Hirata Masamune

• Born: 1566
• Died: 1610
• Distinction: Shimazu clan karô, assistant general
• Japanese: 平田太郎左衛門尉僧宗 (Hirata Tarousaemonjou Masamune)

Masamune was a senior councilor to Shimazu Tadatsune, who played a role in the 1609 invasion of Ryukyu.

Despite the support of a number of key Shimazu retainers, the younger Kabayama Hisataka was chosen over Masamune, at a meeting of the senior retainers of the clan on 1609/2/6, to lead the invasion; Masamune served as his second-in-command.

He was assassinated on Tadatsune's orders on suspicion of treason.

He is known in some records as 他魯済 (pinyin: Taluji), a Chinese approximation of the pronunciation of Tarôsae, the middle part of his name.

References

• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005
• Rekidai Hôan. Item 1-18-03.
• Turnbull, Stephen. The Samurai Capture a King: Okinawa 1609. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2009.