Date Masamune

(1567–1636) led his first campaign at the age of 14 and succeeded his father, who chose to retire from his position as daimyo three years later. He ruthlessly attacked and conquered neighbouring lands. One of the neighbouring families appealed to Terumune to rein in his son’s military campaigns, but he said that he was unable to control his son. In desperation, they kidnapped Terumune and attempted to take him back with them. Being alarmed, Masamune and his men closed in on the kidnappers. Terumune ordered his son’s men to kill all the enemies, even at the cost of his own life. Masamune’s men did as they were told and killed everyone, including Terumune.
As a child, smallpox robbed Masamune of the sight in his right eye, one reason why he was called the ‘one-eyed dragon’. Because of his missing eye, his mother thought him unfit to take over as clan leader and favoured his younger brother as heir. She tried to poison Masamune while serving him dinner. Masamune consequently killed his own brother. Masamune served Toyotomi Hideyoshi and, after Hideyoshi’s death, he supported Tokugawa Ieyasu, who awarded Masamune the lordship of the huge and profitable Sendai Domain. This made Masamune one of Japan’s most powerful daimyo. He would turn Sendai into a large and prosperous city.