Date Harumune

In this Japanese name, the surname is Date.

Portrait of Date Harumune in the Sendai City Museum

Date Harumune (伊達 晴宗, 1519 – January 12, 1578) was a Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku period.

Son of Date Tanemune, the fourteenth hereditary head of the Date Clan in Mutsu Province, Harumune was intended to become head of the clan upon his father's death. However, Tanemune's method of consolidating power through the political marriages of his children led to the Tenbun War (天分の乱), a revolt led by Harumune. At first, Tanemune had the advantage but Harumune ultimately succeeded his father as leader of the clan. Harumune then moved to Yonezawa and worked to settle the aftermath of the war.

As a special honor, Ashikaga Yoshiharu gave permission for Harumune to use one ideograph (haru-) of his name. Additionally, the Ashikaga shogunate gave Harumune power and responsibilities as tendai of Mutsu.

Harumune was the fifteenth head of the Date Clan. He was the father of the sixteenth head, Date Terumune, and the grandfather of the famous seventeenth head of the Date Clan and founder of the Sendai Clan as well as Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture, Date Masamune.

Family

• Father: Date Tanemune
• Mother: Teishin'in
• Wife: Kubohime (1521–1594)
• Children:
  • Iwaki Chikataka (d. 1594) by Kubohime
  • Onamihime (1541–1602) married Nikaido Moriyoshi by Kubohime
  • Date Terumune by Kubohime
  • daughter married Date Sanemoto (brother of Harumune) by Kubohime
  • daughter married Koyanagawa Morimune by Kubohime
  • daughter married Satake Yoshishige by Kubohime
  • Rusu Masakage by Kubohime
  • Ishikawa Akimitsu by Kubohime
  • Hikohime married Ashina Morioki later married Ashina Moritaka by Kubohime
  • Kokubu Morishige by Kubohime
  • Sugime Naomune (d. 1584) by Kubohime

Early life

Harumune's childhood name was Jiro (次郎).

References

The emblem (mon) of the Date clan