Harumune Date (1519-12 January 1578) was the daimyo of the Date clan.
Biography[]
Harumune Date was a son of Tanemune Date, and he was from the Date clan of Mutsu Province. In 1545 he gained the support of his clan against his father after he planned to marry his brother to an Uesugi princess, and he defeated him at the Battle of Iwate Fields, wiping out his army. Harumune proceeded to campaign against the Mogami clan in Ugo Province, taking it in autumn 1546. Harumune proceeded to expand the Date clan through northern Japan, and he ironically allied with the Uesugi, the former enemies of Harumune.
Harumune was an ally of the Ashikaga Shogunate, with shogun Yoshiharu Ashikaga allowing him to use the ideogram "haru" in his personal name, an honor in ancient Japan. He was appointed as the shogunate tendai of Mutsu, giving him a role in the shogunate's government.