Motonobu, whose origins are unclear (one opinion is that he was from the [[Hozumi clan|Hozumi]] family of the Aizu district of [[Mutsu province]]), served [[Date Masamune]]. He was skilled in administrative matters and so was named Masamune's Minister of Finance (Ôkura Daijin) and the Director of the Economic Planning Agency (Keizaikikakuchôkan). He was also well-versed in the tea ceremony. He is best known for actually composing what amounted to a constitution for a dreamed-of Date shôgunate. When he was on his deathbed, and knowing that his cherished hopes for Masamune would never become reality, he had the documents burned in a bamboo basket lest they be discovered by the [[Tokugawa clan|Tokugawa]] (and be used against Masamune). As his eldest son had predeceased him, he was succeeded by his second son, known, like his father, as Shichiemon. | Motonobu, whose origins are unclear (one opinion is that he was from the [[Hozumi clan|Hozumi]] family of the Aizu district of [[Mutsu province]]), served [[Date Masamune]]. He was skilled in administrative matters and so was named Masamune's Minister of Finance (Ôkura Daijin) and the Director of the Economic Planning Agency (Keizaikikakuchôkan). He was also well-versed in the tea ceremony. He is best known for actually composing what amounted to a constitution for a dreamed-of Date shôgunate. When he was on his deathbed, and knowing that his cherished hopes for Masamune would never become reality, he had the documents burned in a bamboo basket lest they be discovered by the [[Tokugawa clan|Tokugawa]] (and be used against Masamune). As his eldest son had predeceased him, he was succeeded by his second son, known, like his father, as Shichiemon. |