Omori Castle and then broke Kanezu Castle, and although the two families did not win or lose, Date Masamune performed well in this war. After Succeeding Emperor Date to the throne, date Masamune pursued an active foreign policy and decided to engage the surrounding rival daimyōs. Date Masamune's most dependent vassals were Katakura Keisuke and Idami.
In 1589, Ashina Morishige once again sent troops to the Suga River, when suddenly shigeto shigekari Inoyo Morikuni plotted a rebellion and led the Date army directly into the main city of Kurokawa. The second crucial battle in Date Masamune's life. Ashina's army was about 7,000 men, Date's army was 5,000, Datekatakata's support was still at a disadvantage, just at a critical juncture, the wind direction suddenly reversed, the east wind was strong, it was difficult for Ashina's sergeant to open his eyes, Date Masamune took the opportunity to personally lead the iron artillery team to shoot on the side, saving the defeat, and then the ashina clan perished.
In 1590, Hideyoshi Hideyoshi issued orders against the Date clan by daimyo such as Uesugi and Satake, and Date Masamune was very wise, recognizing the value of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and believing that if he fought, he would die, and if he surrendered, he might have a chance, and it turned out that his choice was right.
After Hideyoshi's death, Masamune turned to Tokugawa Ieyasu and took part in the Battle of Aizu and the Battle of Sekigahara. Later, he participated in the Battle of Osaka Castle, but Date Masamune and Sanada Nobuharu were two heroes who hated each other, and the two armies did not pursue after the fierce battle, and when the two armies had obvious advantages, they did not pursue, but spared Sanada Nobuhiro. Later, the Tokugawa clan won, the Toyotomi clan perished, and the Tokugawa shogunate was established. In 1636, the reclusive Masamune died of illness in Edo at the age of 70.
Later generations spoke highly of Date Masamune, and indeed, Masamune was superior in ability from the perspective of command, wisdom, internal and external affairs, and he still had good courtiers. Date Masamune often lamented that he had been born twenty years late, otherwise he could have competed with Uesugi, Takeda, and Nobunaga. However, according to the terrain at that time, Date's birthplace was not dominant, the region was often famine and poverty, and the Date family was not strong in the early days, but it was surrounded by powerful lords such as Takeda and Uesugi. It is also difficult to stand out if you are born 20 years early. Historically, it is also common to compare Sanada Yukimura with Date Masamune, both of whom were the strongest warriors of that period and were equally divided.