Date Narimune


Biography

Narimune was the posthumous second son of Date Narimura; his mother was a concubine and he was born at the clan's Sodegasaki residence in Edo. His childhood name was Norisaburō later Shōjirō. In 1804, he was moved to the clan’s primary residence in Edo, and he came down with chickenpox the same year, but recovered. In 1809, his elder half-brother, Date Chikamune was highly disfigured by smallpox, and went into seclusion until his death in 1812. During this period, Narimune appeared in all official functions in his place. He was adopted as Chikamune’s heir in 1812, and changed his name to Date Munezumi. Later that same year, after Chikamune died, he was received in formal audience by Shōgun Tokugawa Ienari, who presided over his genpuku ceremony, and who granted him a kanji from his name. He also received the Court rank of Junior Fourth, Lower Grade and courtesy titles of Mutsu-no-kami and Sakonoe-shōshō as had been held by his father. In 1814, he was wed to the daughter of Tokugawa Harutomi, daimyō of Kii Domain.
He fell ill in June 1819 and died a month later at the age of 22. As he had no male heir, the son of Tamura Murasuke, daimyō of Ichinoseki Domain was posthumously adopted as his heir.

Family