Date · Katakura (Date retainer)
Katakura Kagetsuna
“Kojūrō the Demon”
Born into a family of Shinto priests, he was chosen as tutor and strategist to the young Date Masamune. Cool and composed, he was paired with Shigezane in the saying "Kagetsuna for wisdom, Shigezane for arms." At Suriagehara he held the vanguard through the difficult opening, and when the wind turned he re-formed the front and created the starting point of the counterattack. He saved Masamune in crisis after crisis, at Hitotoribashi and the Ōsaki campaign, and as the foremost retainer of the house held Shiroishi Castle, the southern key of the Sendai domain. His son Shigenaga, the second Kojūrō, fought hard at the Siege of Osaka and is known as the man to whom the dying Sanada Yukimura entrusted his daughter.
- Epithet
- “Kojūrō the Demon”
- Rank / office
- Lord of Shiroishi Castle
- Domain / base
- Mutsu (Shiroishi Castle)
- Banner / crest
- Nine stars
- Side
- Date
- Lived
- 1557–1615 (aged 59)
Life
- Tenshō 3 Tutor to Masamune Served close to the young Masamune and polished his talents.
- Tenshō 13 Hitotoribashi Got Masamune away from the encirclement of the Satake–Ashina alliance.
- Tenshō 17 Suriagehara Held the vanguard through the difficult opening and touched off the counterattack.
- Keichō 7 Lord of Shiroishi Castle Became chief retainer in charge of Shiroishi Castle, the southern key of the Sendai domain.
Battles in this archive1 battles
Related sites
- Shiroishi Castle (Shiroishi, Miyagi)
- Kessan-ji (Shiroishi, Miyagi)